It have come to realize that as far as the modern units are concerned there is much to be desired. This is both in the ability of current units as well as units that don't appear in the game but should. I have developed several concepts that I have tested in a few games that have provided very agreeable results, and produced some of the best games I have played thus far. All these suggestions use the built in editor, no mods or changes in the game itself.
1. Cruise Missiles - Who hasen't seen the rapidly appoaching targets from the cams of cruise missles before they slam into their targets? A truely awesome and characteristic weapon of modern times. However, the unit in Civ3 is not so awesome. It's limited range and dimunitive bombardment value leaves much to be desired. Also, while in reality the cruise missle is primarily (there are exceptions I know) a naval weapon in Civ3 it is a land based unit. I have changed the bombard value to 25 to give it a devestating effect, as few targets survive a cruise missle attack. Also, while I maintained the unit ability of "cruise missle" because that is indeed what it is, I have added the ability of "tactical missle" so that it may be loaded onto naval units. I decided to increase the missiles range to five to reflect the range of actual missles. This allows them to be used more as offensive weapons, which is their purpose, as opossed to primarily city based defesive artillery. I have thought about adding the precision strike capabilty, but have not tested the effects of this. I have been told it would make them like bombers, but I think that if the ability "cruise missile" is still used the missle will still destroy itself when used If anyone knows tell me.
2. Nuclear Submarine - In the modern world, during the Cold War and even more so after it, Nuclear Submarines were sinister threats to world peace. Civ3 allows the carrying of a single Tactical Nuke, however in view of the capacity of actual submarines I have increased this load to four. Also, as you may have noticed, since cruise missles are now tactical missles thay can be loaded and fired from submarines, which is indeed a significant ability of modern submarines. this gives them a land based strike capability and a significant ranged naval attack weapon also. Decide between nukes and missles as you please. In addition, in an effort to reduce the power of the Battleship in modern warfare (bieng in the Navy, I know how harsh this is but in reality the battleship is not a viable modern weapon in the nuclear portion of the age) and reflect the awesome power of the modern sub forces in current navies the attack value is 12 and the defence value 8.
3. AEGIS Cruiser - The ultimate surface combatant in the modern age, it's stats should reflect that. It's primary weapons platform is the cruise missle (capable of carrying nuclear tipped ones if it is so desired) so I gave the ship the ability to carry four tactical missles. Again, reflecting the nonentity of battleships as nuclear era weapons, the attack value has been changed to 14 and defence to 10. bombard remains the same, no matter how modern it's 3" gun is if won't beat the effect of nine 16" guns on land targets. Combined with it's unchanged characteristics this is by far the premier naval unit.
4. Marine - The marine is a very versitile unit in Civ3 as it is in real life. However, it lacks survivability so I have inreased it's stats to 8 attack and 8 defence. Due to the need or superior training, however, the production cost has been raised.
5. Paratrooper - One of my favorite units, I had grown sick and tired of droping them behind enemy lines just to see them immedietly rolled over. With this in mind, like the marine, I have raised the attack and defence values to 10 and 12 respectfully, and also increased production cost for the same reasons. This gives the unit the ability to defeat enemy infintry, which airborne soldiers are by default superior too, while also leaving them vulnerable to armor which is their natural achilles heel. Drop range increased to 6.
6. Ranged Artillery - Mechanized Artillery is the King of the modern battlefield. The advanttage of bieng mechanized is you can keep up with the rest of the army, so movemnet is now 2 so it can pace Mech Infantry. Also, superior technology should lead to better range, so it is now 3.
7. Combat Engineer - The forgotten heroes of the battlefield, here I had to do a little more work. I didn't want to modify the game, so I changed an existing unit that is rarely used, the Explorer, and made him into the Combat Engineer (the truth is I don't know how to add units ). In my games I was tired of fleets of AI bombers destrying all the roads and rails so that my supply line back to my homeland was tenuous at best. Also, when I brought up workers to repair and rebuild these lifelines fast moving AI units (that leftover knights, there is always one) would capture or chase them away. To deal with this in the real world we have engineering units, and why not in Civ3. Take a unit you don't want the game to use and change its name. I gave it an attack of 2 but a defence of 10, since I want it to be able to fend off lighter attacks but be defensive in nature. There is no population cost because it is a normal military unit. So what keeps you from using it as a worker and saving the citizens you ask? because it is a military unit it builds military improvements; ie roads, railroads, and fortresses only. Also, since I don't have an icon for it and the Explorer icon is not appropriate, I use the Infantry unit icon. The Tech to get the Combat Engineer is Computers, and by that time most regular infanty should be killed or upgraded.
There you have it. All these things can be done using the default editor. There could be bugs or unexpected results, but I have yet to see any. Let me know if you find any or have any ideas for other edits.
Patroklos
1. Cruise Missiles - Who hasen't seen the rapidly appoaching targets from the cams of cruise missles before they slam into their targets? A truely awesome and characteristic weapon of modern times. However, the unit in Civ3 is not so awesome. It's limited range and dimunitive bombardment value leaves much to be desired. Also, while in reality the cruise missle is primarily (there are exceptions I know) a naval weapon in Civ3 it is a land based unit. I have changed the bombard value to 25 to give it a devestating effect, as few targets survive a cruise missle attack. Also, while I maintained the unit ability of "cruise missle" because that is indeed what it is, I have added the ability of "tactical missle" so that it may be loaded onto naval units. I decided to increase the missiles range to five to reflect the range of actual missles. This allows them to be used more as offensive weapons, which is their purpose, as opossed to primarily city based defesive artillery. I have thought about adding the precision strike capabilty, but have not tested the effects of this. I have been told it would make them like bombers, but I think that if the ability "cruise missile" is still used the missle will still destroy itself when used If anyone knows tell me.
2. Nuclear Submarine - In the modern world, during the Cold War and even more so after it, Nuclear Submarines were sinister threats to world peace. Civ3 allows the carrying of a single Tactical Nuke, however in view of the capacity of actual submarines I have increased this load to four. Also, as you may have noticed, since cruise missles are now tactical missles thay can be loaded and fired from submarines, which is indeed a significant ability of modern submarines. this gives them a land based strike capability and a significant ranged naval attack weapon also. Decide between nukes and missles as you please. In addition, in an effort to reduce the power of the Battleship in modern warfare (bieng in the Navy, I know how harsh this is but in reality the battleship is not a viable modern weapon in the nuclear portion of the age) and reflect the awesome power of the modern sub forces in current navies the attack value is 12 and the defence value 8.
3. AEGIS Cruiser - The ultimate surface combatant in the modern age, it's stats should reflect that. It's primary weapons platform is the cruise missle (capable of carrying nuclear tipped ones if it is so desired) so I gave the ship the ability to carry four tactical missles. Again, reflecting the nonentity of battleships as nuclear era weapons, the attack value has been changed to 14 and defence to 10. bombard remains the same, no matter how modern it's 3" gun is if won't beat the effect of nine 16" guns on land targets. Combined with it's unchanged characteristics this is by far the premier naval unit.
4. Marine - The marine is a very versitile unit in Civ3 as it is in real life. However, it lacks survivability so I have inreased it's stats to 8 attack and 8 defence. Due to the need or superior training, however, the production cost has been raised.
5. Paratrooper - One of my favorite units, I had grown sick and tired of droping them behind enemy lines just to see them immedietly rolled over. With this in mind, like the marine, I have raised the attack and defence values to 10 and 12 respectfully, and also increased production cost for the same reasons. This gives the unit the ability to defeat enemy infintry, which airborne soldiers are by default superior too, while also leaving them vulnerable to armor which is their natural achilles heel. Drop range increased to 6.
6. Ranged Artillery - Mechanized Artillery is the King of the modern battlefield. The advanttage of bieng mechanized is you can keep up with the rest of the army, so movemnet is now 2 so it can pace Mech Infantry. Also, superior technology should lead to better range, so it is now 3.
7. Combat Engineer - The forgotten heroes of the battlefield, here I had to do a little more work. I didn't want to modify the game, so I changed an existing unit that is rarely used, the Explorer, and made him into the Combat Engineer (the truth is I don't know how to add units ). In my games I was tired of fleets of AI bombers destrying all the roads and rails so that my supply line back to my homeland was tenuous at best. Also, when I brought up workers to repair and rebuild these lifelines fast moving AI units (that leftover knights, there is always one) would capture or chase them away. To deal with this in the real world we have engineering units, and why not in Civ3. Take a unit you don't want the game to use and change its name. I gave it an attack of 2 but a defence of 10, since I want it to be able to fend off lighter attacks but be defensive in nature. There is no population cost because it is a normal military unit. So what keeps you from using it as a worker and saving the citizens you ask? because it is a military unit it builds military improvements; ie roads, railroads, and fortresses only. Also, since I don't have an icon for it and the Explorer icon is not appropriate, I use the Infantry unit icon. The Tech to get the Combat Engineer is Computers, and by that time most regular infanty should be killed or upgraded.
There you have it. All these things can be done using the default editor. There could be bugs or unexpected results, but I have yet to see any. Let me know if you find any or have any ideas for other edits.
Patroklos
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