What units DO you build and rely on?

[Marcusem78]

A spin on the 'DONT build' thread, I'm hoping this wont be full of obvious answers. And not talking UU either.

[Vampgelus]

Unusual but great : Forest III promoted pikes... they can cruch EVRYTHING in a forest/jungle, even macemen (exept they have forest II). Pikes is just an exemple, this promotion is actually completely imba if correctly used.

If no big jungle is between me and my ennemys, i completely rely on cavalery with retreat & choc promotions.

I'm not a big fan of siege weapons...

[Marcusem78]

Mounted units. Many of them. I rely heavily on groups of mobile mounted units for quick defense throught my empire and for offense. So when I'm minus horse-resource, I grumpy

[Supr49er]

Privateers.
1) Get GG points when not at war.
2) Get XP points.
3) Get for Trade Blockades.
4) Get for pillaging.
5) Upgrade for powerful Destroyer fleet.

[Garth Vader]

My favorites are the city raider core that gets upgraded all the way through from Axe/sword to Mace to Riflemen to Infantry.

[snoopy369]

The units I use the most are probably Elephants, Crossbowmen, Grenadiers, and siege units.

[Nugog]

I use Cavalry alot - one of my favorite units.

And to Supr49er and Garth Vader.

[Shalkai]

My big three crutches...

Crossbowmen have become much more prevalent in my games lately. I used to mostly ignore them, and just use LB for defense, until a recent game when about 5 XB saved my a** after two AI declared war on me at the same time. XB are more flexible in attack/defense, in promotions available, and also in what units they upgrade to. Now, I like 'em. Lots.
Note 1: Crossbowmen upgrade thru Grenadier to Machinegun.
Note 2: City Garrison II or III MG are FEROCIOUS! Immune to collateral from arty, so bombardment doesn't get attackers very far. One CGIII MG is worth way more than a CGIII Infantry for defense.
Note 3: Protective civs can end up with CG III Drill I MGs for only 5 xp - +75% defense, 1-2 first strikes. Figure you'll be fortified for 5 turns, and you're base str +100% w/o any city or terrain defenses. That's almost an even fight against a CR II tank!
Moral? Build lots of xbows. Buy 'em new toys.

Rifle is usually the first of the Ren. units I get. Great on defence, good on attack vs. any civs that are behind on tech, the tech enables Cavalry (so 2 Ren. units for one), and finally - you can draft 'em. I lean heavily on Riflemen, but not for TOO long.

That's because Infantrymen aren't far away! These grunts, now, I do lean on for a looong time. I love them - they have the upper hand against almost everything, plus a 25% bonus against gunpowder, the most common type of thing to face. Infantry end up being ~40-50% of my army in the industrial age, and I never get around to upgrading all of them.

[Nugog]

I think Crossbowmen -> Machinegunners is a highly effective strategy.

MG's seem to be under rated by many people IMO. Promo'd MG's are a very solid defensive unit.

[TriMiro]

City raiding Macemen for me.

I may or may not have an early rush to expand with axes and swords, but I always get an expansion surge right around the time I get Macemen, especially if I play right and am the first to get Civic Cervices. With two upgrades, they go trough any medieval city defenses without the need to sacrifice catapults. Except for the speed, Macemen are better then Knights.

[Hauptman]

x-bow pike combo defense. Nothing to fear but other x-bows (ai builds few) and longbows (ai rarely uses for anything other than garrison duty)

[Krill]

Swords, they can be promoted in such a way to kill everything except HA on attack (aggressive swords can even kill HA)

[Addled Platypus]

Machine Gunners
Tanks
Privateers