What do you do with a Great General?

[rah]

For me the upgrade cost to destroyers is so high that unless it was a privateer that had sucked the enemy caravel teet and has tons of promotions, I find it better not to upgrade.

[brandonjm8]

i dont even like upgrading privateers since they are the only naval unit that is hidden nationality, now they are very weak late game but you can still plunder trade routes for extra gold and to slow down your rivals. stacking them with your ships (destroyers ect) can keep them alive longer. but i hear ya on the upgrading, frigates/SOTL cost 500+ gold each to upgrade, usually i upgrade them all since they all usually have promos and some of my frigates/SOTL get to lvl 4 prior to getting combustion.

[rah]

Once frigate are avail, privateers don't last long. Stacking with your units doesn't not provide them any protection.

[Ming]

If you are at war with the person attacking, stacking does help. But if you aren't at war, a friendly neighbors frigate can walk up to your stack of ships (destroyers, SOL, Frigates) and just target the privateers since they are fair game.

[rah]

I was assuming at peace. Otherwise you don't need the privateer because you can use your regular units.

[Boracks]

I have found 3 GG in a city gives me a good shot at units with at least 3 promotions. And, as mentioned, depending on buildings (shipyard, stable), civics and traits, getting out with 4 promotions is quite doable.

Three just seems to give me most flexibility without putting all in one spot.

And i do like a few privateers to promote to destroyers, since privateers start with the extra range on visibility. Means you get destroyers that can look into ports even if borders are pushed out and not open.

[Ming]

If I get some super privateers, Ill promote them. But at 350 or so a crack, it's an expensive proposition. So visibility alone isn't enough, since a new two promotion ship can get visibility.

[brandonjm8]

I have found 3 GG in a city gives me a good shot at units with at least 3 promotions. And, as mentioned, depending on buildings (shipyard, stable), civics and traits, getting out with 4 promotions is quite doable.

Three just seems to give me most flexibility without putting all in one spot.

And i do like a few privateers to promote to destroyers, since privateers start with the extra range on visibility. Means you get destroyers that can look into ports even if borders are pushed out and not open.

with WP and barracks and 5 GG's (or 4 w/ vassalage or theo) gives ground units 17 exp, thats 4 promos.

WP and drydocks with same is 18 exp for 4 promos on your ships.

same thing with airports if you wanted, and if you get the pentagon you wont need that 5th or 4th GG to get lvl 4 units .

one game i had like 7 or 8 GG's and barracks/drydocks with pentagon and WP in my capital running vassalge and theo making super strong lvl 6 units, it was awesome, that game didnt last long.

[wodan11]

I often use a GG to assign a Warlord to my highest privateer unit. That makes the upgrade free (and I totally agree that upgrading to destroyers is usually a suboptimal decision vs simply building anew) and also gives me a 70+XP destroyer out of the gate.

[Theben]

Last night I lost a GG at 95.6% success rate, so add me to the group angry conquerors...

[Ming]

95.6%, what do you expect. You are going to lose roughly 1 out of 20 combats at those odds. I hate when you lose the 99.9% ones

[Theben]

What kills me is that I had that gut feeling that said, "wait for better odds, don't do it", but went ahead anyway.

[Brael]

I often use a GG to assign a Warlord to my highest privateer unit. That makes the upgrade free (and I totally agree that upgrading to destroyers is usually a suboptimal decision vs simply building anew) and also gives me a 70+XP destroyer out of the gate.

Do you get much use out of that destroyer? I avoid naval combat in civ like the plague. I find it to be absolutely devoid of the rock/paper/scissors stuff that makes land combat so good.

[Theben]

Com3 + Blitz warships are very nice. Tend to clean up the oceans in a short period of time.

[wodan11]

Do you get much use out of that destroyer? I avoid naval combat in civ like the plague. I find it to be absolutely devoid of the rock/paper/scissors stuff that makes land combat so good.

Try mods Legends of Revolution or WolfRevolutions (I'd suggest the latter in particular for the issue you mention). If you don't like the Revolutions aspect you can turn it off on the custom game screen and just be left with the extra naval units etc.