The following are the units that I produce the least:
1. Militia: Not completely useless, but pretty close. A militia regiment is weaker in most respects than a conventional infantry regiment, and it's slower than molasses. It does have a smaller daily upkeep in terms of food and manpower than conventional infantry, but it costs just as much to feed militia as it does commandos! They do have a +75% strength bonus in hills and forests terrain, but this slow-moving defensive unit is more likely to end its existence on the wrong end of an artillery barrage or a tactical bomber airstrike.
2. Heavy tanks: The heavy tank brigade is costly and slow to produce, it's slow-moving, and has the highest daily oil upkeep of any ground unit. It's great on defense, if you have air superiority, but it's bomber bait if you don't. I'm not completely against producing them, but I rarely am stuck in a defensive war against a major opponent ---- the scenario in which I imagine them being most useful. The heavy tank brigade consumes twice as much oil daily as a tactical bomber squadron, and it's far less versatile.
3. Tank destroyers: The tank destroyer brigade is a relatively slow-moving unit, and is far stronger defensively than offensively. In the end game in which oil consumption is usually a major factor, I would rather produce two or three non-oil-consuming anti-tank regiments rather than one oil-consuming tank destroyer brigade. For those reasons, I rarely produce them ---- see my comments above regarding heavy tanks.
4. Cruisers: Among the various naval units, cruiser squadrons are primarily an anti-aircraft niche unit for fleet defense. However, in competition for research time, production time, and resources, it's cheaper and easier to produce two destroyer squadrons instead of one cruiser squadron, especially since enemy submarines are usually a much greater threat than enemy naval bombers. My opinion might change quickly, however, if I were confronted with a major naval war with an opponent who had invested heavily in high-level naval bombers.
5. Strategic bombers: Another niche unit: good for destroying enemy industrial complexes and infrastructure, but mediocre against enemy ground units. In my worldview, I would rather quickly capture your industrial complexes and resource-producing provinces intact, rather than destroying them slowly ---- so I focus on destroying enemy ground units, and that implies a strong tactical air force, rather than a big strategic air force.
What units do you use the least, and why?
1. Militia: Not completely useless, but pretty close. A militia regiment is weaker in most respects than a conventional infantry regiment, and it's slower than molasses. It does have a smaller daily upkeep in terms of food and manpower than conventional infantry, but it costs just as much to feed militia as it does commandos! They do have a +75% strength bonus in hills and forests terrain, but this slow-moving defensive unit is more likely to end its existence on the wrong end of an artillery barrage or a tactical bomber airstrike.
2. Heavy tanks: The heavy tank brigade is costly and slow to produce, it's slow-moving, and has the highest daily oil upkeep of any ground unit. It's great on defense, if you have air superiority, but it's bomber bait if you don't. I'm not completely against producing them, but I rarely am stuck in a defensive war against a major opponent ---- the scenario in which I imagine them being most useful. The heavy tank brigade consumes twice as much oil daily as a tactical bomber squadron, and it's far less versatile.
3. Tank destroyers: The tank destroyer brigade is a relatively slow-moving unit, and is far stronger defensively than offensively. In the end game in which oil consumption is usually a major factor, I would rather produce two or three non-oil-consuming anti-tank regiments rather than one oil-consuming tank destroyer brigade. For those reasons, I rarely produce them ---- see my comments above regarding heavy tanks.
4. Cruisers: Among the various naval units, cruiser squadrons are primarily an anti-aircraft niche unit for fleet defense. However, in competition for research time, production time, and resources, it's cheaper and easier to produce two destroyer squadrons instead of one cruiser squadron, especially since enemy submarines are usually a much greater threat than enemy naval bombers. My opinion might change quickly, however, if I were confronted with a major naval war with an opponent who had invested heavily in high-level naval bombers.
5. Strategic bombers: Another niche unit: good for destroying enemy industrial complexes and infrastructure, but mediocre against enemy ground units. In my worldview, I would rather quickly capture your industrial complexes and resource-producing provinces intact, rather than destroying them slowly ---- so I focus on destroying enemy ground units, and that implies a strong tactical air force, rather than a big strategic air force.
What units do you use the least, and why?