Summary
Building and maintaining an army in any 4X strategy game is one of the most vital things you can do, andMillenniais no different. You will be presented with many choices as to what units you might want to prioritize with either your production, or even spawning them with the points you accrue.
When starting a new game, some units are better than others and serve different, but equally important, functions. Depending on your starting conditions, you will need to take advantage of some units more than others. In this list, you will see the best the early game has to offer for your army, exploration, quests, and more.
10Warband
The backbone of an early nation, the warband is your basic military unit at the start of any game. It boasts just enough strength to get you past the barbarian hordes that will be coming for your capital early on and is relatively cheap to build or spam out with Warfare XP.
It is always a good idea to have at least a few warbands at all times in your early-game army, since they make good staple troops that are easy to train and replace should they fall in battle. They also can be quickly upgraded once new technology becomes available.
9Archer
Your first ranged troop, the archer, is a great choice when engaging enemies that need to be softened up a bit before your frontline infantry, like warbands or cavalry units, engage in combat. They also make great defensive units when trying to protect your cities from invaders.
The biggest drawback to archers is that they are not available to produce from the start of the game. You will need to research the Defense technology to begin building them in any capacity, and upon researching the technology, you are given a unit for free, so plan your strategies around that.
8Scout Cavalry
One of the first units you should verify to obtain is a scout cavalry. Their speed lends itself well to exploring the surrounding area of your starting city, as well as pressing further out into the unknown while you look for other civilizations or barbarian camps to raid.
Not only are they quick, but they also have the unique ability to discover landmarks, points of interest, and natural wonders scattered about the map. These locations can grant you great bonuses at later ages, as well as potentiallysend you into the Age of Heroes alternate history pathif you discover at least three early enough.
7Pioneer
Pioneers are an interesting civilian unit to utilize during your campaigns. Upon unlocking the Mining technology in the Age of Bronze, you gain access to the Pioneer and its unique ability to construct outposts outside your borders.
Outposts can be incredibly useful tools to lock down an area for defensive purposes, like a mountain pass, or a small land bridge between bodies of water connecting two areas. They can also be set up to extract resources and goods within their borders as well, providing you with even more benefits.
6Spear
The spear unit is the first upgrade you will receive to your army of warbands that you have been using from the start of the game. Spears have a much higher attack and defense rating, making them far more useful in military operations than before.
If upgrading your basic troops is a must, then make sure to research the Discipline technology once you reach the Bronze Age. Once you have done that, all it takes is a small amount of Warfare XP to upgrade each unit, making the change relatively low-cost and accessible.
5Envoy
While your scouts are out exploring the map, you will come across many independent cities for you to decide how to deal with; while conquering them is straightforward, that requires an army. Otherwise, taking advantage of the Envoy is another way to add these centers of population to your growing civilization.
Envoys can be spawned using your Diplomacy XP, and once you move them next to an independent city, they can be used to instantly vassalize said city into your empire.They are very useful for growing your borderswithout settling your towns or having to go to war over land.
4Chariot
Chariots will be your first unit on horseback capable of serious military action. While scout cavalries can be used in battle, their low attack and defense stats make them unsuited to the job; chariots, meanwhile, are very potent by comparison.
These horse-drawn vehicles are very quick on the map and also do a lot of damage to enemy troops, especially ranged units. Make sure to start producing them once you research Discipline, their pre-requisite technology.
3Dugout Canoe
Moving away from land-based combat and exploration, we take to the seas with the dugout canoe, your first naval unit. These canoes are incredibly simple, allowing you to explore the coastal waterways around your city with a modest crew, but are an effective exploratory force early on.
They are just strong enough to fight back against barbarian ships you might run across, though be sure to not stray too far from home until you have a fleet of two to three ships just to be safe.
2Galley
Just like the spear unit is to the warband, the galley is your immediate upgrade to your dugout canoes, offering you more power, defense, and speed as you explore the coast around your city. They are incredibly useful, especially on more heavy water maps.
A fleet of galleys can make quick work of any barbarian ship or also provide a good defense from other sea-minded nations you might come across. ensure to research Shipbuilding in the Age of Bronze to construct these naval vessels.
1Settler
The mighty settler, the backbone of any 4X strategy game. These civilian units are most useful for expanding your borders by taking a population from one of your cities and settling them somewhere else, spawning a new vassal belonging to your nation.
All it takes to create a new settler is to use a bit of Government XP once you have accumulated enough and is available right from the start of the game. verify to guard them carefully from enemy units as you send them to the locations you wish to settle.
