Civilizations' special units--The Best of the Best

[punkbass2000]

Still, 6 amphibious attack with potentially 5 MP's is pretty unstoppable. I think it pretty well will always win, all else being equal. Unless it's a Huge Panagaea or something fairly specific anyway.

[Theseus]

I posit that the Vikings (Scandinavia) are, in fact, the hands down most bad-ass civ to play in SP. Yes, this overtakes my longstanding preference for Persia.

First point: Civ traits. Alpha and WC. In C3C, a Philosophy beeline is a no-brainer... thus, starting with Alpha is a must. All else being equal, I'd like to start with Pottery as well, to get some Pumps going. But, SPECIFIC to Scandy, I am perfectly happy with WC, in that I will happily Archer Rush away, looking forward to the upgrade.

Second point: Assuming that I can play the tech game well, I should have gold available for the admittedly expensive Berserk upgrades. I will purposefully focus on revolting to Feudalism, keeping my excess gold for the upgrades. In the best of worlds, I will pre-build Leo's.

Third point: Berserks are non-resource dependent.

Fourth point: Everyone thinks of Berserks in the context of amhib attacks... 'There is no spoon.'

Fifth point: If possible, I will build Knights Templar... Crusaders are an excellent complement to Berserks, especially in a resourceless position.

All of that said:

[Theseus]

I am going to walk away from this game... if anything, I think I've played it badly, in that ANYTHING except Berserk builds was a mistake.

Berserks, Crusaders, and perhaps elite Spears (in this case)... indomitable. Throw in Berserk Armies...

Things you can't tell from the screenshot: I started woefully slow; this was in fact a resourceless situation; Scandy territory was just about all jungle and marsh; most expansion was with Archers; I was able to build the Colossus, Knights Templar, and Leo's in Trondheim; the Mayans built the Pyramids and Bach, which I recently captured (rushed a Temple); I'm taqking on the Ottomans (of course, before they can get to Sipahis); I have not, nor will, commit any amphib attacks.

EDIT: What I forgot to say - SCANDY ROCKZ!!!

[Solomwi]

Theseus, based strictly on the shape of the landmass, that map is set up beautifully for my favorite Berserk strategy, the trident attack, to tie it into common seafarer terms.

You've got cities a couple of cities on the far coast, meaning you can rush a handful of galleys over there, and obviously you have productive cities on the east coast that can knock out a few, as well. Let's consider an attack against the Ottomans (and forget for a moment your self-imposed ban on amphib attacks). While the bulk of your Berserks participate in the middle prong of the trident, the straight ahead attacks you describe, four Berserks in each fleet, east coast and west coast, can provide the outer prongs, simply burning and looting their way along each Ottoman coast. If you have the defenders to spare, send one along with each fleet, for no other reason than to protect the Zerk that razed the city for a turn until they get back in the ships. If and when the two fleets meet for that last coastal city, you can hold it and have a stack of 6-8 Berserks and two defenders to provide a second front stack, and again can meet in the middle.

In almost no time at all, you've isolated the Ottomans from the sea, and their own navy, completely, given your main force that much narrower a front to focus on, allowing it to stay concentrated better, and most likely done a lot of damage to the enemy economy in a little bit of time. The upshot of what I'm saying is that Berserks are lethal when used either amphibiously or on land, but are devastating when used both ways simultaneously.

Oh, and I agree completely on Scandy.

EDIT:

Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.
-- Pink Floyd

What a fitting "something to think about while you wait" quote for a post about how great Berserks are at raping coastal cities.

[joncnunn]

Well, on Pangena, an all-Bersker stack only work against the AI because the AI refuses to attack too large a stack.

[Terra Nullius]

and let's not forget ... hospital ships !!

not only can skandy move fast, once they get going they just keep moving

while everyone else is busy rushing barrackses
and trying not to get fallujah'ed
all my injured little berkos are sitting comfortably out at sea (where they can't get hit, if i've got a lighthouse)

no supply line traumas, no waiting for troops to fortify and return to the front - i just load 'em back onto hospital ships, and keep going. by the time the boats sail around to the next target, my boys are rested and ready to go

a minor point, but anything to add to the carnage ...

[Remulak]

I have always considered the Sipahi to be one of the best UUs. That 8 attack value is great. Plus a Sipahi army is virtually unstoppable. It does come kind of late, but I am ususally an early builder, so this comes at a great time for me.

[vmxa1]

It is a good unit, if you are playing a level where you get to it about the same time as the AI gets to calvs.

If you get to them when the AI already has moved late into the industrial age, then one calv is as good as another.