Where to go now?

[jhhowell]

In my honest opinion, the computer doesn't make enough cavalry for chariots to be worth the time and trouble. If you look at the civs that do get chariots, they are surrounded by civs that only use HA and chariot archers, so the anti-cavalry ability is sort of null and void. Against infantry, the brits are right by germany (spear warband), Seleucids right by Pontus (pikemen)/Egypt (nile spearmen), Pontus by Seleucids (pikes)/greeks (hoplites)/egypt (nile spearmen), etc.

The description for scythed chariots states that they are heavily armored, but they have a defense score of one? The dude in the chariot is dressed up like a cataphract unit, but he might as well be naked to represent his armor status. If the Chariot was armored a bit more, I could see a bit of use for them in SP.

I disagree about the anti-cavalry magic being useless. Cheesy, ahistorical, and unreasonable, yes, but not useless. Chariots do fine against horse archers if necessary (a rebel force with HA, for example). Chariot vs. chariot is actually pretty interesting. Perhaps it's a playing style issue, but I do find enough AI cavalry for chariots to be useful flank guards. A couple of equites or a single general can disrupt my jav cavs, while if there's a chariot unit hanging around the jav cavs can go about their business and if the enemy actually attacks the chariots will clean them up pretty quickly. Other units can serve the same role, of course. Note that AI Macedon in particular fields very large (and very bad) cavalry forces, so if the AI knew what it was doing that could be very painful, even with a chariot unit on hand. Sadly, the AI is a terrible general...

I also don't follow your point about all the spears. So what? As long as you're not crossing a bridge or clearing a city, it's easy enough to run around and charge the flanks or rear, just like with cavalry. Until/unless they lose momentum chariots are death on wheels to infantry, pike or otherwise. Basic elephants do the disruption with few kills you mention, chariots get plenty of kills. As you say, chariot plus cavalry works better (cav kills faster than chariots) but chariots can also rack up 100+ kills per battle pretty easily.

Regarding defense, I've found that chariots either take minimal losses or massive casualties (usually going berserk at the end), nothing in between. Thus my emphasis on using them against rebels - quick routs are fairly common.

The cost and time both seem quite fair for what you get. Since it's a basic blacksmith unit, if it took a single turn to build you'd get a silly chariot rush tactic (especially given the low manpower use) at the start of the game. The ~1000D is also about right for it's effectiveness; also note that at least two of the chariot powers really don't care what any unit costs since they have money coming out their ears. There's almost zero opportunity cost - build inf/cav/archers at your main troop cities, and push out a few chariots here and there from your minor cities.

On your faction question, BI is nice. I'd guess you'd prefer either the mod which makes the Romano-British playable, or just pick one of the barbarians (Franks maybe? I think they're the least cavalry-centric barbs...). Picking a fight with the WRE early on will put you in a fight for your life situation even if you don't start in one.

[PaulTa]

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree, as much as I'd like to drag this out until you accept that you're wrong. :P

I was seriously considering BI. The barbarians actually have a developed tech tree, and the unit selection for most civs is great. I'm thinking Allemani (sp?), or maybe the burgundii.

I'm a big fan of units that have one specific use that they are amazing for, rather than all around jack of all trades units. I guess it kind of comes from my AoE experience.