Drafting?

[Random Passerby]

Does anyone else use the draft ever (other than maybe accidentally clicking the option)? I overlap cities a little, so most of my cities run out of tiles to use at around 16 population... and even without that overlap, often the last few tiles don't add much for a city. Not to mention, when cities get that crowded the residents get really, really whiny anyways... so I just start drafting. Even without happiness wonders I can easily draft every 4-6 turns without causing any adverse effects--cities that large are annoyingly difficult to get WLTKD in without spending on entertainment, and besides, these are my core cities and don't really need that extra corruption fighting power--producing one infantry or mech infantry every 4-5 turns is a LOT more production than the one shield that they might POSSIBLY be losing due to corruption, if they're some of my farther cities. Not all my cities can actually keep that sort of food production up, but most of them come pretty close.

I'm kind of wondering specifically if anyone has ever tried building a "conscription camp" city, a city built somewhere with, say, half a dozen high food production tiles, irrigated and railroaded, with a granary, marketplace, and happiness improvements (if you didn't have all 8 luxuries or any happiness wonders). You could concievably be pumping out a drafted infantry or mech infantry every turn (even in a democracy!), I think, if you had enough food production.

A lot of people don't seem to like the 2-hitpoint limitation, but I find conscript units very useful. For starters, they're great at garrisoning conquered cities; two conscript infantry will suppress culture flipping twice as well as one veteran infantry. They're also delightfully expendable; send cheap conscript infantry and mech infantry swarming over the enemy border in droves. The enemy will either have to divert forces there or face rampant pillaging, and probably both; if you're keeping to more rugged terrain, they'll have a heckuva time dislodging all those conscript units, and those suckers get promotions like crazy. And, one of my favorite uses... conscript units represent portable production. You can disband them for shields even in cities that are in resistance for quick temples and harbors... or hell, quick airports, if you have enough conscripts.

Anyone else have any interesting drafting strategies?

[King of Rasslin]

Drafting is useful in cities with very high corruption and waste. If they can't contribute their work, they can contribute their lives

If anything, you can draft units and disband them for shields. Better than the 1 production I get in my border cities anyway. They can't work, but they can reproduce fast.

Although this is the same thing as pop-rushing, it will work about the same way in republic. As for defence, I pop rushed some mech infantry when I saw a stack of over 100 (!) immortals coming my way. It's a last resort, because the drafted units are near worthless in offence and because you should have plenty of defence anyway.

Draft only when you have to. I use it often because I go all out offence too often, and that galley drops a swordsman by my undefended city.

[Cookie Monster]

I think that if you draft too much in one city you will suffer the same penalties as if you had pop rushed.

The only time I use the draft is if one of my cities is about to fall than I draft a unit in the hopes they can hold out until reinforcements arrive.

[Solver]

Drafting is useful when you feel you'lre loosing a war. Get several conscripts and have them defend the cities. They will soon become Regulars, so draft, if losing. Not for offensive roles, though.

[dawidge]

Originally posted by Solver
Drafting is useful when you feel you'lre loosing a war. Get several conscripts and have them defend the cities. They will soon become Regulars, so draft, if losing. Not for offensive roles, though.

Agreed. While I like drafting, and use it extensively at Regent level, its utility breaks down at the higher levels and should be used only when you are desperate. If possible, take some draftees and stick them on mountaintops in enemy territory. They'll skyrocket to veteran.

This breaks down once the enemy has railroads, but it can be effective at absorbing his offensive forces.

...and they make great garrison troops.

wartime mobilization and the draft can get very ugly very fast, both for you and your enemy. Overuse of the draft generates an ungodly amount of WW, and your people will demand a new gov't (esp. under Democracy) in short order.

[High Lord J]

I draft for two reasons...

1. I am losing cities fast and I might lost an important continet so then I just draft until cities are down to like 9 pop. and push the enemy back.

2. I feel I need to almost double my army size on I won't be pushed around so I draft two people from each city until I have a big army then I go on the diplomatic offense

[Jethro83]

Definitely for defence only. I've had my drafted Infantry lose on the attack against a regular longbow. Due to all the defensive bonuses of cities, your conscripts should be fine.

But drafting is nothing more than last resort. Especially for someone like me who tries to maintain happiness.

When building my military right, I tend to find that I don't need to conscript anyway.