IGN unit showcase 4 - gunpowder infantry, horse archers and bombers

[bhg_paul]

>To clarify, are the previews and interviews saying that no "line" of units ever dead-ends?

True dat. There are a few lines that merge into others at some points and a few that start later on, but no line ever just dies out.

But as Graham said - you *do* have to pay to upgrade your units to the next level. The cost to reserch the upgrade isn't really that much by itself (it varies depending on the unit line), however it's worth noting that the upgrade cost includes the production cost difference for units "in the field" that you are upgrading. This prevents folks from banking ancient age units then suddenly showing up with a horde of expensive later-age units on the cheap.

[Rohag]

Thanks much for the clarification!

Originally posted by bhg_paul
...it's worth noting that the upgrade cost includes the production cost difference for units "in the field" that you are upgrading. This prevents folks from banking ancient age units then suddenly showing up with a horde of expensive later-age units on the cheap.

Very clever! Does this mean that the player needs to carefully consider the costs of "aging up" (including post-advance unit upgrade costs) while in possession of a large military?

[bhg_paul]

Not at all. The production cost adjustment is only applied to the unit upgrade cost of the appropriate unit lines. It has no effect on the cost of the age itself, nor does going up an age mandate that you actually upgrade your units. And, of course, you can select to upgrade some lines of units but not others.

[tniem]

Thanks for the clarification. Seems like there are a bunch of options on how this works which is a good thing.

Only concern for me, is how this impacts flow of the game. Is it a jolting break from an RTS to be choosing what units to upgrade or is it a natural break? How have you implemented choosing what units to upgrade?

[Blue Moose]

Re: Sorry!

Originally posted by Rohag
My regrets for disseminating faulty information. I misunderstood both taunternumerouno's experience and Dan Quick's interview with Brian Reynolds.

To clarify, are the previews and interviews saying that no "line" of units ever dead-ends?

Also, if I really want to (or if I forget to upgrade), I can back up my tanks with sword cavalry?

A "unit line" is a the upgrade path units take. So horse archers would eventually become cavalry, and cavalry units become tanks. (edit: eep, didn't notice there was a second page...now I am slightly repetitive..still, some useful comments of mine here--or so I think--so I'll leave it)

Unlike what some have said, horse units were *never* truly used alongside tanks (so far as I know). Horsemen would be slaughtered by machine guns and tanks...as the Poles found out. While some horses were used often in ww2 by the germans and other armies, this was as beasts of burden only not in combat roles (except from technologically inferior countries).

Theoretically though, you might be able to not upgrade a line of horses (like sword-cavs) and upgrade another (like gun-cavs) and hence have horse and tanks...but if the game is realistic, those horse will get killed easily by tanks and machine guns. I assume upgrades are done for each of your existing unit-types seperately...that way makes the most sense anyhow.