Unit questions

sleeper1411 · December 7, 2002, 14:43

I have been reading here for a while and decided to make a post because I haven't found my answers yet.
First questionI haven't been able to figure out how to escort bombers with fighters.
Second question how do you use fighters to protect your empire from being bombed by enemy bombers I built a buch of figters and left them on sentry in my cities that were being bombed by the computer but they don't seem to counterattack is this a invisible function?
Did I miss something the only time I built a helicopter the only thing I could get it to do was reconn. missions I figured at first they would attack like any ground unit but I couldn't figure out how to get them to do it.
I appreciate any help.

WarpStorm · December 7, 2002, 14:58

1. There is not escort function. To do a kinda-escort mission send your fighters in to bomb before the bombers. This will draw off some of the fighters on Air Superiority. Then your bombers will only have to worry about SAMs.

2. Don't use Sentry, but rather Air Superiority.

3. Helicopters in Civ3 are not attack units. Their primary role is as an air transport unit.

sleeper1411 · December 7, 2002, 15:22

Thanks for the help that still seems kinda dumb to waste a move for the fighters if there is no fighters protecting the city. Also I assume that choppers can only move infantry units?

Switch · December 7, 2002, 15:34

They can transport any unit with the 'Airlift' flag enabled (I'm not sure which ones, exactly, so you'll have to check with the editor). However, it can only transport one (1) unit at a time, which is probably a pretty major drawback.

CerberusIV · December 7, 2002, 17:04

It is a bit more complicated than that. "Airlift" sets which units you can move between cities with airports, nothing to do with helicopters.

Helicopters only transport "foot units" so it depends which units are flagged as foot. The only way to find out is to look in the editor.

sleeper1411 · December 7, 2002, 17:09

Yeah they are starting to sound pretty worthless.

WarpStorm · December 7, 2002, 20:16

I wouldn't go so far as to say useless, because I've had a couple of maps where they were actually useful. But in general, on most maps, I don't bother with them.

Willem · December 8, 2002, 21:57

Quote:

Originally posted by sleeper1411
Also I assume that choppers can only move infantry units?

If you mean only foot soldiers, yes.

Chuckles · December 9, 2002, 01:42

I have yet to build a heli. Range isn't even that great is it? Seems like a waste. Maybe for a novelty once.

Willem · December 9, 2002, 09:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Chuckles
I have yet to build a heli. Range isn't even that great is it? Seems like a waste. Maybe for a novelty once.

No, by default the range isn't all that great, but with PTW you can make it so. Up to 362 tiles I believe.

Inverse Icarus · December 9, 2002, 13:09

i've used choppers to drop infantry into enemy terriroty for pillaging / mountain camping. not much else though.