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So, since Alpha Centauri came out, it has basically been the only computer game I've played on a regular basis.
With all that play, I got pretty good.
I would occasionally try other 4X games, but did not like any as much as AC. For example, I tried Civ 3, but very quickly lost interest, as combat just seemed too difficult for the attacker.
However, this past autumn, I had to buy a new computer, and they call come with Windows Vista now. And I soon discovered that "ancient" Alpha Centauri would not run with Windows Vista.
So now I was forced to try other 4X games if I wanted to have the option of computer games. I tried Civ 4 (with expansions).
Well, I like it a lot. Indeed, I actually experienced the "one more turn" syndrome in a big way for the first time in many many years.
However, for me, it has a significant "flaw," at least as far as my own playing style is concerned. Combat is too difficult for the attacker.
With Alpha Centauri, even with the largest map, I could conquer the entire world in a single playing session if I was lucky, even on the second highest difficulty session. This is because the combat system in Alpha Centauri, though there are exceptions, mostly favors the attacker. The tech progression and unit-building system favors high attack strengths more than high defense strengths. So for example, at a given time, a likely attack strength might be 8 while the common defense strength at that moment might be 3. Sometimes there would be periods in the game where defense would be predominant, but for most of the game play, the attack would be more important. And, of course, air support was very powerful, which helped.
In Civ 4, however, throughout virtually the entire game progression, it seems, the defender has the advantage. Defenders a lot of different possible defense advantages, and ciies do too. Unless a computer opponent is very weak, or there is some other unusual advantage, it is very difficult to take a city "on the run" in one turn. One can contrast this wih Alpha Centauri, where the right combination of units (including creating mobile airdroppable units) can result in the same military force seizing several cities in one turn, not just one.
Because of this, the typical "combat" in Civ 4 is a siege. Civ 4 is a game for Vauban or Falkenhayn, not Patton or Jeb Stuart. One has to wear down a city's defense with siege or air units before one can usually launch an attack. It might take several turns to capture a city even with a powerful attacking force.
This really slows down the game. One has to build up a huge military force to even think of launching a war (can't do it on a shoestring), and wars tend to last long times. You can't quickly conquer an opponent. This makes games last longer too. I have yet to play a "one evening" game of Civ4 using the second highest map size and the second slowest "speed."
I would like to see a "blitz" mod for Civ4 that would provide the opportunity for a Civ4 game that favors the attacker rather than the defender.
Some ideas would include:
-increasing the drop range for paratrooopers
-disallowing siege units from collateral damage unless attacking cities or forts
-providing all melee and infantry units with a natural +25% advantage for attacking cities
-providing all units with a -20% defensive penalty
-allowing units to use the road networks of enemy territories (this is REALLY needed)
-allowing great generals to increase the movement rate of units they are stacked with
-providing more attack bonuses for cavalry and armor type units against certain types of military units outside of cities
-giving siege units a 25% attack bonus when attacking units on lower ground (i.e. attackers on hill, defenders not)
-create an "Assault Engineer" unit that would be more effective in attacking cities
-allow a small change for a unit to get an additional and completely random promotion after success in battle
-allow rail movement between two friendly owned cities even if enemy territory intervenes, as long as there are no enemy units blocking the path
I think a mod with these or similar changes could create a faster moving, more attacker friendly game that a lot of people might have fun playing.
I'm curious in people's reactions.
With all that play, I got pretty good.
I would occasionally try other 4X games, but did not like any as much as AC. For example, I tried Civ 3, but very quickly lost interest, as combat just seemed too difficult for the attacker.
However, this past autumn, I had to buy a new computer, and they call come with Windows Vista now. And I soon discovered that "ancient" Alpha Centauri would not run with Windows Vista.
So now I was forced to try other 4X games if I wanted to have the option of computer games. I tried Civ 4 (with expansions).
Well, I like it a lot. Indeed, I actually experienced the "one more turn" syndrome in a big way for the first time in many many years.
However, for me, it has a significant "flaw," at least as far as my own playing style is concerned. Combat is too difficult for the attacker.
With Alpha Centauri, even with the largest map, I could conquer the entire world in a single playing session if I was lucky, even on the second highest difficulty session. This is because the combat system in Alpha Centauri, though there are exceptions, mostly favors the attacker. The tech progression and unit-building system favors high attack strengths more than high defense strengths. So for example, at a given time, a likely attack strength might be 8 while the common defense strength at that moment might be 3. Sometimes there would be periods in the game where defense would be predominant, but for most of the game play, the attack would be more important. And, of course, air support was very powerful, which helped.
In Civ 4, however, throughout virtually the entire game progression, it seems, the defender has the advantage. Defenders a lot of different possible defense advantages, and ciies do too. Unless a computer opponent is very weak, or there is some other unusual advantage, it is very difficult to take a city "on the run" in one turn. One can contrast this wih Alpha Centauri, where the right combination of units (including creating mobile airdroppable units) can result in the same military force seizing several cities in one turn, not just one.
Because of this, the typical "combat" in Civ 4 is a siege. Civ 4 is a game for Vauban or Falkenhayn, not Patton or Jeb Stuart. One has to wear down a city's defense with siege or air units before one can usually launch an attack. It might take several turns to capture a city even with a powerful attacking force.
This really slows down the game. One has to build up a huge military force to even think of launching a war (can't do it on a shoestring), and wars tend to last long times. You can't quickly conquer an opponent. This makes games last longer too. I have yet to play a "one evening" game of Civ4 using the second highest map size and the second slowest "speed."
I would like to see a "blitz" mod for Civ4 that would provide the opportunity for a Civ4 game that favors the attacker rather than the defender.
Some ideas would include:
-increasing the drop range for paratrooopers
-disallowing siege units from collateral damage unless attacking cities or forts
-providing all melee and infantry units with a natural +25% advantage for attacking cities
-providing all units with a -20% defensive penalty
-allowing units to use the road networks of enemy territories (this is REALLY needed)
-allowing great generals to increase the movement rate of units they are stacked with
-providing more attack bonuses for cavalry and armor type units against certain types of military units outside of cities
-giving siege units a 25% attack bonus when attacking units on lower ground (i.e. attackers on hill, defenders not)
-create an "Assault Engineer" unit that would be more effective in attacking cities
-allow a small change for a unit to get an additional and completely random promotion after success in battle
-allow rail movement between two friendly owned cities even if enemy territory intervenes, as long as there are no enemy units blocking the path
I think a mod with these or similar changes could create a faster moving, more attacker friendly game that a lot of people might have fun playing.
I'm curious in people's reactions.
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