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.

Melee Unit Stats and Strategies - Warrior to Musketmen & Mechanized Infantry

Melee Units are the most basic forces in your Military, but are an essential part. Their higher Combat Strength allows them to protect Ranged and Siege Units, and along with Mounted/Armor and Naval Melee Units are the only Units capable of capturing Cities. They excel at beating up Ranged/Siege Weapons of the same era, thanks to their CS. Heavily Promoted Melee can be beasts just like any other Unit, but their need to be in the thick of Combat also puts them at higher risk of death.

It is wise to mix up your Melee such that some are better at fighting in Open and Rough Terrain. Focus Units down one path and stick to it. At times when they will need to get into tough battle, you can seek that terrain so that they will get a defensive modifier. This is especially important for Cities that are tough to take because of the surrounding Terrain. Having rough terrain combat bonuses will result in taking less damage along the way, while giving you time to get to tiles you can Pillage and heal. Fortify until the City is ready to go down, and then move in for the Capture. Having a slightly wounded Melee unit near the City will often cause the City to focus its attacks there, allowing your Catapults and Archers to do their thing.

Positioning Melee Units on hills or within forests along your borders will help protect against invasion. Units that have been Fortified 2 turns will get a 40% CS Bonus, along with the defensive Terrain bonus afforded by the land itself and your Promotions. Having ranged nearby, you can pick off Units as they come. Wars can be won using this strategy on a big scale. AI take unit losses into account and the balance of power at the current time when vying for Peace Treaties. If you're not out for a Domination Victory but have Cities nearby that you wish were under your control, this is a good way to take them without Warmonger Penalties.

PromotionsMelee Units' Promotions are a bit more varied than other types of Units', so I'll cover them a bit more here. All Promotions require I to III ranks in Shock (Open Terrain) or Drill (Rough Terrain) attack bonuses, which grant a 15% CS bonus when fighting in that type of Terrain (attacking there, or defending there. Stick with one type, so you can unlock the better upgrades:

• Shock/Drill I Unlocks: Amphibious - Eliminate combat penalties attacking over river or while embarked, Cover I/II - +33% Protection each against Ranged attacks (including Cities, Aircraft, Artillery), Medic - Adjacent Units that have not moved in that turn heal +5HP per turn (does not work on self, and only one Medic Promotion works per Unit). Medic II - Increase Healing by another +5 for Adjacent Units, the Promoted Unit also heals +5 HP per turn outside Friendly Territory.
• Shock/Drill II Unlocks: Ambush I - 33% CS vs Armored Units, Formation I - 33% CS vs Mounted Units, Siege - 50% CS vs Cities (works on Defense) combined with Cover, it's incredible.

• Shock/Drill III Unlocks: March - Unit heals, even if it has performed an action that turn, Blitz - +1 Attack per turn, Woodsman - No movement penalty through Forest or Jungle, even if it is on a hill.

Scout

Scout Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 5	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: None	Upgrade to: Archer w/ Ancient Ruins	Upgrade Cost: N/A
Cost: 25 or 140	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Ancient - No Tech Requirement

Make this the first thing you build in every game, so that you can meet City-States and find Ancient Ruins. Scouts can find more with Visibility, but make great Ranged units with their unique Survivalism Promotion line if you get an Ancient Ruin that upgrades them to an Archer. This rarely happens though, as the Scout must fight twice before finding that lucky ruin.

Warrior

Warrior Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 8	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: None	Upgrade to: Swordsman	Upgrade Cost: 80
Cost: 40 or 200	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Ancient - No Tech Requirement

Every Civ starts with a Warrior (or a Warrior UU if they have one, such as the Jaguar). The most basic Melee Unit. I use mine to protect my first Worker, while my Scouts survey the map.

Spearman

Spearman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 11	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Warrior, only w/ Ancient Ruin	Upgrade to: Pikeman	Upgrade Cost: 75
Cost: 56 or 260	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Ancient, Bronze Working

Has a 50% bonus vs Mounted. Given sometimes you lack Iron, they are a good alternative to Swordsmen. This Unit eventually becomes a Helicopter Gunship, so they're great to get Promoted and keep alive over the years.

Swordsman

Swordsman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 14	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Warrior	Upgrade to: Longswordsman	Upgrade Cost: 100
Cost: 75 or 390	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Classical, Iron Working, Iron

If you have Iron, also get Composite Bowmen ASAP and you can build a good Classical-era fighting force for capturing Cities. Around that time, Cities should have only 12-20 CS, so they will not destroy this Unit easily.

Pikeman

Pikeman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 16	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Spearman	Upgrade to: Lancer	Upgrade Cost: 200
Cost: 90 or 370	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Medieval, Civil Service

50% Bonus vs Mounted Units. Upgrades to a unit that requires Horses, the Lancer - eventually becomes an Anti-Tank Gun and Helicopter Gunship.

Longswordsman

Longswordsman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 21	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Swordsman	Upgrade to: Musketman	Upgrade Cost: 70
Cost: 120 or 460	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Medieval, Steel, Iron

This Unit often sees little use because of the short trip up the Tech tree to Gunpowder and Musketmen, who also don't require Iron.

Musketman

Musketman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 24	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Longswordsman	Upgrade to: Rifleman	Upgrade Cost: 160
Cost: 150 or 540	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Renaissance, Gunpowder

This Unit begins a series of Melee that do not require any Resources, freeing you to use Iron for ships or trade deals.

Rifleman

Rifleman Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 34	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Musketman	Upgrade to: Great War Infantry	Upgrade Cost: 200
Cost: 225 or 740	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Industrial, Rifling

Great War Infantry

Great War Infantry Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 50	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Rifleman	Upgrade to: Infantry	Upgrade Cost: 120
Cost: 320 or 960	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Modern, Replaceable Parts

Infantry

Infantry Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 70	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Great War Infantry	Upgrade to: Mechanized Infantry	Upgrade Cost: 10
Cost: 375 or 1090	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Modern, Plastics

Note the super-low Upgrade cost - this is because Infantry cost the same as Mechanized Infantry to Produce or Purchase outright.

Marine

Marine Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 65	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: None	Upgrade to: None	Upgrade Cost: N/A
Cost: 400 or 1140	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Atomic, Penicillin

Marines get extra defense while Embarked, extra Sight, and the Amphibious Promotion to eliminate Combat Penalties for attacking over Rivers or from the Coast.

Paratrooper

Paratrooper Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 65	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: None	Upgrade to: XCOM Squad	Upgrade Cost: 60
Cost: 375 or 1090	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Atomic, Radar

They are able to Paradrop up to 9 tiles while in Friendly Territory. Get them to the edge of your Borders and they will be able to go quite far into enemy Territory. Use a pair and take a weakened City the next Turn. They are able to move one more time after Paradropping, but cannot attack. Use this movement to get into better position or Pillage. Also, no Movement cost to Pillage tiles. Great for dropping in to pillage Luxuries or Strategic Resources and simultaneously earn gold while healing the Unit.

Mechanized Infantry

Mechanized Infantry Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 90	Range: Melee	Movement: 3
Upgrade from: Infantry	Upgrade to: None	Upgrade Cost: N/A
Cost: 375 or 1090	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Information, Mobile Tactics

Infantry with 3 moves, great! It's definitely a helpful Unit, though Modern Armor will outshine it. Still, it depends what direction you are moving in the Tech tree.

XCOM Squad

XCOM Squad Stats, Upgrades, and Requirements
Combat Strength: 100	Range: Melee	Movement: 2
Upgrade from: Paratrooper	Upgrade to: None	Upgrade Cost: N/A
Cost: 400 or 1140	Era, Tech, and Resource Reqs: Information, Nanotechnology

This unit is very cheap given how powerful it is compared to every other Infantry here. Awesome weapons, and a very cool unit referencing Firaxis' XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Can Paradrop up to 40 Tiles away from within Friendly Territory. They lack the 0 Movement cost to Pillage, but get to keep it if upgraded from Paratroopers. A very capable Unit, ready to come to the rescue or capture a City immediately - they can attack on landing unlike the Paratrooper.

Tweet

Are you sure you want to report it?

Share Tips and FAQs (4)

Our Sims Forum is the place to go for faster answers to questions and discussions about the game. Use the form below to share your own experiences and provide helpful tips to other readers.

Benjamin says...

Thanks for the guide. I am still on Civ 5 - base edition. But this will be helpful when I migrate to the expansion.

On thing which I have really noted is the lack of an upgrade branch for the scout. What happens if I don't get the ruin upgrade? I really like using scouts integrated into my main military force. As advanced recon, or for watching my flanks. But it's low survivability, going into the renaissance to modern eras, with this unit, is a real pain.

Would it be possible to give it it's own upgrade path, or merge it into the melee/ranged promotion trees?

In thinking about the balance consequences. I would recommend upgrade to, riflemen (or possibly paratrooper?). With the retention of scouting promotions earned.

The alternative recommendation would be to have era specific scouts. Such as pioneers in the renaissance, and recon-snipers in the industrial/modern era. Possibly even functioning as land stealth units, and maintaining the existing survivability/scouting upgrade paths.

Reply

Flag

3

29th January 2016 12:14am

Jouni says...

I think the Upgrades To field for Infantry should be Mech. Inf instead of Marines?

Reply

Flag

2

16th July 2014 5:19pm

Carl says...

You're absolutely right. Thanks. I fixed it.

Reply

Flag

4

19th July 2014 10:31pm

Fred says...

Hi there, first, thanks for the great guides! I just came back to civ 5 after quitting 2 months after launch and find your guides really helpfull.

Quick question, I started a game with the Brazillian, and the first scout that I built came with the alpinist promotion allowing him to move at half the cost on hills! It could move 3 or 4 tile if there was enough hills. This was my 10th game since coming back to civ and the first time that I had such a promotion. Any idea how and why we get those?

Many thanks!

Admin:

The altitude training promotion comes from walking by Mount Kilimanjaro and lets Units move quickly through any tile with hills. It's a great promotion to have for warfare, with obvious benefits to any Unit given those Hills function like roads.

Reply

Flag

1

6th May 2014 1:55pm

Page 1 of 1

Join In

[cancel]

Name:

Email:

Share:

Captcha:

 

Enter code:

 

Remember my name and email for future contributions.