What's the best use for catapults?

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Arrian
I rarely use bombard units on the attack because they are so slow.

I have never teamed catapults with legionaries... but I could see how they would be useful. I hate slow units . . . Arrian

Ay, there's the rub. Siege warfare takes patience.

Certainly mounted units are more exciting, but we don't always have the requisite technologies or resources. Sometimes, we are forced to war. When our honor is tested, shall we merely turn away?

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.

(I enjoy primitive bombardment and siege warfare for a change of pace and a challenge. Here is a typical example of using a strong defensive unit along with bombardment to form the backbone of an attack.)

http://www.zachriel.com/gotm9/ad0570-Pike.htm

[player1]

The best use?

Let's say that you have no Iron and no Horses.

Wanna Aracher massacre?

If not, try adding some catapluts.

[Panag]

Originally posted by player1
The best use?

Let's say that you have no Iron and no Horses.

Wanna Aracher massacre?

If not, try adding some catapluts.

hi ,

if you have good intel they can be taken out before they reach you , .....

have a nice day

[Captain THC]

Zachriel, why does the terrain art look different in your game from mine?

[Alex]

Originally posted by Captain THC
Zachriel, why does the terrain art look different in your game from mine?

Zach is using Sn00py's terrain. You can find it here: Apolyton Directory. Files -> Civ3 -> Graphic.

About the catapults, well, I was once in a desperate situation: after a devastating attack from the AI, I had nothing but two cities (one of them was my capital) and I knew that the game was over... But I had two catapults in both cities and, believe it or not, I managed to repel the enemy. Wave after wave, their units came at my city doors only to be welcomed by a fierce barrage of rocks from my catapults. That always knocked out one or two notches from their hitpoints, so they retreated. After a lot of attempts, they finally got tired of that and offered me peace. Yes, that game was over for me, but I had a small victory in the end, thanks to my catapults. OTOH, this happened at a low difficulty level...

[Theodrik]

I like to use catapults for anti-galley work. For some reason, 2/3 of my galley attacks fail straight up, but if dinged a point or two, not only sends them home, but makes things much easier to control the seaways. I also like them in a ratio of 1:2 vs. other defenders at border choke points. They're really too weak to 'impact' cities much, but upgrade nicely to cannon. Still not great until the artillery stage, by which time I have a pretty fair number of them, fielded in stacks with strong defensive support, they open cities and flatten counter-attacks. Never gotten to the radar version, keep getting victory before. The only good nuke is a nuke not built.

[Carver]

Yeah, I have very bad galley v. galley luck.

[Captain THC]

It seems like everyone does..

[Alex]

Originally posted by Captain THC
It seems like everyone does..

It would be nice if our galleys could be "trained". I mean, if the galley is built in a city with a harbor, it would not only be a veteran, but this status would effectively give it some bonus in combat, similar to the terrain bonus used for land units. This way, we would not have to rely solely in the number of hitpoints, which is not enough to avoid the defeat in a battle.

[bongo]

That extra hitpoint IS your veteran bonus. Combine that with catapults will make ruling the waves so much easier.

[statusperfect]

Could we sum this up and say "The main point of catapults is to reduce your losses and make war more cost efficient." ???

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by statusperfect
Could we sum this up and say "The main point of catapults is to reduce your losses and make war more cost efficient." ???

GOOD
1. reduce losses
2. more cost efficient war
3. maximize promotion
4. maximize Leaders
5. against hill-towns
6. aggressive defense
7. when at a disadvantage
8. upgradeable
9. cheap (same as spearman)

BAD
1. slow
2. weak
1. slow
2. weak

NEUTRAL

1. Catapults work best in more crowded positions when the enemy is close by.

[The Pioneer]

I actually avoid building catapults. Although I do build some if I do have the production capacity and then fortify them in forward cities for defensive purposes.


So long...

[bongo]

Zachriel

End of discussion (not bloody likely)