unit promotions

[AzNtoccata]

What have you guys been finding the most effective?

Is it better to specialize or be average at many things?

There are some obvious ones, such as garrisons should try to max out "city garrison ability", or large fighting in hilly or forest terran shoudl be guerrila and woodsman respectively.

But is it better to have flanking or combat for cavalry?
Should tanks have more combat (and perhaps pinch, ambush) or barrage or flanking?

Should ships have flanking or combat?

I'm still not sure what is the most effective combos...thanks

[asleepathewheel]

You should not, IMHO stack multiple vs modifiers in units, ie an axeman with both cover and shock. Its better to have one with cover and combat II and another with shock and combat II than two units with both.

Actually, in the above situation, I usually want my units with combat I, Cover and city raider I, when I'm attacking cities early in the game.

I've only found flanking to be useful for units with an already inherent withdraw %,. Ie chariots vs horse archers. I can't recall the numbers, but if I can't get withdrawal to 50% I dont bother at all, figuring the higher attack value will save more units.

I only use garrison whne I'm under fire. At cities where I percieve the AI will attack, I will leave a unit or two unpromoted and then promote them to garrison. If the city isn't attacked then the garrison upgrade is wasted.

[DeepO]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
I've only found flanking to be useful for units with an already inherent withdraw %,. Ie chariots vs horse archers. I can't recall the numbers, but if I can't get withdrawal to 50% I dont bother at all, figuring the higher attack value will save more units.

I use flanking primarily in a losing situation: if your chariots are facing city-defend II archers, at least they have a chot of retreating. For me, flanking is for glorified cannon fodder.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: you can hold off on promotions. You do not need to choose the promotion when the unit is built, you leave him glowing, fortifying or moving him, until the time when you are either under attack, or when you decide to attack someone.

DeepO

[Dominae]

Originally posted by DeepO
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: you can hold off on promotions. You do not need to choose the promotion when the unit is built, you leave him glowing, fortifying or moving him, until the time when you are either under attack, or when you decide to attack someone.

Promoting a unit also heals it (although not fully), so holding back on your Promotions gives you an extra bit of strength when you need to press an advantage.

[DeepO]

Originally posted by Dominae


Promoting a unit also heals it (although not fully), so holding back on your Promotions gives you an extra bit of strength when you need to press an advantage.

Heh... I haven't actually used that one. Yet. Thanks for the tip, that indeed can be quite useful in some situations!

DeepO

[asleepathewheel]

Yeah, I rely on that occassionally too

[alva]

Originally posted by DeepO

Heh... I haven't actually used that one. Yet. Thanks for the tip, that indeed can be quite useful in some situations!

DeepO

Yeah, but you will kick yourself if you didn't use it (that extra 10% can make a big difference) and narrowly loose the unit.

[Ellestar]

Originally posted by alva


Yeah, but you will kick yourself if you didn't use it (that extra 10% can make a big difference) and narrowly use the unit.

Yes, i also don't think that it's a bad idea not to promote unit before the fight. 10% strength difference = +10% damage/chance to hit for you and -10% damage/chance to hit for an enemy.

If i'm didn't screwed my math, then promoted unit with +10% strength has 68% chance to win against non-promoted unit with the same strength (that's compared to 50% chance to win if everything is equal).
So, +10% strength is better than +10% chance to retreat. Also, +10% chace to retreat is maybe as good as +5% chance to win because retreated unit did no good for you.

[cal_01]

Flanking II is a must-have against archers/first strike, though I eventually figured out that catapults were infinitely more effective.

[DeepO]

Originally posted by Ellestar

Yes, i also don't think that it's a bad idea not to promote unit before the fight. 10% strength difference = +10% damage/chance to hit for you and -10% damage/chance to hit for an enemy.

If i'm didn't screwed my math, then promoted unit with +10% strength has 68% chance to win against non-promoted unit with the same strength (that's compared to 50% chance to win if everything is equal).
So, +10% strength is better than +10% chance to retreat. Also, +10% chace to retreat is maybe as good as +5% chance to win because retreated unit did no good for you.

It's not that easy:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140622

DeepO

[DeepO]

Originally posted by alva


Yeah, but you will kick yourself if you didn't use it (that extra 10% can make a big difference) and narrowly loose the unit.

That's the beauty of it. But I was thinking on not using a promotion in larger stacks, before they can get next to the city tiles. Most of the times they get hit by a couple of cats, halfing that damage can be important.

DeepO

[Strollen]

I find I do hold off using promotions, unless I am about to enter combat. There is a pretty significant healing effect by giving a promotion, so in any situation where you could be attacked, don't save your promotions.

I really love the whole promotions mini-game, it is so much cooler than Attack and Defense.