Will Spearmen need Bronze?

[Xmudder]

I'm trying to figure out if Spearman need Bronze. The Greek Hoplite does not require Bronze, so I doubt the Spearman does either.

It would make sense. Archer, 2-1-1; Chariot, 1-1-2; and Spearman, 1-2-1, can all be made without strategic resources, and probably cost 20 shields, as can the Warrior 1-1-1, likely costing 10 shields.

The horseman (2-2-2?) and the Legion (3-2-1) both require strategic resources, horses and iron respectively, and likely cost 40 shields. I think that this will accurately portray the advantages Civs with Horses and Iron had over other civs.

But if that's the case, what is bronze used for? The only things I can think of are the Colossus, Frigates, and Cannon. Bronze isn't even a naturally occuring resource, it's an alloy of copper and tin.

Do we even know that it is a strategic resource? Can anyone point to evidence that Bronze is, in fact, a strategic resource, or have we all been jumping to conclusions?

[Dan Magaha FIRAXIS]

Bronze is not a strategic resource. Once you have bronze working, you can make Spearmen.

Dan

[Gramphos]

Originally posted by Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
Bronze is not a strategic resource. Once you have bronze working, you can make Spearmen.

Dan

For once you are historically (and present) correct . You just don't dig up bronze (unless you are archeologist) (you have to make it)).

[dainbramaged13]

vgriph ( ) the avatar looked better with the black background.

on a side note, thanks dan for the response. we always appreciate it!

[Inverse Icarus]

hahha vgriph now there are 2 of us.

[Gramphos]

You just say so because it took me an hour to remove all the black from it. (or because you don't use the Civ3 style)

Nooo, I'm followed by my old name. What have I done to deserve this?

[dainbramaged13]

(or because you don't use the Civ3 style

oh does it look better with the civ3 style ( no i dont use it) i'll hvae to check it out.

hahha vgriph now there are 2 of us.

i love criticizing ppls avatars!
because noone would criticize mine or they would get flamed

[dearmad]

But Gramphos, while he may be technically correct, it is silly that all you need is Bronze working to get bronze- Tin (or even Arsenic) was a critical ingredient of it and spurred trade drastically once the bronze age began- any beginning archeologist or historian knows this. So trading "bronze" as a resource would have worked to at least simulate this in the game... yuck- not needing anything to make BA units is silly.

[Skanky Burns]

There are potentially billions of resources that were very important at some stage in history, and were traded. But its silly having billions of different resources just to build one unit, at some point Firaxis have to draw the line and only include major resources. Iron made it as a major resource, tin didnt.