A trash upgrade is an upgrade which only costs wood and food. There are many under-utilized unique units which could benefit from having a trash elite upgrade.
A unit shouldn't have a trash elite upgrade if it meets 2 of the following:
Points in favour of a unit having a trash elite upgrade:
Units which have a trash elite upgrade
Units which perhaps should have a trash elite upgrade:
Cav UUs which have to compete with the Paladin (these units don't necessarily need a trash elite upgrade, but do need something to justify making them):
A unit shouldn't have a trash elite upgrade if it meets 2 of the following:
- Early Castle Age unit (e.g. Conq)
- Ideal composition unit (e.g. Longbow)
- Ranged unit (e.g. Chu Ko Nu)
- Frequently used unit (e.g. Huskarl)
- Power unit (e.g. War Elephant, Boyar)
Points in favour of a unit having a trash elite upgrade:
- The unit has an unique tech which affects it (e.g. Shotel Warrior)
- There is a similar alternative unit (e.g The Burgundians have the Coustillier and the Paladin)
- The unit requires many techs which the civ usually wouldn't go for (e.g. Shotel Warrior - Ethopians are typically more archers + siege)
Units which have a trash elite upgrade
- plumed archer - meets at least 4/5 reasons not to have a trash upgrade
- kipchak - meets at least 3/5 reasons not to have a trash upgrade
Units which perhaps should have a trash elite upgrade:
- jaguar warrior - 0/5; has a UT
- genitour - 1/5; already a trash unit, so arguably shouldn't get a trash upgrade
- shotel warrior - 0/5; has a UT
- tarkan - 0/5; has a UT
- kamayuk - 1/5; has a UT
- elephant archer - 1/5 (I would argue that it is not a power unit)
- ballista elephant? - 1.5/5 (I would argue that it is somewhat not a power unit); has a UT
- gbeto - 1/5 (I would argue it's not an ideal comp unit - it's too fragile and Malians have Farima cavalry, Siege Onager, Bombard Cannons, Champsarkls)
Cav UUs which have to compete with the Paladin (these units don't necessarily need a trash elite upgrade, but do need something to justify making them):
- tarkan
- leitis
- coustillier