Armies -- Only Offensive?

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by cumi
I use GL almost only for defensive purposes. I see no use of Army of MAs. MAs can attack three times and they are strong enough. If you load 3-4 strong defensive units, they are unbeatable.

MA is a strong unit, but you will lose large numbers attacking a metro. This is where an army of MA units comes in very handy. Four unit armies of MA's have a very good chance of killing any unit in the city and may be strong enough to attack more than once.

Yeah, I know having arties pound away would allow you to get by without an army. The problem with this tactic is you can not always get a bunch of them to a given city in a timely manner.
If I am playing late into the game, I will be making army units in some city, not relying on leaders. I will use leaders if I am getting them as I will have no real other need of them at that point. All wonders are either built or no one can build them faster than me anyway.

[Arrian]

Yeah, I will often just leave my Mil Academy city on Armies, and accumulate quite a few empties, ready for use.

-Arrian

[vmxa1]

I'm guessing Grog loves MA armies.

[Arrian]

Sure does. I don't let him ride with them, though. He slows them down.

-Arrian

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by vulture


Now that is good news which I'd somehow missed before. I think marine armies just gained a new spot in my list of favourite things to do in civ. Now if only paratroopers could do airborn assaults, with pure paratroop armies retaining the ability, we'd have another deadly offensive weapon.

Are you sure they can't?

[Solomwi]

Are you sure they can't?

I just tested it, and they can't.

Kind of going along with vmxa's post, I find in an MA offensive I've usually got two tiles of enemy territory to cross to get to the next city. That's fine in and of itself, since my MA still have an attacking turn left, but it does make radar artillery softening the city nigh on impossible if I want to make the assault that turn. Aerial bombardment isn't much of a consolation, since I find myself telling the monitor "Of course it did" each time I see the "Bombardment failed" message. Understandable, mathematically, but it just underscores the usefulness of that city busting MA Army.

[bongo]

We all know that the AI almost wets his pants when an army enters his territory but how useful in an army versus human players?

[Shogun Gunner]

Announcement: The Aztecs are dead

Very Effective!

I built a defensive army with three infantry units. They marched one square a turn into enemy Aztec terrority, while the cavalry darted in an out CREATING HAVOC!

That's such a great tactic, I destroyed Aztec lines of communication, destroyed strategic resources, beat up on the foolish rifleman that challenged me!!!!

One city fell after another...as my elite Cavalrymen racked up FIVE GLs! The army provided the cover to protect the leaders deep in enemy terrority! I started around 1740 AD with this tactic and look at the results! Go USA!!!

I can't wait to build a TANK ARMY!!!! Thanks for the suggestions guys!

[Theseus]

Good on you!!!

I've been espousing these tactics for, er, a while .

[vmxa1]

In my current game I was able to use a mixed army of spears and swords to crack Korea and take several cities. It is an emperor game and I was in needed of their land and tech.
Mixed armies are another Theseus special.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

I tried the Marine Army last night for an amphibious assault after reading this thread and I can only say Im totally impressed, took out an elite Infantry

[Panag]

Originally posted by ChrisiusMaximus
I tried the Marine Army last night for an amphibious assault after reading this thread and I can only say Im totally impressed, took out an elite Infantry

hi ,

see , told ya so

but be carefull with them ma armies , the best is to load them with elite ma's , ..... and ones you can put 4 units in the army , .....

have a nice day

[Solomwi]

Elite Infantry's nothing... wait until you throw it against a Veteran MI. Your pucker factor will go up dramatically, but seeing that track pop off will bring a moment of exhiliration like no other... uh, game-related at least .

[johncmcleod]

Makes me pant with lust.

Is that something that happens to experienced players?

This brings up something good about the Zulu. They are militaristic and have a beater chance of generated a GL. When they do generate a GL, you can make an army of impis. This is the ULTIMATE pillaging weapon. I completely annihilated the Arabs with it.

In my current game I was able to use a mixed army of spears and swords to crack Korea and take several cities. It is an emperor game and I was in needed of their land and tech.

Why did you need spearman? Their defense isn't any better then the swordsman's.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by johncmcleod

Why did you need spearman? Their defense isn't any better then the swordsman's.

Because it is what I had at hand at the time. I did not have many swords and they were not in the vicinity.