Civilization 5 Units Guide
Military Unit Types, Promotions, and Strategies for Brave New World
This Guide covers all Military Unit Types in Civilization 5 Brave New World. UUs are covered elsewhere: Click to learn about Unique Units in Civ 5. All UUs are special variants of these Units, so it is not necessary to cover them in two places.
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| War & Peace | Combat Bonuses & Penalties | Fighting Wars & Capturing Cities | Annexing, Razing, & Puppeting |
Naval Unit Stats and Strategies - Triremes to Battleships and Missile Cruisers
Back: Battleship, Aircraft Carrier, Destroyer, Submarine, Nuclear Submarine, Missile Cruiser
Naval Units can be broken down into several categories. First, we'll have a look at Melee Naval Units such as the Trireme and Destroyer. Second, Ranged Naval Units - from the Galleass to Battleships and the almighty Missile Cruiser. Last, we'll look at those that are a bit more special - the Submarines and Aircraft Carrier. These last variants deserve extra attention because they differ significantly from the other Units.
Healing Outside Your Borders
Before we begin with the different types of Ships available in Civ 5, let's get what they have in common out of the way. No Naval Unit is able to heal while outside Friendly Territory without the Supply Promotion. This is available after taking 2 ranks in one of the Attack Bonus promotion lines, or, in the case of the Carrier, Flight Deck/Armor. Friendly Territory means that they heal within your own Borders, those of a Civ you have Open Borders with, or a City-State that is at least at 'Friends' level. Anything below that would be considered Trespassing. Supply should be chosen early so that you are able to heal without heading home, unless battle is taking place very near your own borders.
Other Common Promotions
Naval Units are often traveling vast distances and fast Movement is important. Thus, they are able to get the Mobility Promotion after 1 Rank in one of the CS Bonus Promotions. This increases move by 1, which can shave a turn or two off a journey across the map or help save another ship from destruction when you need that one more move to attack. Sentry has the same requirement and increases Visibility range by 1, which is very helpful for finding new lands - City-States, Natural Wonders, or watching for enemy targets and Barbarians. Finally, all Naval units can earn the Logistics Promotion after 3 ranks in a Combat Strength line, granting them an extra attack. This is particularly important for Ranged vessels, although you may find it handy if your Ships greatly outclass other vessels on the seas.
Naval Melee Units
Naval Melee Units are just that - Units which must come in close for the attack. Importantly, they are capable of capturing Cities. They get their own unique line of Promotions - they can focus their strength on either attacking other Naval Units, or Cities. Coastal Raider promotions go 3 ranks and increase Combat Strength against Cities 20% each, while also offering 33% of the damage done as Gold each - the final rounds this out to 100% of damage done as Gold. Boarding Party will give +15% Combat Strength vs other Naval Units, up to 45%.
There is something special about almost all of these Units. That information will be noted below their stats.
Trireme
| Combat Strength: 10 | Range: Melee | Movement: 4 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: Caravel | Upgrade Cost: 160 | |
Cost: 45 or 220 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Ancient, Sailing | ||
Caravel
| Combat Strength: 20 | Range: Melee | Movement: 4 |  |
| Upgrade from: Trireme | Upgrade to: Ironclad | Upgrade Cost: 270 | |
| Cost: 120 or 600 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Renaissance, Astronomy | ||
The first Ship capable of exploring the Ocean, thus finding other lands. On the defense, they may withdraw before Melee attack, and get +1 Sight - they are effectively Scouting vessels. Navigation Tech gives you some real firepower.
Privateer
| Combat Strength: 25 | Range: Melee | Movement: 5 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: Destroyer | Upgrade Cost: 460 | |
| Cost: 150 or 650 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Renaissance, Navigation | ||
Privateers start with Coastal Raider I, so it's wise to continue that Promotion line to unlock Supply. They do not upgrade to a new class of ship for quite a long time and are meant to be used to take Cities, along with the Firepower of a Frigate. They also come with the Prize Ships promotion, which makes defeated enemy Ships sometimes join your side. If the enemy has a large Fleet, taking Boarding Party may be wise if you can get a lot of these out to steal their Navy for your own use.
Ironclad
| Combat Strength: 45 | Range: Melee | Movement: 3 |  |
| Upgrade from: Caravel | Upgrade to: Destroyer | Upgrade Cost: 260 | |
| Cost: 250 or 800 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Industrial, Steam Power, Coal | ||
Ironclads are the first steam-powered ships and thus slow in Ocean, hence the 3 Movement points. However, they get double Movement on Coast to make up for this. Their high combat strength can make them very effective at taking Coastal Cities on your own Continent - they get a +33% Combat Bonus vs Cities, and that is before Coastal Raider. Therefore, they can get up to 93% CS vs Cities!
Destroyer
| Combat Strength: 55 | Range: Melee | Movement: 6 |  |
| Upgrade from: Privateer, Ironclad | Upgrade to: None | Upgrade Cost: N/A | |
| Cost: 375 or 1090 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Modern, Combustion | ||
Destroyers are able to see Submarines from 2 tiles away, unlike other Units, which must be right next to the Submarine to spot it. If you give them the Sentry Promotion, their sight range extends to 3, letting them spot lurking Subs from afar.
Naval Ranged Units
Unlike land-based Ranged Units, Naval Ranged Units do not require 3 ranks in Targeting (CS vs Naval Units) nor Bombardment (CS vs Land Units) to get +1 Range. Even the Galleass can get +1 Range with only 2 ranks. In order to get a second attack they do require 3 ranks, however.
Galleass
| Combat Strength: 17/16 | Range: 2 | Movement: 3 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: Frigate | Upgrade Cost: 180 | |
| Cost: 100 or 400 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Medieval, Compass | ||
May not enter Ocean
Frigate
| Combat Strength: 28/25 | Range: 2 | Movement: 5 |  |
| Upgrade from: Galleass | Upgrade to: Battleship | Upgrade Cost: | |
| Cost: 185 or 770 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Renaissance, Navigation, Iron | ||
The first big firepower you can get that is capable of sailing the high seas. Frigates can be a game-changer on Archipelago and Continents maps when you need to grab a foothold on another land mass through conquest. Combine them with the Privateer unlocked with the same tech, and you will be able to take Coastal Cities with ease. Just be sure to bring along some embarked Melee/Ranged units so that the opponent's Military cannot immediately take the City back.
Battleship
| Combat Strength: 65/55 | Range: 3 | Movement: 5 |  |
| Upgrade from: Frigate | Upgrade to: None | Upgrade Cost: N/A | |
| Cost: 375 or 1090 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs:Modern, Electronics, Oil | ||
Battleships' 3 Range allows them to bombard Cities without fear of retaliation, and their Indirect Fire lets them fire over hills. You simply need to send a ship or land Unit in to spot for them, then move it back once the ships have fired. Getting the Sentry upgrade will take care of this problem and let them see far enough to use their weapons without a spotter. Once the defenses are down, send a fast melee ship in to take the City. They are also excellent at defending your own Coastal Cities for that range gives them some inland reach so that their main guns can do their thing.
Missile Cruiser
| Combat Strength: 100/80 | Range: 3 | Movement: 7 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: None | Upgrade Cost: N/A | |
| Cost: 425 or 1190 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Information, Robotics | ||
Missile Cruisers are the most advanced Ship in the game, however they lack the Indirect Fire Promotion the Battleship has, so need line of sight to their targets. These vessels can detect Submarines 2 tiles away, just like Destroyers. You can get it to 3 with Sentry for +1 Visibility, and that is wise for the Missile Cruiser is not able to see as far as it can fire, just like the Battleship. They have a very high attack power and specialize in sinking Submarines with a +100% combat bonus, guaranteeing a one-shot kill. They also have a Cargo Capacity of 3, meaning they can hold up to 3 Nuclear or Guided Missiles. One last, great perk of this advanced ship is that it has 100% anti-air interception chance, so Friendly units within its attack range will find they have an ally to pierce the skies should anything but a Stealth Bomber try to attack the fleet, or even land units/cities should it be close enough.
Aircraft Carrier and Submarines
These Ships are different enough that they deserved their own category.
Aircraft Carrier
| Combat Strength: 50 | Range: N/A | Movement: 5 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: None | Upgrade Cost: N/A | |
| Cost: 375 or 1090 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Modern, Electronics | ||
Aircraft Carriers may not attack. They get an initial plane capacity of 2, but that can be upgraded to 5 with Promotions. To rebase aircraft to them, simply select the number on the City that has your planes and choose rebase, selecting the Carrier. Read the page on Aircraft to learn each plane's rebase range (double its attack range). They can also carry Atomic Bombs, as those are dropped from a special one-use bomber. You can also increase their armor so that they have higher defense, but so long as the Carrier is escorted it should be safe to focus on the extra capacity.
Submarine
| Combat Strength: 60/35 | Range: 2 | Movement: 5 |  |
| Upgrade from: None | Upgrade to: Nuclear Submarine | Upgrade Cost: 210 | |
| Cost: 325 or 980 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Modern, Refrigeration | ||
Subs get a special ranged attack and their own line of upgrades that will increase Combat Strength when on the offensive, called Wolf Pack. They have an innate +75% CS bonus when on the attack and may cross, and even hide under ice tiles. Submarines cannot be seen by normal Ships unless they are right next to them, but firing will reveal the Sub's location. Destroyers are capable of seeing them and get a Combat Strength bonus vs Subs, so be sure to sink those first!
Nuclear Submarine
| Combat Strength: 85/50 | Range: 3 | Movement: 6 |  |
| Upgrade from: Submarine | Upgrade to: None | Upgrade Cost: N/A | |
| Cost: 425 or 1190 | Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Information, Telecommunications | ||
This Sub is just like the last, only with a higher attack power, +1 Range and that it can carry two Missiles (Nuclear or Guided). This lets them lurk nearby enemy Cities and unleash surprise attacks.
| Melee | Ranged | Siege | Mounted & Armor | Naval | Aircraft & Missiles |
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