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How to fight
Can't get no sleep!
Okay, now I want to put my ideas of the battle system into the discussion, which you might find a bit strange.
To describe this I show you at first two examples for each unit class. The defense values always have 1/3 of the offense values due to the high terrain modifiers (grassland + 100%) and stackable design.
Infantry
Mercenary Tercios
Offense: 60
Defense: 20
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 4
Movement: 4
Flags: ICW
Costs: 60
Mercenary Lines
Offense: 75
Defense: 25
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 4
Movement: 4
Flags: ICW
Costs: 80
Cavalry
Carabiniers
Offense: 45
Defense: 15
Hitpoints: 8
Firepower: 7
Movement: 7
Flags: none
Costs: 160
Heavy Cuirassiers
Offense: 45
Defense: 15
Hitpoints: 9
Firepower: 7
Movement: 6
Flags: none
Costs: 200
Artillery
Demi-Culverine Battery
Offense: 0
Defense: 0
Hitpoints: 1
Firepower: 1
Movement: 2
Flags: Carry Air
Costs: 80
12-Pounder Munition
Domain: Air
Flight time: 1
Offense: 50
Defense: 0
Hitpoints: 1
Firepower: 5
Movement: 2
Flags: ICW; DAA
Costs: 10
Special
Field Marshall
Offense: 0
Defense: 10
Hitpoints: 10
Firepower: 10
Movement: 10
Flags: See 2 squares wide; IZC
costs: 150 (event-raised only)
Pioneers
Ingineer slot
Domain: Air
Flight time: 0
Offense: 0
Defense: 10
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 1
Movement: 3
Flags: none
costs: 60
So far...What is the sense of all about this? First, I think, the playtesting will show. Secondly, I hope I found a useful way to set somewhat differences especially between infantry and cavalry. While the ones have the same HP/FP, the others have the same offense/defense values (instead of a few exceptions for both). I don't know if the infantry really can profit more from high defense modifiers and if the cavalry has better succes on the open field against light wounded units as their opposites but I tested out that their power does not differ much in a standard situation (stackable grassland).
A Heavy Cuirass has a very little better chance to beat a Merc. Line than another Line in offense but a loss of him will cost more than double. So the player must use his cavalry to "cut" through weaker/wounded enemy lines cause it can beat up theoretically six or seven units in one turn. On "entrenched" terrain or in cities, however, one, two or more cannon shots before the assault might bring fewer shield losses than storming with foot troopers only, no matter how well trained they are.
Another thing that is proofed and easy to understand is that infantry usually defends before a cavalry unit, even if the horsemen would defend better. As result the cavalry is not in danger to end up as "cannon fodder" but has a higher "life expectancy" and so more chances becoming a veteran.
The engine was never designed for the bombardement concept I prefer for "real" artillery as it was made for SMAC. But with some phantasy and tolerance an old civ gamer could like this, especially house rule- and mass-unit-scen experienced PBEM-Players for who I design my scen primary. Of course I know the Air carrier flag only works for see units. But isn't it quite realistic that the immobile artillery of the 17th century (and even later, too) cannot move and then shoot in one turn? To prevent the massproducing and mass-using of muniton, there could be a house rule, which says that one cannon may fire just once or twice during one turn.
At last, as I mentioned yet, the Marshalls and Pioneers play a major role. First is evident. There are two strong defended hills and a valley between - you can't break thourgh it and leave th hills behind you without a general. The marshall cannot be build and are very rare. Every civ will not get more than three or four at the same time but 1. the high movement rate of field marshalls (and the even faster "Great Leaders" like Wallenstein or Bernhard) are able to command a couple of stacks.
The pioneers have to important abilities that make them different from workers. They can transform plain and grassland to entrenchments, which has a bonus of 150% to depends (=Hills) but lowers the ressources extremely. And they can move onto rivers and transform an ocean square to a bridge. Both transformations can be formed back.
Good night!
Can't get no sleep!
Okay, now I want to put my ideas of the battle system into the discussion, which you might find a bit strange.
To describe this I show you at first two examples for each unit class. The defense values always have 1/3 of the offense values due to the high terrain modifiers (grassland + 100%) and stackable design.
Infantry
Mercenary Tercios
Offense: 60
Defense: 20
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 4
Movement: 4
Flags: ICW
Costs: 60
Mercenary Lines
Offense: 75
Defense: 25
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 4
Movement: 4
Flags: ICW
Costs: 80
Cavalry
Carabiniers
Offense: 45
Defense: 15
Hitpoints: 8
Firepower: 7
Movement: 7
Flags: none
Costs: 160
Heavy Cuirassiers
Offense: 45
Defense: 15
Hitpoints: 9
Firepower: 7
Movement: 6
Flags: none
Costs: 200
Artillery
Demi-Culverine Battery
Offense: 0
Defense: 0
Hitpoints: 1
Firepower: 1
Movement: 2
Flags: Carry Air
Costs: 80
12-Pounder Munition
Domain: Air
Flight time: 1
Offense: 50
Defense: 0
Hitpoints: 1
Firepower: 5
Movement: 2
Flags: ICW; DAA
Costs: 10
Special
Field Marshall
Offense: 0
Defense: 10
Hitpoints: 10
Firepower: 10
Movement: 10
Flags: See 2 squares wide; IZC
costs: 150 (event-raised only)
Pioneers
Ingineer slot
Domain: Air
Flight time: 0
Offense: 0
Defense: 10
Hitpoints: 4
Firepower: 1
Movement: 3
Flags: none
costs: 60
So far...What is the sense of all about this? First, I think, the playtesting will show. Secondly, I hope I found a useful way to set somewhat differences especially between infantry and cavalry. While the ones have the same HP/FP, the others have the same offense/defense values (instead of a few exceptions for both). I don't know if the infantry really can profit more from high defense modifiers and if the cavalry has better succes on the open field against light wounded units as their opposites but I tested out that their power does not differ much in a standard situation (stackable grassland).
A Heavy Cuirass has a very little better chance to beat a Merc. Line than another Line in offense but a loss of him will cost more than double. So the player must use his cavalry to "cut" through weaker/wounded enemy lines cause it can beat up theoretically six or seven units in one turn. On "entrenched" terrain or in cities, however, one, two or more cannon shots before the assault might bring fewer shield losses than storming with foot troopers only, no matter how well trained they are.
Another thing that is proofed and easy to understand is that infantry usually defends before a cavalry unit, even if the horsemen would defend better. As result the cavalry is not in danger to end up as "cannon fodder" but has a higher "life expectancy" and so more chances becoming a veteran.
The engine was never designed for the bombardement concept I prefer for "real" artillery as it was made for SMAC. But with some phantasy and tolerance an old civ gamer could like this, especially house rule- and mass-unit-scen experienced PBEM-Players for who I design my scen primary. Of course I know the Air carrier flag only works for see units. But isn't it quite realistic that the immobile artillery of the 17th century (and even later, too) cannot move and then shoot in one turn? To prevent the massproducing and mass-using of muniton, there could be a house rule, which says that one cannon may fire just once or twice during one turn.
At last, as I mentioned yet, the Marshalls and Pioneers play a major role. First is evident. There are two strong defended hills and a valley between - you can't break thourgh it and leave th hills behind you without a general. The marshall cannot be build and are very rare. Every civ will not get more than three or four at the same time but 1. the high movement rate of field marshalls (and the even faster "Great Leaders" like Wallenstein or Bernhard) are able to command a couple of stacks.
The pioneers have to important abilities that make them different from workers. They can transform plain and grassland to entrenchments, which has a bonus of 150% to depends (=Hills) but lowers the ressources extremely. And they can move onto rivers and transform an ocean square to a bridge. Both transformations can be formed back.
Good night!
), without going through France first
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