Do you use the Explorer Unit?

Flinx · August 8, 2002, 13:14

Personally, I've never used the Explorer, by the time I can build them I already know what the whole world looks like.

Adagio · August 8, 2002, 14:07

Wouldn't this belong to the general forum?

Back to topic. Explorer??? There is a explorer unit in the game..? Never used it...

Caliban · August 8, 2002, 14:47

Finally a REALLY important poll!!!!!

Let us get rid of these useless explorers forever!!

ixnay · August 8, 2002, 15:24

If it was available earlier, and map swapping was toned down some, it would be much more useful. As it is now, I've never built one.

Hagbart · August 8, 2002, 17:17

It is useless, in civ2 it was a good unit.

Gangerolf · August 8, 2002, 18:32

can't remember making one

Coracle · August 8, 2002, 20:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Hagbart
It is useless, in civ2 it was a good unit.

That's because in Civ 2 THERE WAS SOMETHING LEFT TO EXPLORE BY THE TIME WE GOT TO IT.

In Civ 3 there is nothing left to explore by the time we send out caravels, which is not only unrealistic it takes away a lot of the fun of the game.

Explorers? I modded them into a Partisan unit available after Industrialization, made it invisible, and it can be a real pain pillaging and occupying resource tiles.

But I WOULD RATHER EXPLORE.

Darkworld Ark · August 8, 2002, 20:58

Explorors make great spies, since you can run them in & run them out, & friendly nations don't really mind them in their country.

KenderBane · August 9, 2002, 09:14

By the time I get the tech researched so that I can build an Explorer, I've already got most of the world mapped out by trading maps with other Civs.

And the areas that I don't have mapped out are usually small islands/ island groups that are more effectively explored by ship anyway.

The tiny amount of continental land mass that is unexplored by the above methods are easily (and more effectively) explored using land based mounted units ... over flat terrain a move rate of 2 is almost as good as "move over everything like its got roads" ... and Horseman are availible MUCH earlier AND can attack the barabarians in the still dark corners of the map.

However, the explorer does have ONE function ...

If you are Modding a scenario, then you can use the 'slot' taken by the explorer to create a new unit that doesn't exist in un-modded Civ3.

Adm.Naismith · August 9, 2002, 10:15

Quote:

Originally posted by ixnay37
If it was available earlier, and map swapping was toned down some, it would be much more useful.

I agree that is not exactly a "must need" unit, but I use it sometimes when I want a "suicide pillager" to negate some strategic resources pillaging roads.

I know I can try to bombard the square, but I prefer to use artillery for softening cities, and bombers are more expensive. A couple of explorer can cut a critical resource for some turn (sometime AI is not quick enough to rebuild the road net, and I can put a brake in its units building: a weaker flow of fresh units let me win at least a main war with three conquered cities and two tech for a peace.

Cookie Monster · August 9, 2002, 14:57

The explorer is not useless. He can pillage the enemy during war. He can also be used to "transfer" shields quickly from one city to another.

Tassadar500 · August 9, 2002, 15:20

I used it like 10 times to pillage enemy city resources. Other then that i never use it.

Laszlo · August 9, 2002, 16:17

I've never used them either. Granted, they are very fast, but they just make too late an entrance to make much of a difference as 'explorers'.

Maybe adding an ability to stake out a few squares and say, "I claim this land for Spain," or whatever would make them useful. If you could expend them to establish some sort of weak hold on a desirable city site or resource until new units moved in, that could be interesting.

Panag · August 10, 2002, 06:36

hi ,

its great to give it an attack and defense value of 1 , ...ones in a while it can stand against the barbs this way , ....

its great to create some troubles , ....when its given the "hidden nationality" , ....

have a nice day

Flinx · August 12, 2002, 17:48

Bump.

HAND · August 12, 2002, 21:10

I used the explorer once to look around a small island, that turned out to be a medium sized continent. I colonized it a matter of turns later...Doubling the size of my Civ in about 20 turns!

Admiral PJ · August 13, 2002, 19:12

Its great for scouting mountains and jungle etc, you can see lots of what the other civs are doing without needing ROP deals (they don't seem to mind explorers trespassing - normally)
It would be good to be able to expel friendly civs explorers etc like you used to be able to with diplomats in civ2.
Maybe if exploreres were invisible or only visible if a unit was next to it , they'd be much more fun.

Carver · August 13, 2002, 19:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Darkworld Ark
Explorors make great spies, since you can run them in & run them out, & friendly nations don't really mind them in their country.

Which is exactly how I use them. My explorers can usually sit inside another civ for 10-20 turns (or forever) without getting a "leave or war" message. Having 6 moves makes them great for scouting territory and keeping an eye on infastructure and troop movements.

candidgamera · August 15, 2002, 21:30

Don't get why everybody's down on explorers.

Like 'em build them myself.

Simple editor changes make them and age of discovery/colonization more meaningful, historical:

*wheeled settlers

*explorers with astronomy and caravels

*galleons with navigation

*use "all terrain as roads" feature with sea movement: 1 coastal, 2 sea, 3 ocean. galleons and up get to move "all terrain as roads" galleys move 4, caravels 6, galleons 6 or 8, 6 or 8 for frigates (get to carry 1 foot unit also).

*caravels sink in ocean like now, can only carry foot units

*galleys can carry anything, sink in sea, sink in ocean

last two together let some inter island colonization occur but not cross ocean

this mix on a middle of the road, (pangea vs. all islands) world 200 x 200.

(just thinking also that putting magellan's voyage in astronomy might be the right thing to do - give one civ slow cross ocean passage with caravels)

Of course explorers aren't going to be meaningful if pangea or even big continents are played - everything will be explored by explorer appearance.

Like to pair mine also with 1-2 cavs, scout&kill teams against hordes of barbarians - off loaded from galleons. Also, since explorers also seem to get all good results from huts (think "all terrain as roads" flag does this) tend to get musket/rifles out of huts then let massed barbs attack till rifles/muskets are elite and viola - first rate garrison troops for new cities in new world.

Other use: cheap blockers at key points against zombie exploring hordes of ai - no you'll have to go thru the jungle and over the mountains, thank you very much.

Liked Barchan's use for them on the last thread on explorers:
move them out and back from protecting troops to do sabotage.

Oerdin · August 15, 2002, 23:28

If a civ gets a free explorer then I use it but I have never, repeat, never built an explorer in Civ3. They're just plain useless.

Panag · August 17, 2002, 11:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
If a civ gets a free explorer then I use it but I have never, repeat, never built an explorer in Civ3. They're just plain useless.

hi ,

, you can always edit them , ...

or use them , almost evryone can find a way for that unit , ....

have a nice day

TexasPride · August 17, 2002, 17:42

Ahhh, give it up they're trash. just face it. by the time you get them you already know what the map looks like and it doesnt matter. As for usin them as spys. I dont see the point unless they come drastically down in cost. I have never built one in civ 3 and dont think i ever will unless they suddenly develop some sort of use that makes them worth thier keep. I also gave them all terrain as roads and two moves just cause it bothered me by the way. Lord by the time the medieval ages come around i have actually gotten rid of any scouts i had because i have the map explored.

SABRA · August 18, 2002, 10:07

The Explorer is great with a little bit of changes .
Ones you get to use it a couple of times , it can be an helpful unit .

Panag · August 18, 2002, 12:30

Quote:

Originally posted by TexasPride
Ahhh, give it up they're trash. just face it. by the time you get them you already know what the map looks like and it doesnt matter. As for usin them as spys. I dont see the point unless they come drastically down in cost. I have never built one in civ 3 and dont think i ever will unless they suddenly develop some sort of use that makes them worth thier keep. I also gave them all terrain as roads and two moves just cause it bothered me by the way. Lord by the time the medieval ages come around i have actually gotten rid of any scouts i had because i have the map explored.

hi ,

they are always great to send to a city that is surrounded by other civs , 9 out of 10 that city has high corruption , so when you disband them there you can get more shields , ...

have a nice day

candidgamera · August 18, 2002, 13:56

Am amazed at the ignorance and lack of imagination reading this thread - too many Britney Spears listenings or too much TV? Half the anti-explorer advocates tell us they are useless and then tell us they never use or build them - well then how do you know they are useless? And sure they're probably useless if you play on a pangea map that's small and you've explored everything by 2000 BC.

Civ 3 already lacks so many fricking things, why take this away?!

Panag · August 19, 2002, 05:22

Quote:

Originally posted by candidgamera
Am amazed at the ignorance and lack of imagination reading this thread - too many Britney Spears listenings or too much TV? Half the anti-explorer advocates tell us they are useless and then tell us they never use or build them - well then how do you know they are useless? And sure they're probably useless if you play on a pangea map that's small and you've explored everything by 2000 BC.

Civ 3 already lacks so many fricking things, why take this away?!

hi ,

indeed its true that so many people dont use that unit , yet if they would use it ones in a while they would find out that it can be a great unit , ......

and one can always edit the unit a bit , .....

have a nice day

Cookie Monster · August 19, 2002, 10:42

Explorers are not useless. I stated a use for them earlier in this thread but obviously nobody cared to comment on it.

Why not try making an explorer and disbanding it in a city with high corruption? This is how you can help those high corruption cities make stuff faster.

Stuie · August 19, 2002, 11:34

I prefer looking at Britney Spears as opposed to actually listening to her.

I modded Explorers so that they are available with Education, and pushed map trading back to Astronomy. Now they are somewhat useful.

TexasPride · August 19, 2002, 11:40

just to let you know candid most of us have built them, tested them, and decided they're Cr@p! And for your info, though I don't think it's your business, I normally play on a Huge map. (btw- I went in and modded all my maps so that they're 'bout 25% bigger) Furthermore I don't think that I've ever played a pangea simply because of the limitations of a single landmass.

Just to let you know I haven't listened to Britney since her first CD and listen to alternative rock and some (though very little) heavy metal. As for your TV comment I haven't watched TV beyond maybe 2 hours TOTAL a week. SO WHY DON'T YUO KEEP YOU KEEP YOU COMMENTS TO YOURSELF 'BOUT THINGS THAT DON'T CONSCERN YOU AND WOULDN'T EFFECT OUR VIEWPOINT ANYWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

candidgamera · August 19, 2002, 12:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Stuie
I prefer looking at Britney Spears as opposed to actually listening to her.

I modded Explorers so that they are available with Education, and pushed map trading back to Astronomy. Now they are somewhat useful.

Hadn't thought of that pushing map trading back - actually makes a lot of sense.

I shouldn't beat up on Britney like that

, I'm sure she's a nice girl in person.