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The very first version of the AU mod, which was based on player1’s Patch Suggestion mod, prevented Tanks, Mechanized Infantry, Modern Armor, and all Artillery from entering Jungle and Mountains.
The reason for this change was so that other units become useful in the late-game under certain conditions. Paratroopers were the best late-game defenders in jungle and mountains, for example, and Marines were the best attackers in such terrain. The change also sometimes encouraged more naval invasions to bypass impassable mountains and jungles, or increased air power to compensate for the loss of attack and defense strength of units that could reach the enemy. Realism was also a factor in making the change.
Unfortunately, the AI did not handle the change well, and it was removed from the mod in PTW. It was easier for the human to create kill zones between mountains and jungles. Also, AI often separated wheeled from non-wheeled units to reach the enemy, which resulted in lack of concentration of its force. In effect, jungles and mountains could divide a continent into sub-continents, and we all know how poor the AI was in dealing with intercontinental invasions.
The C3C version of the mod deserves some discussion on this topic. Do the deeper military tactics involved with the existence of wheeled units justify potentially hurting the AI? After all, the AI is terrible at military tactics anyway, relying instead on high number of units, so perhaps an extra handicap in military tactics will not make that much difference in its performance.
Perhaps we should we take the idea one step farther, giving all mounted units the wheeled ability, removing roads from mountains, and adding forests to the list of impassable terrain to wheeled units! (OK, don’t shoot; I was just trying to spark some discussion!).
Comments?
The reason for this change was so that other units become useful in the late-game under certain conditions. Paratroopers were the best late-game defenders in jungle and mountains, for example, and Marines were the best attackers in such terrain. The change also sometimes encouraged more naval invasions to bypass impassable mountains and jungles, or increased air power to compensate for the loss of attack and defense strength of units that could reach the enemy. Realism was also a factor in making the change.
Unfortunately, the AI did not handle the change well, and it was removed from the mod in PTW. It was easier for the human to create kill zones between mountains and jungles. Also, AI often separated wheeled from non-wheeled units to reach the enemy, which resulted in lack of concentration of its force. In effect, jungles and mountains could divide a continent into sub-continents, and we all know how poor the AI was in dealing with intercontinental invasions.
The C3C version of the mod deserves some discussion on this topic. Do the deeper military tactics involved with the existence of wheeled units justify potentially hurting the AI? After all, the AI is terrible at military tactics anyway, relying instead on high number of units, so perhaps an extra handicap in military tactics will not make that much difference in its performance.
Perhaps we should we take the idea one step farther, giving all mounted units the wheeled ability, removing roads from mountains, and adding forests to the list of impassable terrain to wheeled units! (OK, don’t shoot; I was just trying to spark some discussion!).
Comments?
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