New Unit Idea: Repair Ship

[Inverse Icarus]

i was just playing a highly naval game, and i was again confronted with the whole "ships cant heal at sea" problem. well, i was a long way from home, and my ships were banged up bad.

i was thinking of ways to balance it properly, and this is my idea: a repair ship that could heal 1 HP of 1 ship each turn, and BOTH ships would have to expend all movement (ie, you couldn't move and heal at the same time).

so, for a fleet of 15 ships, you'd need a lot of them to keep halthy at sea.

any ideas? i dont think this can be done by anyone but Firaxis really, so i'll just throw it out and hope

this could also be done like RoN, to have supply wagons for land units, and heal real slowly in enemy territory without battleifld medicine.

[alva]

units (not ships) heal in C3C in enemy territory without BM, with BM they will heal faster IIRC.
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It has potential though

[Shogun Gunner]

I would add and additional, complimentary idea. You can repair ships in ally's harbors. We all know the story of being far from home, and nursing some wounds!

I like the repair ship idea. Perfect target for the subs!

[RobC]

I like Shogun's idea better. I'm not sure how realistic repair ships are, but you definitely should be able to station and heal units (land, sea, and air) in allied cities as if they were your cities. Of course, this is probably impossibly difficult to do with the current engine.

[Shogun Gunner]

Originally posted by RobC
I like Shogun's idea better. I'm not sure how realistic repair ships are, but you definitely should be able to station and heal units (land, sea, and air) in allied cities as if they were your cities. Of course, this is probably impossibly difficult to do with the current engine.

IIRC, you could heal land units in Civ2, by positioning next to the allied civ city square and attempting to enter it. Your unit wouldn't enter the city, but it would instantly heal your unit to full power.

I guess that's what I'm thinking could be the mechanism in C3C, but I don't know if current programming would support that, so your point is taken.

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Shogun Gunner
I would add and additional, complimentary idea. You can repair ships in ally's harbors. We all know the story of being far from home, and nursing some wounds!

they had that in civ2.

[dexters]

What constitutes an ALLY? if it's just an ROP, it's too easy to be exploited by the human player.

[Inverse Icarus]

in civ2 allies were just allies. you didnt need ROP, cause you could use enemy roads just like your own. i'd say MPP would work for this purpose.

[vmxa1]

I have not paid much attention to ships so far, but I thought healing was possible in C3C. I don't see anything in the doc though.

[dexters]

Not that im aware of. I've fortified ships on sea tiles and they don't heal.

Uber, I think a high level of committment is required for allied port usage/healings. I'm thinking ROP/MPP requirement. If this is a feature for the next expansion, they might as well throw in a new diplomacy option to go with it. Anything to increase the cost of this option is desirable since I am concerned it wil be too easily exploitable.

Another idea i have is if a civ has a relations annoyed or below, you won't get this special deal for healing ships and units in their territory. They simply wouldn't accept it.

[dexters]

Edit: And naturally, the AI should be able to use this too, and ask this agreement with human and other AI players.

[Shogun Gunner]

uber, do i understand your post that you are against the idea of repairing ships in friendly ports (whatever the specific diplomatic arrangements are)?

[alva]

Or, alternatevely, make it Multiplayer Only.
I personally wouldn't mind seeing more (easy-ish to make/not too difficult ) features/options that are MP only.

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Shogun Gunner
uber, do i understand your post that you are against the idea of repairing ships in friendly ports (whatever the specific diplomatic arrangements are)?

no, im sorry. let me clarify.

the "shame" ( ) was on the fact that it was one of many things in civ2 not carried over into civ3.

[Shogun Gunner]

Ah, got it. Well hopeful "allied port repair" and your idea of repair ships will find its way into civ4.

I wouldn't mind a stab at supply rules/units/whatever in foreign land or water far away from your port...but that's another story for another thread...