What's your strategy for disbanding old units?

[Jaybe]

As I recall, there have been previous posts/threads of people complaining that gifting units do not affect their diplomacy.

If you gift units, do so because you want to strengthen their military. Quite a valid reason in itself (if that's what you want to do).

[Blaupanzer]

Re: < NITPICK Alert! >

Originally posted by Jaybe
AI unit upgrade costs in BtS are 50% at EVERY difficulty level.
Unit upgrade costs are based on the difference of unit "training" costs. AI unit training cost is 100 at Noble, goes up to 160 at Settler (and down to 60 at Deity).

Therefore, the AI upgrades more cheaply than the player at every level above Noble (Noble = 100). This is what I said. Doesn't the quoted material above agree with that?

[Diadem]

If I read Jaybe's post correctly (I haven't looked at the figures myself, I must admit) then:

- The AI gets a 50% reduction to upgrade costs at every level.
- UPgrade costs in general is related to the unit training cost. The bigger the difference, the bigger the upgrade cost (isn't it hammer difference * 4?). The AI training costs depends on level. So indirectly upgrade costs depends on level.

At Settler the AI trains at 160% and would thus upgrade at 80%. At deity the AI trains at 60% and would thus upgrade at 30%. At Noble the AI trains for the same cost as you do, and thus would upgrade at 50% of your cost.

[Blaupanzer]

OH!

[#07]

I agree with snoopy et al about keeping the units. Old units are particularly useful for cities that are not under threat (e.g. captured inland cities on your landmass on the border of your friendly vassal) to keep them from revolting. Often it will require 6 or more units and you don't want to waste your modern front line units here.

[Jaybe]

Though modern units do better at keeping a city from revolting than obsolete ones. Their "iCultureGarrison" (in CIV4UnitInfos.xml) is higher.

Examples: musketman =7, rifleman = 8, infantry =10, marine or tank = 12, mech infantry or modern armor =16.

[Shogun Gunner]

If a unit has *any* promotions, I'll keep the unit. If a unit is really ancient and I'm not pressed for units, I may disband.

Regarding gifting, I have gifted quite a few units to a friendly nation that was some distance from my country. They were at war with a rival of mine and I wanted to strengthen the "enemy of my enemy" I think it actually helped keep a balance of terror far away from me

[Blaupanzer]

I gifted quite a few of my stored archers to a neighbor who was fending off a nation I did not want to deal with at that time. He turned them into riflemen and held out for a long while, after which he capitulated to me bringing me into the war when I was ready. I am quite sure the units did not predispose my neighbor to me, but it sure seemed that way.

[mrp]

I upgrade them cuz some of them are highly experienced
usually its around 380 per unit But I mainly use cash for upgrades so I am only upgrading from a notch down and not archers to mech. Even though some promotions will be obsolete. In my curent game the top 3 unit kills are
Longbowman 138
Cavalry 135
Infantry 130
I don't think I ever recall seeing a Carrier in a regular game
only in the WW 2 scenarios they show up
currently I am on Future tech 4 and 1500 Net income at 70% science on emperor
but yeah it would take a while to upgrade 150 infantry to mechs All my ancient units are upgraded

[Addled Platypus]

never disband--gift

I hardly upgrade those too far behind the curve

[martin mcmartin]

Hi,

well what do I have to add to this? not a lot, but somehow I would never bother the diplomacy. too far fecthed in my opnion to go for an option for a third party advantage in not attacking you. do not disband, if you have money, upgrade and stack borders with strong units. inside you can be soft. I mean as an man, and in your centre cities. check attack stats and attack if attacked and if you are sure you will win. defend if you don't have the attack upperhand (80% and upward?). generals with the right upgrades many times will get you to a 80 plus attack percentage. mostly only the first few a the hard nuts to crack, then you are sailing. or/and, as they say in the game: "soften 'em up with some siege units'. otherwise, sign open borders and stack some of your own in their cities. it has worked nicely for me in my last game. I was basically killing the japanese, but they held a nice chokepoint that I could not get to, yet. I made peace, settled my cities, UPGRADED my army, moved everyting into position. meanwhile my vultures and catapults defended the japanese city. I move out before the last fight, move the rest into position, let Mansa take the city, clean up Mansa's new city, and a few more and, including one with the just built Notre Dame! nice...unfortunately vasalage was not an option yet...

about how many 'soft' units are required for the soft cities, most of the time I only need 3 or so, depending on civics and buildings. maybe it's because I stick too long to Her. Rule... but it works for me on emperor. and I am quite fanatical with building everything I need to be happy.

gift units if you need the money. as I said, put hem in thier cities! they do the same work, but they are in your control. I like control.

last option: save the game, try to agress all leaders by making unfair demands and you may learn a little bit about their real stance towards you. but maybe that would be a cheating in a way. in this case I see it as a different timeline. but before I start about pyramids and OFO's it is time to stop this post. enjoy your game!

Mc.

[Blaupanzer]

How does one make unfair demands of civs that don't like/trust you anyway? Everything is redded out, so what's to demand, except for the ruler's head on a pole?