weak medics are good?

[patcon]

The thread on upgrades made me think of something. Having a strong medic may not be a good thing. If a medic unit is one of the stronger units in a stack, it is likely to be used as a defender and possibly killed - eliminating the usefulness of the medic. Let the non-medic units defend and if they are wounded rather than killed they be helped by the medic.

Side thought: Maybe the presence of a medic unit in a stack should increase the other units' chances of retreating as well as helping them to heal faster. After all, isn't one of the functions of a medic to evacuate wounded troops from the battlefield?

[Jaybe]

Many people advocate using an explorer as a medic, though I do not. Naval-wise, I usually have my carriers with the medic promotion.

[The Priest]

Absolutely! My games have been revolutionised (ok maybe that is a bit excessive) by learning how people use scouts and explorers as medics.

Now, in the opening millenium I try desparately to get a scout to XP5, which isn't hard. But in the old days I would have given it woodsman 1 and 2 to help with scouting, but all the scouting is soon done. Give it combat one then medic one, and he supports your early armies very effectively - why waste a proper unit as a medic when a scout can do it, and patcon says, it never defends.

Then when that first great general comes, you attach it. You get medic 2 and medic 3 (available for great generals only - I didn't realise it existed until a couple of months ago) and perhaps marole. It has a huge impact on the speed of advances - until healing often three times as fast - it moves like lightening itself - and basically can't be killed. And of course it still gives you access to the Herioc Epic and West Point.

I wouldn't agree about the withdrawal chance though. I see the nice logic but medics seem to be strong enough.

[couerdelion]

Chariots make decent enough medics.

The first GG can be used to make a super-medic and if you promote them (it is free) you may have a problem with them being targeted. The best solution is to come with a big, advanced stack with more diverse specialised units so that the medic itself is safer. Even after a large artillery barrage, the Medic III will heal most units in 1-2 turns.

[joasoze]

Originally posted by couerdelion
Chariots make decent enough medics.

The first GG can be used to make a super-medic and if you promote them (it is free) you may have a problem with them being targeted. The best solution is to come with a big, advanced stack with more diverse specialised units so that the medic itself is safer. Even after a large artillery barrage, the Medic III will heal most units in 1-2 turns.

If you meet the Khmer, you will wish you had a scouting medic and not a horsie one. Check out their special unit

[Blake]

Another decent option is a Catapult, it can bombard without interfering with it's healing role and it wont get targeted as a rule.

[Sabre2th]

I've used scouts as medics since my second game of Civ4. It's hard for me to imagine a reason why you wouldn't.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Jaybe
Many people advocate using an explorer as a medic, though I do not. Naval-wise, I usually have my carriers with the medic promotion.

No, Destroyers are better. Carriers have less movement than Destoyers so they'd be better off going for Flank which can eventually gain them an extra movement point. IIRC, I believe it shows up after Flank 2.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Jaybe
Many people advocate using an explorer as a medic, though I do not. Naval-wise, I usually have my carriers with the medic promotion.

Carriers get Navigation. Give a DD medic, since it already has higher MP.

edit: Willem had the same idea.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Willem
No, Destroyers are better. Carriers have less movement than Destoyers so they'd be better off going for Flank which can eventually gain them an extra movement point. IIRC, I believe it shows up after Flank 2.

Actually Navigation comes up after Flank 1. So as long as you build your Carriers in a 6xp city (or are Cha) you can start them out with +1 MP.

[Jaybe]

I generally give my DDs (and subs) the sentry promotion, unless meeting heavy opposition in which case some will get combat & drills. Knowing what's out there is most important.

I have no problem with escort units having higher speed and therefore more flexibility on huge maps. DDs are fighting elements, carriers are the rally point/base element.

[Kuciwalker]

I generally give my DDs (and subs) the sentry promotion, unless meeting heavy opposition in which case some will get combat & drills. Knowing what's out there is most important.

I only give a couple units sentry. Multiple sentry units in the same tile is pointless. Also, it's more efficient to just use recon from CV-based fighters.

I have no problem with escort units having higher speed and therefore more flexibility on huge maps. DDs are fighting elements, carriers are the rally point/base element.

You want to increase the speed of the slowest ship so that the whole fleet can reach the target faster.

[MasterDave]

It is very rare for my scouts to survive long enough to become medics. I usually don't have more than the starter scout and free scouts from huts anyhow. Horsey medics are fine, and the only time I ever saw a ballista elephant was a game where I was the Khymer. I tend to mix in medic mellee troops too and try to have 3 or 4 medics in a stack of 10 or so units just to be on the safe side.

[nepereta]

does woodsman III have a 'medical' bonus can that be used on an early warrior+ warlord to reach medic III?

I am thinking it might be difficult to acheive:

1. woodsman I
2. woodsman II
3. woodsman III
4. combat I
5. medic I
6. medic II
7. medic III

What XP is needed for lvl 7 for a charismatic and non charismatic leaders?

I am pretty sure I can get woodsman III on a warrior most times. I am just wondering if the warlord can bridge 4 levels to level 7.

[Kuciwalker]

You can do that with just level 6 with Red Cross.