UU's

[Virdrago]

Unmounted SOD's - 50% vs. melee, or catupult/trebuchet killer (plus collateral).

Otherwise, I use them to mop up any archerless units. They're not the greatest, but they're fun.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Ming
There are many civs where you can do an early rush with their UU's. Besides the romans, war charriots can be used... You can even do it with the Incans if you move quick enough. In significant numbers, many will work

Don't forget Persia. Those immortals make early war a snap if you can cut the enemy off from metal resources.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Six Thousand Year Old Man


What for?

probably more useful in MP where humans build more melee units. The ai doesn't build enough to bother in my experience. You really need something to knock those longbows out.

[Thedrin]

Originally posted by Six Thousand Year Old Man


What for?

I find the protective cho ko nus are very effective at taking cities - promote them down the drill line and they become a very powerful force.

[LzPrst]

immortals

if I'm feeling "to-hellish" mongols

sometimes others as well (germans)

[Herreman Jarl]

Regarding the Carthaginians Numidian Cavalry, whats the point there?
They cost more then ordinary Horse Archer but what´s the benefit?

[Thedrin]

Regarding the Carthaginians Numidian Cavalry, whats the point there?
They cost more then ordinary Horse Archer but what´s the benefit?

+50% versus melee units and free flanking I. It's a while since I've done the calculations but I believe the Numidian cavalry can attack a spearman (+100% versus mounted) and expect to survive (win chance + withdrawal chance = survival chance).

It can also plough through axemen and swordsmen. Basically, it has great odds when attacking any non-unique unit in the open field (except horse archers).

[joncnunn]

Yes; I just used Berskers to sack enemy cities in the ongoing Seapower AU. Well, I built some Galleys to transport them and some Tribemes to defend the Galleys, but only the Berskers actually attacked the enemy cities. I didn't bother with defending the newly captured cities but instead just raized them to the ground and reloaded the Berskers.

[Herreman Jarl]

In the early phase of expansion I use Horse Archer to capture barbarian cities. Not that they are optimal for the task but I can build them relatively quickly and they are moving fast.
To build Numidian Cavalry takes more time and the troops often arrive to an already razed or captured city.
The numidians have better qualities but they must be upgraded to Knights to defend the city later anyway.
Upgrading to Knights costs the same whatever I have Nums or Horse Archers.
When the invitable attack from certain notorious nabours comes, Hanibal has a smaller empire to back up from.

[Thedrin]

In the early phase of expansion I use Horse Archer to capture barbarian cities. Not that they are optimal for the task but I can build them relatively quickly and they are moving fast.
To build Numidian Cavalry takes more time and the troops often arrive to an already razed or captured city.
The numidians have better qualities but they must be upgraded to Knights to defend the city later anyway.
Upgrading to Knights costs the same whatever I have Nums or Horse Archers.
When the invitable attack from certain notorious nabours comes, Hanibal has a smaller empire to back up from.

In general, using early/mid game mounted units for city attack and city defence is less than optimal. It can be done but it's not what those units are designed for. Usually they are better for attcking in the open field, harrying your opponents, or pillaging.

The Numidian cavalry is probably better at these tasks but it is worse at city related tasks. It's only real advantage for city attacking is that it only requires 1 promotion to obtain flanking II (and the 50% withdrawal that goes with it) which I would consider to be an almost-essential promotion for city raiding mounted units.

On unit costs, Numidian cavalry cost the same amount of production to build as standard horse archers so arriving late should not be an issue.

I'd also recommend using swordsmen or axemen for taking out barbarian cities. They may not move as fast but they can get the city raider promotions and can be built sooner. As Hannibal you start with mining. The relative costs of the bronze working -> ironworking, hunting -> animal hubandry -> horseback riding, and agriculture -> animal husbandry -> horseback riding technology routes are 320:390:410. So, assuming you get either iron or bronze, you can be ready to attack barbarian cities much sooner (with the added bonus that you won't have to build a stable in your production city to get the most out of your attacking unit).

[Nugog]

Originally posted by Ming
Actually... Quechua are great early in the game for taking out other people's resourses. It usually takes two warriors to take out a single Quechua. So you can just march them right into people's lands knowing it's going to cost them more to take them out, then it costs you to build them.

Definetly.

They are fabulous in the very early game - in fact I tend to get carried away and build too many, and neglect other things...........

But, once you opponents get axes - it is a very different story......., especially on the open field. A few of them, with a few promo's can be quite handy holded up in a city though.

[Martinus]

Originally posted by Adagio
Depends on the UU... when playing as the Indians I never attack with the UU

That would explain my lack of success as Gandhi.

But yes, while some units cannot be used alone, there is a handful (Praetorians, Panzers, Navy Seals, Redcoats or even Cossacks) who can work well alone.