MM2 elite units question

[JamesJKirk]

Anybody- but mainly Wes-

I just started playing MM2, and I'm not quite to 0ad yet, but so far I'm enjoying it, definitely having to think strategitcally, and place frontline cities to repair damage. The new advances and units are great, as is the elite concept. But I was wondering why the number of elite units drops off so sharply once you get to the Renaissance Age, I mean only two units for that age (and happening with the same advance) and no elite units thereafter. Why? I mean the Stormtrooper seems like it may be an okay one, but you made it a regular unit, the Moniter could work too, there're a plethora of possible Industrial and Modern Units, (and genetic if you want to make guesses) so yes, I guess my question is just "Why not?"


BTW: I made a separate thread to avoid dragging out the main thread with just a question

[Big Dave]

Re: MM2 elite units question

I'm in much the same position as JamesKirk. I was wondering what the odds are of getting an elite unit when getting a new advance? And if you trade for the advance rather than research it do you still have the chance to get Elite units?
Thanks,

[Rhuarc]

As far as I know the cahnce of getting an elite unit upon getting the advance is 1 out of 6. If I am wrong on this somebody please correct me!!

[WesW]

Rhuarc is right about the chances. I wanted the units to be hard to get, both for rarity and replay value. You can get Elites when you trade for an advance.
As for phasing out the Elites with the Renaissance age, this was when the modern army developed and became homogenized among all nations around gunpowder units. I had originally envisioned the monitor and pt boat as Elite units, and possibly the War Walker too. I needed the Walker to fill out the unit progression and I would like to try something special for the pt boat and monitor, which I mentioned in the Medpack thread.

[Big Dave]

Modern Elite Units

Originally posted by WesW
****SNIP****
As for phasing out the Elites with the Renaissance age, this was when the modern army developed and became homogenized among all nations around gunpowder units.
****SNIP****

There are modern elite units, and have been ever since the widespread usage of gunpowder. The entire Prussian army was elite under Fredrick the Great, and again (comparativly speaking) around 1795-1815, Napoleon's Old Guard was elite, modern elite forces include 82nd Airborne (make paratroopers elite, not everyone has them), Navy Seals, ROK Marines (S. Korea's elite ground forces), etc.
Respectfully,

[WesW]

The units Dave mentions would fit the definition of the word elite, but they are not what I had in mind for the mod's elite units. I wanted these units to be culture specific, units that evoked the attitude of a specific people. They were also units that defined the entire army of their day for that culture. I just don't think you have had situations like that since gunpowder came onto the scene. You have special forces and niche units today, but nothing where you can say a word and have it evoke an image of a nation or a culture, at least not anything that was not or could not be copied by someone else.

[Big Dave]

Ok Wes, my misunderstanding, sorry. Thanks for clearing that up.