Originally posted by Jaguar Warrior
It actually pays to build bombers to support MA for a different reason. It doesn't lower casualties enough that it is less expensive, but think about it this way...
A small number of well-cared for units with blitz can easily work their ways up the experience levels quickly. Because they rarely get lost, it is quite easy to get a great leader. If you had large numbers of MA that got killed more often, many would not ever get to be elite, much less produce a GL.
It actually pays to build bombers to support MA for a different reason. It doesn't lower casualties enough that it is less expensive, but think about it this way...
A small number of well-cared for units with blitz can easily work their ways up the experience levels quickly. Because they rarely get lost, it is quite easy to get a great leader. If you had large numbers of MA that got killed more often, many would not ever get to be elite, much less produce a GL.
However, it's my experience that both tanks and MA, both being Blitz units, are ridiculously easy to get to up to Elite levels even without bombardment. Any unit that participates in a combat twice or more in one turn gets an automatic promotion for the second and later combats, provided it wins. Until Blitz units, you only see this on defense. Tanks and MA get it on attack.
For example, if the tank / MA doesn't take more than 1 HP or so damage in the first attack, hold the second attack until there's a weak target (and there often is) like a Cavalry or Longbow, or a severely damaged infantry, and and poof, it's Elite.
Yes, I know, this happens more often with bombers than without, but it's not that important an effect because Elite is so easy to get. Also, by the time you have Modern Armor, you don't need any more Great Leaders - you've built the UN, no other wonders matter, and few free Armies aren't that great a reward.
I've run MA assaults both with and without bomber support, and my feeling is that I've done better when I've just concentrated on cranking out the MA. It's hard to say, though, since by the time MA rolls around, I have an overwhelming production and tech edge. It's just a matter of which method finishes the game faster.
Typically, the game is still in doubt when it's Knights vs. Musketmen. Sometimes it drags out to the Infantry / Cavalry / Artillery period, when you as a player can torch heavily defended cities with this combination, and the AI is throwing away dozens of Cavalry against a couple of fortified Infantry when it tries to take a city.
- Gus
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