Is there a patrol setting for military units?

[MrPhil]

I was thinking about this today and how it would be nice if there was a way you send your military units out to patrol.

I know that you can send them out to explore and that there is the sentry mode but, neither of them really do what I want. What I am looking for is the ability to tell a Caravel or Frigate to patrol my shores and engage any enemy vessels that approach my territories. Currently, when my vessels are in sentry mode, enemy vessels can still sneak by them somehow.

For land units, it would be nice if you could set them up to patrol a specific border and engage incoming enemies becuase again I have seen enemy units slip past my units that were in sentry mode. Explore mode sends them all over the continent.

Am I missing something?

[Huskerfan]

Not aware of a patrol mode...but enemy units cannot attack unless war is declared; otherwise, the only time they can come in your territory is if you have open borders. Caravels can go into any territory open borders or not. Even if the AI units are in your territory, once war is declared they are moved outside of your borders and then able to re-enter.

[MrPhil]

Originally posted by Huskerfan
Not aware of a patrol mode...but enemy units cannot attack unless war is declared; otherwise, the only time they can come in your territory is if you have open borders. Caravels can go into any territory open borders or not. Even if the AI units are in your territory, once war is declared they are moved outside of your borders and then able to re-enter.

That would be a nice addition to the game I think. You could even tie the experience level of the unit to how far they could "see".

The problem I run into is that even under declarations of war, I have enemy units slipping by my units set on sentry mode.

[Saturnalia]

The problem I run into is that even under declarations of war, I have enemy units slipping by my units set on sentry mode.

Same problem here, important to remember no zone of control exists, so you need to create a full line of sentries to close off a border.

[MrPhil]

Originally posted by Saturnalia


Same problem here, important to remember no zone of control exists, so you need to create a full line of sentries to close off a border.

Exactly. Also keep in mind that the enemy can still "sneak" through your sentries if a diagonal move is available. This one bit me too.

[Hauptman]

Unfortunate but the best you have is "explore"

Exploring units will still attack, pillage etc. but you cannot control where. basicly under the "explore" option it just makes the computer use it as if it would any other ai unit.

Perhaps in the xml files there are command lines available for editing? Like only patrol in cultural radius etc?

other than that its all manual control baby.

Sentry only works if an enemy unit STOPS next to your unit... So you still must be vigil about watching the map. Perhaps turning on "show enemy moves" could help there.

[Sexus R Cerinus]

The only time I have been able to have a unit "patrol" an area successfully was with a galley on explore. It travelled up and own the coast 'cause both ends were blocked by civs without open borders.

[Urban Ranger]

Patrol mode is good. Alpha Centauri has it

[Tattila the Hun]

On the same vein, I'd like to see an option to enable selective "show enemy moves". Per civilization, or "civilizations below X attitude". I feel rather annoyed, when I miss a fracking armada sailing towards my shores, because we are not yet in war... And, speaking of naval warfare, my units inside my cultural borders should get slight bonus to attack/defence. (Theirs too, in their territory.) Maybe also a small bonus from additional units... Read Hornblower!

[Axxaer]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
I feel rather annoyed, when I miss a fracking armada sailing towards my shores, because we are not yet in war...

Saladin declares war on you!
Paris has been captured by Saladin!
Paris has been razed by Saladin!

Holy freaking sh!t!!! THERE'S 30 GODDAMN CAMEL ARCHERS RAPING FRENCH WOMEN AND SOWING SALT IN THE LAND THAT ONCE WAS THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF THE WORLD!!!

But seriously this sort of thing has happened to me on several occaisons. (Just used Saladin and France as a first to mind example). I actually disagree with your point and think that it adds a great deal extra strategy to the game if this can happen, because surprise attacks are an important part of historical battles and make the game, for me, all the more interesting.

Can't guarrantee I won't break my keyboard by the time I'm through with this game.

[Tattila the Hun]

Certainly, surprise attacks are nice variation, but I'd like to be able to have some advance warning. If a fleet is just outside my cultural borders, I can see it, but I might not notice it, with too much other things at my mind. A spy feature? Or maybe some other civ could come and say "A friendly warning, Saladin has set sail from Mecca with a fleet, and he is coming for you." A slight chance. US had some warnings about Pear Harbour, but choose to largely ignore them, due to their vaguenes.

Oh, and I'd say razing should not be available for large cities. Sure, small border towns have been "razed" as late as WWII, but larger cities, if nothing else, should take time. Give the attacked time to mount a counterattack...

[Axxaer]

Also, when a city is razed, where do all the people go? And more importantly, "Where do all the calculators go?" (RD ref. )

[MrPhil]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Certainly, surprise attacks are nice variation, but I'd like to be able to have some advance warning. If a fleet is just outside my cultural borders, I can see it, but I might not notice it, with too much other things at my mind. A spy feature? Or maybe some other civ could come and say "A friendly warning, Saladin has set sail from Mecca with a fleet, and he is coming for you." A slight chance. US had some warnings about Pear Harbour, but choose to largely ignore them, due to their vaguenes.

Oh, and I'd say razing should not be available for large cities. Sure, small border towns have been "razed" as late as WWII, but larger cities, if nothing else, should take time. Give the attacked time to mount a counterattack...

How about adding a new "Radar" tech that would give you some advance warning but, would have to be discovered......

[MrPhil]

Originally posted by Axxaer


Saladin declares war on you!
Paris has been captured by Saladin!
Paris has been razed by Saladin!

Holy freaking sh!t!!! THERE'S 30 GODDAMN CAMEL ARCHERS RAPING FRENCH WOMEN AND SOWING SALT IN THE LAND THAT ONCE WAS THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF THE WORLD!!!

But seriously this sort of thing has happened to me on several occaisons. (Just used Saladin and France as a first to mind example). I actually disagree with your point and think that it adds a great deal extra strategy to the game if this can happen, because surprise attacks are an important part of historical battles and make the game, for me, all the more interesting.

Can't guarrantee I won't break my keyboard by the time I'm through with this game.

Ewwww, I hate those camel archers.......

[Leo-T]

I think what's needed is a tile improvement that will show all movement within its radius - a radar station, or listening post - something. They would be built in addition to other tile improvements without destroying them. You could string them along your borders and they would generate messages of nearby foreign movement. Maybe even with an upgrade to see spies or missionaries too? How about a coast watcher for coastal hexes, or a sonar station that could see submarines?