ferretbacon
Obsessor
I propose a reform to combat; I think that 1upt was a positive step and a better system when compared to Stacks of Doom, but I also think that it creates a cluttered map and doesnt express the idea of an army well enough.
Bear with me if my suggestions and ideas are not yet fully realized. Obviously this proposed system would require some aspects of the game to become restructured and thus this proposition is reserved for a major expansion, which could overhaul the combat system, or Civ VI. Also, please read the whole post in order to fully understand the system I propose! I know it is long, but that just increases the chance youll miss something.
What I suggest is allowing three units per tile. You can group any three units and movement is governed by the slowest moving unit in the group. Units merged in this fashion would lose their autonomy, but would create stacking bonuses that would contribute to the armys overall combat effectiveness. If there are multiple types of units in a group, you can choose how to attack with that army.
For example, if you were to combine a spearman, an archer, and a catapult, you could choose to attack an adjacent unit (via the spearman), a ranged attack (via the archer), or set up for a ranged attack strong against a city (via the catapult). When attacked, the result would depend on the combat bonuses inherent in that stack of units. If attacked by an army of three horsemen, the army would get a bonus against the horsemen from the spearman, but not as much as three spearmen together would provide.
Stacking same units would multiply the effects of those units, but would cause a loss in versatility; three catapults would be spectacular at city sieges, but would be as vulnerable as a catapult normally is. A catapult with a swordsman attached would be slightly more durable, but lack as much city attacking power. Three spearmen would devastate a group of cavalry, but would lack the option for a ranged attack.
This system would add a layer of tactics to the game beyond positioning; youd have to decide how best to compose each army. Do you make an army of spearmen to combat horsemen stacks, or do you spread your spearmen out, one to each stack, to give each stack a slight defense bonus to each army (think 33% vs. 100%)?
Players would also have to weigh whether they wanted to stack their units, or to keep them separated out keeping them by themselves would result in the ability to hit multiple tiles at once for pillaging purposes and to attack more targets per turn (as the army would only be able to attack one target once per turn, albeit with more strength vs. three separate units who could attack three different targets).
Visually, the limited stack system would also have appeal; if you combined a spearman, archer, and catapult, the unit on the screen would, as a result, have spearmen in front, archers behind, and a catapult at the back, enhancing the look of the unit. Two musketmen and a cannon would feature a line of infantry in front of the artillery, and so on and so forth.
Great Generals would also be altered instead of a 15% combat bonus, they could instead be used to increase the number of slots in an army, from three to four, giving you the ability to make your army more versatile/powerful.
I know this is a relatively complicated system, but it adds a lot of nuance and depth to combat if implemented correctly and would bolster immersion, which some, including myself, highly value.
I turn it over to you now: Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Bear with me if my suggestions and ideas are not yet fully realized. Obviously this proposed system would require some aspects of the game to become restructured and thus this proposition is reserved for a major expansion, which could overhaul the combat system, or Civ VI. Also, please read the whole post in order to fully understand the system I propose! I know it is long, but that just increases the chance youll miss something.
What I suggest is allowing three units per tile. You can group any three units and movement is governed by the slowest moving unit in the group. Units merged in this fashion would lose their autonomy, but would create stacking bonuses that would contribute to the armys overall combat effectiveness. If there are multiple types of units in a group, you can choose how to attack with that army.
For example, if you were to combine a spearman, an archer, and a catapult, you could choose to attack an adjacent unit (via the spearman), a ranged attack (via the archer), or set up for a ranged attack strong against a city (via the catapult). When attacked, the result would depend on the combat bonuses inherent in that stack of units. If attacked by an army of three horsemen, the army would get a bonus against the horsemen from the spearman, but not as much as three spearmen together would provide.
Stacking same units would multiply the effects of those units, but would cause a loss in versatility; three catapults would be spectacular at city sieges, but would be as vulnerable as a catapult normally is. A catapult with a swordsman attached would be slightly more durable, but lack as much city attacking power. Three spearmen would devastate a group of cavalry, but would lack the option for a ranged attack.
This system would add a layer of tactics to the game beyond positioning; youd have to decide how best to compose each army. Do you make an army of spearmen to combat horsemen stacks, or do you spread your spearmen out, one to each stack, to give each stack a slight defense bonus to each army (think 33% vs. 100%)?
Players would also have to weigh whether they wanted to stack their units, or to keep them separated out keeping them by themselves would result in the ability to hit multiple tiles at once for pillaging purposes and to attack more targets per turn (as the army would only be able to attack one target once per turn, albeit with more strength vs. three separate units who could attack three different targets).
Visually, the limited stack system would also have appeal; if you combined a spearman, archer, and catapult, the unit on the screen would, as a result, have spearmen in front, archers behind, and a catapult at the back, enhancing the look of the unit. Two musketmen and a cannon would feature a line of infantry in front of the artillery, and so on and so forth.
Great Generals would also be altered instead of a 15% combat bonus, they could instead be used to increase the number of slots in an army, from three to four, giving you the ability to make your army more versatile/powerful.
I know this is a relatively complicated system, but it adds a lot of nuance and depth to combat if implemented correctly and would bolster immersion, which some, including myself, highly value.
I turn it over to you now: Questions? Comments? Suggestions?