Unavailable Units problem

[Ilmarinen]

I've been having a problem with the later units in Civ 3. Even with
the latest patch, I can never build marines, mech infantry, modern
armor, radar artillery, helicopters, paratroopers, stealth fighters,
stealth bombers, or Aegis Cruisers. In my last game, which I won with
a cultural victory in 2047, I had nuclear subs and jet fighters, but
was still using cavalry because that was the highest level mobile unit
I could build (I could build tanks though). None of the other civs
have ever had these units either.

Also, after I built the Manhattan project in this last game
(japanese), I could not build nukes, nor could any of the other civs.
I have all the resources and technology necessary to build these units
(rubber and oil for mech infantry, for instance). I have played about
9 games through now , and have never seen any of these units. What the heck is going on? Is this a bug or am I doing something horribly wrong?

Ilmarinen

[Skanky Burns]

Open up one of your city displays. Check the available resources in that city. I will guarantee that oil or aluminium is missing, and the game where you couldn't build nukes, you wouldn't have had uranium either.

To build some units you need strategic resources. Like iron or saltpetre.

If you capture an enemy's supply of oil, or even just trade for it (check the F2 screen to see if oil is available for trade), you will then be able to build all those nifty advanced technology units.

[steelehc]

He says he has the resources, though. That is very strange, not something I have ever seen before.

Steele

[Todd Hawks]

And you did connect the ressources to your capital and the cities in which you try to build the units are connected as well?

(I know, dumb question, but that's the only possibility I can think of)

[Skanky Burns]

Hmmm, so he did. And the AI not building them either??

Two possibilities: It might be something that you are missing??
Not connected cities, not the correct resources available, etc. Get a save-game from the modern times when you have this problem, zip it and attach it with your next post.

Other possibility: You have installed a mod or modified the game so that these units aren't available. Reinstallation should fix this, but then you would need to reinstall the patch (and download it if you don't have a copy sitting around still).

So attach a copy of your game in progress, and we can take a look to see if there is anything wrong with it.

[Ethelred]

Did you ever play with a modified .bic that wasn't in a seperate scenario? If you forgot to replace the original .bic that is about the only thing I can think of.

Without seeing that .sav file that is. Zip it and post it. Thats how I helped a guy that couldn't get one city past eleven. Turned out to be a real game glitch but it could have been something silly he forgot. It happens and it can be hard to see things that are in front of your face if you have been looking at them too long.

For instance one favorite is when people can't build railroads. They think that the rubber symbol is coal. I am pretty sure I did that one myself once. I just didn't tell anyone.

I know you said the AI had the problem too. Thats the reason for suspecting the .bic file.

[Ilmarinen]

I don't know if you coudont know if you could open my saved game

I'm using the Mac version, build 1.1.7g (a post 1.1.7f build done by Westlake, the porting company), a pretty stable build. If you think you could open a Mac save, I will be happy to zip it up and send it.

By the way, no one else on any of the Mac specific boards is having this problem, that's why I posted here. Also, in the game I finished last night, the AI and I were able to build Marines (my most advanced ground unit ever!)

It could well be that I am squandering my resources by trading them away for technologies (just can't keep up with the damn AI on the tech tree). But it is weird that the AI never has them either.

I have installed no mods of any kind. This is a plain-jane Mac install.

thanks for the replies
Ilmarinen

[Solver]

Do the following:

1) Post the save here. If any of us can open on PC, we'll tell.
2) If we can't open, we'll submit it to Firaxis.

[Ilmarinen]

Here's the file

I trashed a lot of my old saves last night, but here is one from 2027 that should illustrate the problem pretty well. Thanks. I looked at a few cities, and I seem to have all the resources and technology necessary to build more advanced units.

[asleepathewheel]

I opened this using the PC-version

I couldn't see any problems, all of the cities were able to produce what they should, as far as i could see. (I also used multi to check the AI, all ok there too) you don'y have the tech necessary to build the more advanced units, so maybe you wre just confusing the games, or perhaps there may be something wrong with your specific installation, all is good from this end.

ps-what level are you playing on
pps-good luck holding out from the Babs, eng and zulu, I hope you can blunt that attack and strike back

[Ilmarinen]

thanks aatw

I appreciate you looking at it. The new tech tree is still a bit confusing to me. I guess I assumed that if a civ could build jet fighters and tanks, then it should probably be understand how to build mechanized infantry. I'll do some reading up on it.

[asleepathewheel]

hey, no problem, it does take some time to adjust to the new tree
Tanks come toward the end of theindustrial age with motorized transportation. Mech infantry come with computers (i don't know why computers) early in the modern age. There are a lot of screwy things with the new tech tree, and this is probably one of them.