Great Generals

[UnOrthOdOx]

Originally posted by Velociryx


It's my hand written notes about lots and lots of games.

Now those would be an interesting read...

[Jaybe]

Vel, if it isn't selective memory, it's probably selective ... note-taking!

Since I have rarely played civ JUST to win (but also to enjoy), I have come to terms with losing warlords. You just have to keep earning more of them -- even if it means (gasp!) increasing the frequency at which they are "earned" (GlobalDefines.xml).

[Arrian]

I've come to value warlord units less because I've lost enough of them with 95%+ odds to know that they are, in fact, mortal.

I find that I baby them, not wanting to lose them... which if you think about it really limits their utility. I only use them with over 90% odds. And they will still die eventually.

This led directly to me using my first GG as an instructor in my HE city. Better to have a whole army of level 2 units than one uberunit that you live in fear of losing.

-Arrian

[Krill]

The way I look at it is if I can get a level 6 ubnit without using a GG on a unit then I will jsut add all of my GG into my HE city, and later on I will build WP there. Right now I have a city, as a charismatic civ, that is building 13XP maces (barracks + theocracy + 4 GG). Combat 4 maces are nye indestrucable. CR3 maces with combat 1 kill everthing on site; even crossbows when the cultural defenses are removed...

...NB it is an AW game, and I managed to kill Izzy on turn 30 for a holy city...then killed Monty and made Tinochitilan, which is also a coastal city, into my HE city...I'll teach those Aztecs how to warmonger...by the time I get to WP, I think I will be close to or at 20 XP anyway so I may just build WP in another city to try and make that a 13Xp city.

[fed1943]

I put all my GG in my HE city.

The only possible variation is to build, or not, the Military Academy

there; usually I don't.

Best regards,

[ben04]

Now, whether you attribute that to an extremely long running statistical anomoly, REALLY bad luck, a hidden game mechanic, the presence of the One Ring in the enemy camp, or elfin magic and pixie dust, it doesn't matter at the end, cos it still is what it is.

A rounding error could be realistic as I doubt they deeply tested the >99% region.

[Jaybe]

Regarding chances of a warlord to last multiple battles, check this out:
zeace's post #39 in the "Combat.... say WHAT!?" thread

[lockstep]

I used to create a warlord unit with my first GG, but now I settle him in my Heroic Epic (and eventual West Point) city. Level 3 units out of the gate in the early game are not to be despised.

Sometimes I will use my second or third GG as warlord even if I have managed to get a level 6 unit without burning a GG. This is especially true when my level 6 unit is a "general purpose" one (Combat V promotion) so I can unlock the warlords-only Combat VI. (+75% strength is too tempting.)

[Pinchak]

Warlords are just a gimmic IMO. The only use I see for them is attaching them to one unit in a quest for level 6 promotion (west point).

I always go instructors, and acadamy. Usually early on I will designate one city as the dedicated unit producer. Give Hero Epic, West point, acadamy, and attach all instructors to it. This "elite unit" city also frees up your other citys from military, since now you don't have to build as many units for the same objective.

Mix that with agressive trait, vassalage, theo, and you basicly get to the point where you are pumping out warlords experience wise (without the unique promotions of course). With the right planning, this can be achived by rifeling/calvery. VERY devestating expecially if your opponent(s) are out teched unit wise at this point.

As mentioned before, unless you are keeping your Warlord on shore leave, he is going to die sooner or later. And what is the point of keeping a super unit out of the fray?

On the rare occasion where I do make a Warlord, I give him leadership and as much withdrawl promos as I can. This allows me keep him in the stack, and only use him to "finish off" wounded units for the xp. All in hopes of getting that early level 6 promo for west point.

Bonus XP out the gate is the gift that keeps on giving.

[Ijuin]

I always use my first general to create the high-level unit needed to unlock West Point and the Heroic Epic. Generally I give it to a Swordsman (or Maceman if I have those already), and give it Leadership, Tactics (+30% withdrawal chance), and City Raider III--I want to use it as a nutcracker against cities.

[Grandpa Troll]

Very Informative

[Brael]

Perhaps I'm really lucky, a master of tactics, or my warlords tend to possess +10 helmets of defense and sheilds of invulnerability but my Warlords often live an entire game of using them heavily. Since I play games on huge maps and marathon speed almost exclusively the impact of a single unit is heavily diminished but I can still use a Warlord and a small force of escorts (a defender or two and a couple siege units) to stop counter attacks and destroy city defenses. It's rather routine for me to get 200+ exp warlords over the course of the game.

It seems to me that combat works such that, theres basically a critical mass point where the unit just overpowers anything it may encounter. The specific +25% exp promotions are great for reaching this but with the exception of pinch once I have gunpowder (since so many units faced become gunpowder oriented) I prefer to rely on CR3 and the combat line of promotions for the necessary strength. Once I get a CR3 unit thats on the axeman/maceman/etc line of units I'll consider it for becoming a Warlord, the highest exp one will get it. After this I go for tactics and Combat 1-Combat 5, if I have a long string of peace I'll take pinch once I can get it. After this line I'll go for march and then the drill line (or medic if it's not paired with one), after those are taken I'll go for the other. Finally I'll go for the guerilla and woodman promotions. If the unit is sufficently overpowering the enemy units or if I want enhanced movement I'll take mobility and commando.

I'm sure others do something similar but I have yet to lose any significant number of warlords in a game, their biggest chance to die comes from early on, the longer they live the better the stronger they get, and the faster they can further improve that strength (to a point). I will say however, I never put them in the initial assault on a civ, instead I find it wise to let the AI expend its unit surplus elsewhere before sending in the warlord so that the AI will either have to divide it's attack/counter attack into 2 weaker groups or deal with a super strong unit behind its lines. The strong unit behind the lines can then either pillage or conquer some AI cities for you, either way removing them from your fight.