A novel idea. All UU's should be useful. No Industrial Age or Modern UU's.

[gunkulator]

Since a civ's UU is usually responsible for triggering the GA, the timing can be just as criticial as the unit bonus. The best GA time is the early-to-mid Middle Ages when the extra commerce and shields will help you get to the techs and production needed for those juicy M.A. wonders: Sistine, Bach, Sun Tzu, Leo. Therefore, even a crappy UU can be helpful if it comes at the right time. But as the original poster noted, Industrial or Modern UU's are pretty worthless.

[Kuciwalker]

The F-15 is the most bonused unit in the game. +3 defense, +1 ROF (IIRC), and I think it has +2 bombard.

[MotownDennis]

Heh. And it's STILL one of the most useless in the game because of how late it comes. Fancy that.


Mo D

[Filippo]

First you only talk about Multiplayer.
Second sorry but I totaly disagree. Just cos you've been lucky 1 or 2 times in MP doesn't make the War Chariot any good. In MP, yeah you could use the chariot to lead early attacks to your neighbour. So what ? It's not any superior unit, it doesn't make any big difference in combat, attacking a city defended by spearmen will get you with a 1:2 loss ratio at least, plus even assuming you reduce your neighbour to a ìn archeologist site... again: so what ? You play 1v1 ? There will be other Civs, which will crush you on the long time because they had a good GA and you didn't. And yes GA matters and a lot. Of course having it at the age of war chariots will only make you think it's useless. If it is 1v1 then trust me, by the time you met your opponent he will have horsemen. All this without considering that if your neighbours are separated from you by mountains, forests, jugles, swamps, hills, etc... well guys, again, by the time you reach them your shining war chariot will be so outdated to be shown in your enemies museums.

[MotownDennis]

Well, I've gotten "lucky" with it a lot more than "1 or 2 times" in MP, but I sense you want to talk about SP. That's fine. The WC is just as effective in SP as it is in MP. Why, you ask? Why would I want the poorly timed GA?

Here's why (you tell me which option is better):

1) I get a more "well-timed" GA, but am unable to "clear" my continent of enemies. Later in the game, my infrastructure is built up a little better (because of the better timing of the GA), but now I have enemies on my continent competing for land and resources.

2) I get a not-so-well timed GA earlier in the game with my War Chariots, but I have now "cleared" my continent of enemies and have all the land and resources pretty much to myself. My infrastructure is maybe lagging a bit (it's taking longer to build it as I don't have a well-timed GA helping me out). Of course, I'm free to take a little longer to build up that infrastructure as I no longer need to worry about maintaining a strong military (there's no one left on the continent to worry about!). This option also probably puts me ahead on tech a little bit as well, as I have been able to extort tech from the AI in return for short periods of peace (I've conquered half their cities with WC's already and they will do anything for peace!).

Sure, you can achieve victory either way, but I would submit that option 2 is the easier path to victory.

Lastly, to say that WCs are no match for spears is just not correct - especially as I'm cranking them out in large numbers because of my early GA (and they're ONLY 20 shields!). The War Chariot is a VERY powerful unit and one of the best UU's in the game. Give it a try with an early warmongering strategy and you'll see exactly what I mean. The poor AI doesn't stand a chance.


Mo D

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Filippo
First you only talk about Multiplayer.
Second sorry but I totaly disagree. Just cos you've been lucky 1 or 2 times in MP doesn't make the War Chariot any good. In MP, yeah you could use the chariot to lead early attacks to your neighbour. So what ? It's not any superior unit, it doesn't make any big difference in combat, attacking a city defended by spearmen will get you with a 1:2 loss ratio at least, plus even assuming you reduce your neighbour to a ìn archeologist site... again: so what ? You play 1v1 ? There will be other Civs, which will crush you on the long time because they had a good GA and you didn't. And yes GA matters and a lot. Of course having it at the age of war chariots will only make you think it's useless. If it is 1v1 then trust me, by the time you met your opponent he will have horsemen. All this without considering that if your neighbours are separated from you by mountains, forests, jugles, swamps, hills, etc... well guys, again, by the time you reach them your shining war chariot will be so outdated to be shown in your enemies museums.

You seem to ramble, but you miss the point that a War Chariot is essentially a half-price horseman. That means the Egypt can have 2x the horsmen for the same cost. TWICE AS MANY.

EDIT: well, 2/3's the cost, so half again as many