I'm worried about a possible lack of units

[padlock]

I've got a question about unit damage. Up until now, I thought that the only type of 'damage' possible was to lose one of your hit points.

But looking at the description of the medic promotion, has me wondering if that's correct. The medic is described as repairing 10% of damage per turn, but what does 10% mean when you have a unit that is down to 2 out of 3 hitpoints? Clearly, this unit is at 66% health, and would need to be repaired by 33% to regain the lost hitpoint.

Does this mean that in 4 turns, it will regain the lost hitpoint, but in the meantime there will be no change to its status, or does the game actually have the concept of fractional hitpoints?

[hexagonian]

Base units will be somewhat generic, with a single strength number. So a spear will not be considered a defensive unit, an archer, an offensive unit. In that regard, there are not too many unit types, and I would guess that the choices for most of the game will be limited to either movement/bombard/strongest unit, instead of the civ3 setup of movement/bombard/attack/defend.

The variety comes into play with promotions. You will protect and value those units who have been promoted, and your promotion choices will have to be made based on your present and future circumstances.

In that regard, the combat system is a step up.

Are armies, a la civ3 still in the picture???

[Harovan]

Originally posted by hexagonian
Are armies, a la civ3 still in the picture???

According to the CFC database, no. Which is good.

[Martinus]

Originally posted by hexagonian
Base units will be somewhat generic, with a single strength number. So a spear will not be considered a defensive unit, an archer, an offensive unit. In that regard, there are not too many unit types, and I would guess that the choices for most of the game will be limited to either movement/bombard/strongest unit, instead of the civ3 setup of movement/bombard/attack/defend.

That's not correct - while units do not have defense vs. offense any more, they have special abilities (besides promotions) that make them more specific in use. For example, pikemen get a huge bonus when defending against cavalry, and such.

It's all in solver's preview.

[Martinus]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph


According to the CFC database, no. Which is good.

I agree. I hated the armies in Civ3.

Besides, it was said that you generally have less units in Civ4 than in previous Civs, which is also good.

[Boris Godunov]

While I would love it, for flavor purposes, if each civilization had its own unit graphics for each particular type of unit, I don't agree with the notion of "the more units, the better!" I, for one, find unit bloat a problem in C3C, wherein their are tons of utterly useless units and things become obsolete way too soon in game terms. The Civ4 promotions model seems to be an excellent way to introduce unit variety within reason.

[hexagonian]

Originally posted by Martinus That's not correct - while units do not have defense vs. offense any more, they have special abilities (besides promotions) that make them more specific in use. For example, pikemen get a huge bonus when defending against cavalry, and such.

This is good...I forgot about that feature. I do hope that the bonuses are enough to create the need to create a diversified force, rather than automatically beelining to the most powerful unit that is available.

[Boris Godunov]

Well, Solver has been saying repeatedly that you have to have diversified forces, you can't just throw out one type of unit.

[Jaybe]

Originally posted by padlock
I've got a question about unit damage. Up until now, I thought that the only type of 'damage' possible was to lose one of your hit points.

But looking at the description of the medic promotion, has me wondering if that's correct. The medic is described as repairing 10% of damage per turn, but what does 10% mean when you have a unit that is down to 2 out of 3 hitpoints? ...

A 3-figure unit of archers does not have just 3 hitpoints. Each figure represents multiple hitpoints, and I believe a full-strength unit always has 100 of them (for 33+ for each figure).

[Volstag]

Personally, I found that Civ III had too many units. A good 40% of em I rarely, if ever, used. I don't think I ever built a single Aegis cruiser or nuclear submarine in Civ III (maybe once or twice). On a more broader note, by the time these units are available, IME, the game was already effectively over (the winner was going to win, and the losers were going to lose).

[padlock]

Originally posted by Jaybe

A 3-figure unit of archers does not have just 3 hitpoints. Each figure represents multiple hitpoints, and I believe a full-strength unit always has 100 of them (for 33+ for each figure).

Ok, that makes much more sense. Is there a way you can tell exactly how many hit points units have left (both your own and those belonging to other civs)?

[GeoModder]

My guess is the units' stats on the bottom left of the screen. All the other info is displayed there so...

[Japher]

As long as there are ninjas I will be fine

[GeoModder]

Will Samurai do?

[padlock]

Originally posted by GeoModder
My guess is the units' stats on the bottom left of the screen. All the other info is displayed there so...

I've looked through some screenshots, and haven't noticed it there. Maybe its something that gets displayed when you mouse over the untis in question.

One other question for anyone who might know. If there are really 100 hitpoints, I'm assuming that a unit loses more then 1 point for each 'round' of combat (otherwise the first strike ability would seem to be really weak), and that the amount they lose is based on the firepower of the other unit. I believe I read somewhere that the concept of firepower is in the game, although maybe not in the same way as Civ 2. Does anyone know what kind of values we're dealing with for firepower of various units?