Great General Strategy Discussion

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Arrian

Mechanized Infantry: City Raider III, Leadership, Combat 1, Pinch, Tactics. BadassMoFo.

-Arrian

Word.

[zeace]

So far I've been using my Warlords to break really hard cities. Last game London was built on a hill with walls and a longbow fortified with City Defense III. There's not a lot that can take that out even after you catapult the wall down. After that though, the defenders got easier, so my warlord took on the big defender.

I envision a scene out of Troy or something where Achilles is rallying the troops and he charges first into the fray and fights the most powerful defender to encourage everyone else to fight. If he loses, his story is of sacrifice for the greater good. If he wins, he becomes an even greater general...

[phlucas]

Originally posted by rah
I guess the big question is what is the AI doing with them. Now when I start rolling over civs I want to finish even faster before they can take advantage of any GG's that they are generating.
Unless they don't show when you point at a stack, I'm not seeming them in the field so I can only assume that they are setttling them.
If they are, do you get them if you take the city?

I was attacking Julius Caesar and he spawned a Great General. With my troups immediately before Rome, he chose not to upgrate his Longbowmen to from City Garrison I to III (which would have halted my progress), but settled for an academy. This was a suboptimal choice for him, because he did not have more than a few turns time to create units before I took the city (and the academy).

[DirtyMartini]

Let me see if I remember correctly --

HE = +100% unit production speed
Military academy = +25% unit production speed

I'm thinking military academy is relatively bad use. I'd rather use the first to get my lvl 5 unit to insure HE, then settle the rest for the +2xp in various high production cities.

Maybe in the later game the +25% might help in a big production city.

[Palpster]

Originally posted by Philotas
This expansion is a war-monger's wet dream...........

I've always been the builder type, but this expansion has gotten me interested in combining it somewhat more with war-mongering....heck, I might even go for my first ever Conquest Vicotry

[Dominae]

A free Forge effect is nothing to scoff at in the earlier parts of the game. If you dedicate one city to military unit production (as I often do), that +25% bonus comes in very handy.

I'm pretty sure 25% better production is better than +2XP, but I could be wrong.

[Kc7mxo]

i'd agree. +25% production means 5 units instead of 4.

Unless, the city is already producing one unit per turn. Also, if +2 exp can take you up another rank level for your green troops.

Seems to be a situational decision.

[DirtyMartini]

20 production city with barracks, w/o academy, w/ instructor produces 11 city raider II axemen in 20 turns (20x20)/35

20 production city with barracks, w/ academy, w/o instructor produces 14 city raider I axemen in 20 turns [(20+20x0.25)20]/35

Pre-construction, I'd rather have the 11 city raider II axemen than the 14 city raider I. Post-construction I'm not sure. (either way that's probably too many city raider axemen, but you see what I'm saying)

I'd still rather spend that 2nd great general in my HE city as an instructor. the 3rd probably goes in my 2nd unit-producing city as an instructor. After that, it would be situational.

Quality vs. quantity I guess.

Thoughts? Feel free to correct any egregious math errors I've made.

[SebP]

From a late game perspective:
Remember you can stack the military advisors in a single city. I'm doing this with Napoleon (charismatic) in my heroic epic city just now and producing a level 6(! yes, 6, which is 5 promotions from the start) infantry, helicopter or tank EVERY turn. Instant commando promotions anyone? (That's not actually what i'm doing though)

It takes the charismatic trait, 6 advisors, west point, barracks, and pentagon OR one of theocracy/vassalage for the xp, heroic epic and industrialization for the speed.
Off course this is huge pangea on normal speed or i would have won by domination long before getting 6 generals... still impressive.

It would have been better to place 2 in the west point/HE city and 4 in the iron works city though for level 5 units in huge numbers.


And yes, i know that at this point you'd win just as sure without those units... It's still fun to see them come from the line with 23 XP

I think that the military adademy is a waste, definitely after the HE and probably before that. Especially if you can use the first general to get the Heroic Epic faster now that you need a level 5 unit. Another good reason to get an early medic 3 unit

EDIT: errm. i just noticed i didn't say really say anything that wasn't already in blake's post at the beginning of this thread. Oh well.