I am confused on how to use inquisitors. I tried to use them to "remove heresy" from another civ. But the option was not enabled. I suspect I can only use them in my own territory because I could only enter with open borders.
I also tried to attack another apostle, but could not. I suspect because the unit was under a warrior (bug?). However, the same apostle attacked my inquisitor down to 1 health, while it only sustained a 10% drop.
So when, where and what for, should I use inquisitors?
I read this here
Apostles can engage in battle against apostles and missionaries of other religions. Missionaries can only defend themselves, not attack, while apostles can both initiate combat and defend from other attacks. If your city is converted, your Apostles and Missionaries for that city will be for the new religion, so make sure you have enough Apostles handy to lead Inquisitions and clear out heresy in your own borders.
An Apostle needs to be expended only once using "Launch Inquisition" in order to unlock the ability to build Inquisitors. Unlike missionaries, they can perform theological combat. Like missionaries, they're relatively inexpensive. If you find yourself swarmed with another nation's Missionaries, hit them with a few Inquisitors until they GTFO. If that nation's Apostles are much stronger than yours, swarm them with Inquisitors rather than waste your Apostles.
The Mont. St. Michel Wonder gives all Apostles the Martyr ability, which creates a relic if that unit dies in theological combat. The only religious unit you should let die is an Apostle with the Martyr ability. Relics go in Temples, which you have to build anyway, and provide Tourism and Culture, offsetting the religious loss all nearby cities will suffer (bring your religion back by Removing Heresy with a few Inquisitors). The Stonehenge Wonder gives you a free Great Prophet, and Hagia Sophia lets your Missionaries and Apostles spread religion one extra time.
TL;DR: Inquisitors can be unlocked by expending an apostle to "launch inquisition" and are used for eliminating foreign religions from a city completely.
Inquisitors are weaker at theological combat than apostles especially if the Apostle has received a "Debater" promotion, which gives a +20 religious strength in theological combat.
Inquisitor base religious strength: 70
Apostle base religious strength: 110
Missionary base religious strength (can only defend): 100
Apostle wiki
Inquisitors wiki
Missionary wiki
This video explains religious warfare quite well
Missionary vs Inquisitor
Inquisitors 2k forums
Inquisitors are weaker than Apostles but much cheaper - something like 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of apostles. They are extremely useful for 'cleansing' a religion from your captured cities, especially newly captured. I was able to militarily take out 3 Russian cities, sizes 8, 5 and 6 and cleanse all 3 of their cities with 2 inquisitors of their original religion, which was a very cheap way to counter their religious advantage. For 220 faith it was well spent
It also seems that the AI stops converting (can't?) a city when an Inquisitor is garrisoned. I've been stocking up inquistors with one charge left and garrisoning them, and keeping Apostles with a single charge on the front-line. Also, if you have more than 2 charges, you can expend them up to two, then use the apostle to improve your religion (or launch the Inquisition).
Really annoying because I didn't see this anywhere in the in-game Civilopedia, but I noticed this on a game I played last night -- Inquisitors only have 70 base strength, but get a +35 bonus in friendly territory. That -- combined with Remove Heresy -- makes them very useful for defending. So, use cheap Inquisitors for defending while you send your more expensive Apostles for offensive theological warfare.
Use Inquisitors when there are 2 religions in a city.
Use missionaries when there is no religion.
Use an apostle to start an Inquisition so that you can buy Inquisitors with faith.
Religious units on the same time as combat units are protected from religious battle.
