Workers are essential, but they are boring from a modding point of view. So, in the tradition of C&C threads, I'll outline what I want to do with them to make them more interesting, then you can all tell me how it's not possible. :D

Merchants are pretty cool I reckon. I'd like to bring out that traders are the ones that hook up your resources and luxuries (by negotiating deals). So why not have these guys with the ability to build roads and colonies? Farmers are the ones who grow our food. Why not have these guys as another worker, which can irrigate and build roads also? Then there are miners.

And there are even units made for such things. Like this (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=112122&highlight=pietone) one, as a medieval merchant perhaps.

So I can see four distinct workers there. With other military units performing things like airfields and outposts.


But I'm told that you need to have a worker with all of the jobs above flagged in order for you to have the 'Terraform' (AI Strategies) box checked. Is it even vaguely possible to create some kind of distinction in workers and have the AI use them? Or does one just have to stick to one plain old little idiot?

Well, you might see a legionary build an occasional road, but I doubt you could get this proposal to work.

And I don't think the Pietone looks more merchantish than a lot of other units, the Swiss Mercenary for instance.

However, if you give the AI access to two different swordsmen, it usually builds them both, so I suppose that you could give each civ two workers, and the AI should build half of each. It wouldn't affect stuff, but it could give a bit of flavour.

And flavour is what we're looking for here :D

I'm going to give it a go. But much else needs to be done before I can find out if it works in this context. Cheers for the look in.

BTW - How have people used the Pietone or see it being used? Any other "worker / something else" units around for the medieval era?

You could use the serf unit. (i do not remember who made it)

I think it was...Dunn Dunn Dunnn!.. Kinboat :)

I think it was...Dunn Dunn Dunnn!.. Kinboat :)It starts with a D alright, which Kinboat emphatically do not. ;)
Dom Pedro.

Somebody mentioned using the ignore movement cost ability to give worker units a speed bonus on certain terrain (miners would ignore MP of mountains and hills for example). I don't remember whether it worked or not. Of course the AI wouldn't have a clue, so it wouldn't be any more effective than giving miners only the ability to mine, and a higher worker rate.

Imagine the possibilities of a multiplayer-only mod.... :mischief:

Weasel,
I tested it. Unfortunately, the ignore movement cost-setting does not affect the worker action speed (which is a bit silly, since the worker times are affected by the underlying terrain)...

About specialized workers... I'm quite sure that the AI would't know what to do, if it could build different workers (which can do different work tasks). I haven't tested it, but I'm quite sure it wouldn't work.

Dunno if it was mentioned ... but i think there are too many units in the build box as it is ... :(. I even "joined" the worker with the settler for the ind/modern era in an attempt to make less units be available in the game.

But this may be good for a very peacefull mod ... :)

Rambuchan:
I have no idea if this is possible, rather think the AI is like has been stated: stupid. But, us humans shore would have fun with this kind of specialization. I say do your best to make it work.

In MP games it would work, sure, but with AI, it´s gonna be pretty hard.

While your at it I would like to point out that prison chaingangs were often use thought out history and are still in use in many places worldwide, I even guarded one while in the U.S. Marines. I would love to see such a unit, I'd set it up to be biuldable with the same tect that allows prisons; no pop cost; and a bit slower than normal workers.

A lot slower if you´re gonna give them lower pop costs... make them work for 1/6 or 1/8 of a normal worker´s capacity, if not, you can just swamp the bloody map with them to stop the enemy!

I's say the chaingang should have some sort of negative in addition to slow work. Something like causes 1 unhappy face, or gives negative culture (if such things are possible). After all, who really wants a bunch of convicts in their neighborhood? :(

Building: Prison, cause one unhappy face, produce a chaingang unit every X turns, wihch work at 25% efficiency? Something like that?
Hmm, looking at it it needs another boost, it's mostly negative atm... increase production by 25% (that's the lowest you can set it to)?

reduce corruption?

Can you put something tha ups corruption? There´s all sort of black-marketing, smuggling, gun-dealing, etc in Latin American jails...

back to the workers:
If you give them all the same cost (pop and shields and working rate) but the different abilities (build mines/roads...) the ai should build both of them or would it just build one type of it?

As was said before, Samez, you can only flag a unit as a worker if ti ahs all worker actions flagged. The AI won't use a unit not flagged as a worker as a worker, even if it has some worker actions.

So does this mean that in the generic game the AI won't use the Legionary to build roads?

Azmorg, if you flag it offense as well, it will occasionally build roads with them, but they'll mostly be used for attacking.

So in other words the AI will sometimes use a unit for terraforming even when the terraform flag is not ticked...?

If it has offense or defense flagged. Which the worker hasn't.

but to flag either you have to give it some abilties IIRC... it keeps complicating

I believe that to have the offensive or defensive flags ticked, the unit must (a) have attack/defence rating, and (b) have the "capture" box ticked.

I believe that to have the offensive or defensive flags ticked, the unit must (a) have attack/defence rating, and (b) have the "capture" box ticked.
and (c) have the "Load" box ticked.

That´s it! What does the "Unload" tab do then?

Load means the unit can be boarded (on a boat, typically). BTW, it is kind of strange you need that checked to be able to flag and offensive/defense AI strategy... Ah, Civ *sigh*
Unload would be for the units that will carry troops (allowing it to carry and unload units with the load flag checked)

As was said before, Samez, you can only flag a unit as a worker if ti ahs all worker actions flagged. The AI won't use a unit not flagged as a worker as a worker, even if it has some worker actions.

... and that is why I have slaves fighting slave unrests :rolleyes:

do you mean in RFRE? :rolleyes:

What about useing Seabees (a naval de/construction unit that is armed)?

Sea settlers and workers will work, but there is no way on earth to get the AI to do anything with them.

I suppose if you flag them with both the "Naval Power" and "Naval Transport", AND make it so that all AI civs have a preference for building Naval Units, then give them all the worker abilities, then maybe they'd build a road. Hey, it's not much, but it's something...

I have an idea, though: Would it be possible to get an AI to "Build Outpost" on costal tiles, sort of placing a lighthouse on them? Just a suggestion for anyone who's bored of the regular "Outpost", and never uses them, anyway.

Finally, if most land units are "Wheeled", will the AI build more ships to transport it's units, or will it just sit there and rot until it roads all the terrain? I've never looked closely at AI behaviour, so I don't know...

As for your last question, it'll usually sit and rot.

Thought so :rolleyes:

I know for a fact that you can tick the "Terreform" option without selecting 'Build Barricade'. I don't know if this really helps though.