Naval Units
#Name: Names between () to be used in the HTML files. The rest should be the screen name.
#Military &/or Trade unit: Units with "trade unit" tag will be able to deal in Europe, other colonies, etc.
Units with "Military unit tag" will be able to transport soldiers. Note this differentiate 2 types of cargo, apart from the commerce.
Units without these tag will not be to transport any resources nor units (apart from the crew).
#Naval Class: Unrated Vessel, Sloop, Galleon, Brigantine, Frigate, Ship of the line.
While the xxx nomenclature will be used to designate the entire class, "xxx" only refers to specific units. This differentiates the bonuses/penalties against others units or the entire naval class.
#Strength
#Cargo space: while the "trade" tag gives the unit the appropriate ability, the cargo space is independent of it. Ships with cargo space are able to embark units &/or resources.
Non "trade" units will not be able to transport any resource but ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons -note these units are not able to trade with these resources, only transporting.
Alternatively, non "military" units will not be able to transport "soldiers", still able to transport civil units, ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons .
No value, no cargo space.
#Unique features
#Unavailability: The specified units will not be available neither in Europe nor in colonies. These units will be able to upgrade if possible.
#Obsoleteness: The specified units will not be available in Europe. Colonies are still able to build them. Obsolete units will still be able to upgrade to other units if there are upgrades available.
(TO DO: SOME UNITS ALREADY INCLUDED WHICH I HAVE NOT LISTED, MINOR CHANGES IN THE BALANCE, UUs FOR ALL THE FACTIONS, PRODUCTION POINTS REQUIRED, )
Art & sources for the units: see post9
Due to CIV engine, per turns, you are not able to trace an enemy ship through partial movements or in "real time", provoking that movement points are not really important for these units in combat (even when these points are the representation in game terms of speed, maneuverability and possibility to perform longer travels).
Tracing a ship and therefore be traced by the enemy only depends on the square you choose to move randomly.
In the best case while passing turn you can see the enemy movements (if the option is enabled) and therefore see 1 or 2 squares at max. but you need to memorize the movement and what you see it's not the entire path the unit has followed.
The suggestion: a new option with its icon named "Trace Ship" which will let you -when enabled- to select an objective (an enemy ship) to trace it.
By using the option a route line (like the movement route line which has numbers according to the turns required to perform the movement) which links the 2 ships will appear in the screen.
This graphical feature should be visible when selecting your ship (or putting the cursor over the enemy ship) and only if you have used the option selecting an objective.
The "trace ship" option will be enabled only if an enemy unit is adjacent to our unit or in its line of sight (usually 1, 2 or 3 squares depending on the promotions). A ship will only be able to follow other if this is within a logic distance which is its vision radius.
By passing turn the route line is updated showing the path the enemy unit has followed according to 4 methods:
Again, I only recommend to implement the 2nd method which is the simplest and better option. Hard & easy level could be added as optional in some type of config. file for those who prefer the vanilla naval system or don't want restrictions. Realistic method could be considered as an alternative harder level but implementing the entire tracing system instead of vanilla.
New Concepts:
- Obsoleteness: Obsolete units will not be available in Europe. Colonies are still able to build them as a cheaper version of the most advanced designs. Obsolete units will still be able to upgrade to other units if there are upgrades available in some specific cases.
- Unavailability: Unavailable units in an era will not be produced neither in Europe nor in the colonies. Therefore these units will tend to disappear because no new units of these types will be build.
These units will be able to upgrade if possible, this is only possible for some specific units which have not been changed in an excessive way through the new design.
The new unit will replace their construction in all the fields.
- Military & Resource Transporting: Transporting is divided into 2 classes: military & resource transporting.
Units will be able to transport military and/or civil units according to this classification.
The same is applied to the resources. These are divided into commercial and civil resources.
Ships with "trade" class will be able to sell/buy resources in other colonies, native tribes & Europe.
Therefore only some ships will be able to be used in war missions and others in trade missions.
Ships without any classification will not be able to be used as transports. In general these units are easily identified by the "0 cargo" feature.
- Naval Class: This classify the ships in some different class which are supposed to have approximately a generic design. Small & maneuverable ships are grouped in Sloop, Brigantine and some in Unrated Vessel; merchant ships will be available as Unrated Vessel, and in a more advanced stage as Galleon; and the more advanced war ships as Frigate and Ship of the line.
The naval class will allow you to easily identify the ships according to the maneuverability, hull, cargo and strength just by the size related to the naval class.
Other point to consider is the resources needed to build the ship. While some small ships will only require wood, others could require some new resources as iron, more tools, etc.
The construction of a fleet will be done according to the resources available, the functions it will have to perform, the enemy ships you will combat against, ...
- Maneuverability: This basic aspect will be represented in multiple ways. While heavy ships will have advantage in sustained combat, smaller ships have the possibility to move further per turn, to have an improved visibility and a withdrawal chance from combat. Maneuverable ships will be the best vessels against pirates, for reconnaissance and to skirmish against some heavy ships with some first strikes and/or the possibility of obtain a Letter of Marque to become a corsair.
- Heavy war ships: Heavy ships will be able to cause collateral damage and/ or be immune to it. This represent the use of heavier and stronger hulls in these ships as well as the introduction of cannons with different caliber, range, rate of fire and firepower.
While these war ships are able to maintain a sustained combat against any naval unit are still less maneuverable than smaller ships, have less speed and can be weakened easily by units which have "1st strike" ability.
- Ship upgrades: Upgrades are only available for some specific ships -usually some modifications in galleons and derivates-. The resources for upgrading these units will not be supplied only with gold but the ship needs to be in a city in order to provide wood, tools, or whatever resource is needed to modify the ship according to the new design.
- Ship modifications: Since the crew have been included in DoanE, it will obtain the experience instead of the ship.Other variable to consider is any modification or unique aspect of an specific ship or naval class. This is provided by this new concept.
As the unit list shows, some ships have a basic ability inherent to the ship but not to the crew.
This differentiates the nature of the ship in an unused way until now with with all the other changes. While some heavy ships are immune to collateral damage, some smaller ships start with sentry promotion which gives these units special advantage in reconnaissance or escort functions.
These modifications in the ships which should be considered in a general way of modifications in the hull, cannons, decks, ... can not be obtained through combat experience but with other special requirements.
To have a vision of this concept imagine the differences between any 2 vessels which are supposed to be in the same class in the reality. Some ships were extremely functional in some aspects but had disadvantages in others; some were built with better resources than others; ... the overall implementations will let you to personalize ships, give variations amongst nations, ....
The obtainment of these modifications, the promotion tree, the requirements and others will be explained detailedly in a specific section.
- Crew experience: With the implementation of this concept in previous version many new possibilities can be added. Considering the classification of trade/military ships related with the cargo, the crew could have some specific promotions expanding these concepts.
Some promotions could give trade bonuses with natives, others when trading in Europe, etc...
The crew could obtain experience according to the naval class they are accommodated to. It's not the same a merchantman and a frigate.
"First strikes" promotions can be given to experienced crews in some cases which would represent the ability to reload the cannons, etc.
Again, the obtainment of these promotions, the promotion tree, the requirements and others will be explained detailedly in a specific section.
Structure for Unit info:
Code:
Military &/or Trade unit || Naval Class || Strength (S) || Movement (M) || Cargo space (CS) || Unique features
#Military &/or Trade unit: Units with "trade unit" tag will be able to deal in Europe, other colonies, etc.
Units with "Military unit tag" will be able to transport soldiers. Note this differentiate 2 types of cargo, apart from the commerce.
Units without these tag will not be to transport any resources nor units (apart from the crew).
#Naval Class: Unrated Vessel, Sloop, Galleon, Brigantine, Frigate, Ship of the line.
While the xxx nomenclature will be used to designate the entire class, "xxx" only refers to specific units. This differentiates the bonuses/penalties against others units or the entire naval class.
#Strength
#Cargo space: while the "trade" tag gives the unit the appropriate ability, the cargo space is independent of it. Ships with cargo space are able to embark units &/or resources.
Non "trade" units will not be able to transport any resource but ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons -note these units are not able to trade with these resources, only transporting.
Alternatively, non "military" units will not be able to transport "soldiers", still able to transport civil units, ammunitions, cannons, tools & weapons .
No value, no cargo space.
#Unique features
#Unavailability: The specified units will not be available neither in Europe nor in colonies. These units will be able to upgrade if possible.
#Obsoleteness: The specified units will not be available in Europe. Colonies are still able to build them. Obsolete units will still be able to upgrade to other units if there are upgrades available.
- 1st Period:
- Bermuda sloop: Trade || Sloop || 2 S || 3 M || 1 CS || Can not sail to Europe. Standard unit.
- Caravel: Military/Trade || Unrated Vessel|| 3 S || 2 M || 2 CS || Standard unit.
- Carrack: Military/Trade || Galleon || 3 S || 3 M || 2 CS || Spanish UU.
- Nau: Military/Trade || Galleon|| 3 S || 2 M || 3 CS || Portuguese UU.
- 2nd Period:
- Unavailabilty: Caravel. Bermuda sloop.
- Obsolete: Carrack. Nau.
- Jamaican Sloop: Military || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 1 first strike. 10% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". Standard unit.
- Merchant Sloop: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || -40% against sloops. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 30% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit.
- Corvette: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || French UU. 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 20% against pirates. 20% withdrawal chance.1 first strike. Standard unit.
- Brigantine: Trade/military || Brigantine || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || starts with sentry promotion. 10% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit.
- Brig: || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 30% withdrawal chance. Can flank attack against Merchantman, Carrack & Nau . 1 first strike Standard unit.
- Hooker: Trade/military || Unrated Vessel || 3 S|| 5 M || 1 CS || 10% withdrawal chance. 10% against pirate units. Standard unit.
- Ketch: Military || Unrated Vessel || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 1 first strike. Starts with sentry promotion. 30% against Brigantine. Standard unit.
- Merchantman: Trade || Unrated Vessel || 3 S || 4 M || 3 CS || 30% withdrawal chance. 10% when defending against Unrated Vessels. 30% against "Carrack" & "Nau". Upgrade for "Caravel". Standard unit.
- Galleon: Military/Trade || Galleon || 4 S || 3 M || 4 CS || 10% when defending against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 10% when defending against pirate units. Upgrade for "Nau". Standard unit.
- War Galleon: Military || Galleon || 4 S || 3 M || 3 CS || 30% against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 40% against "merchantman" & Galleon". . -20% when defending against sloops. Causes collateral damage. Immune to collateral damage. Standard unit.
- Galeón (or Spanish Galeón for disambiguation): Military/Trade || Galleon|| 4 S || 3 M || 4 CS || Spanish UU. Upgrade for "Carrack". 10% when defending against Unrated Vessel, Brigantine. 20% when defending against War Galleon. 30% when defending against "Galleon" & pirate units.
- 3rd Period:
- Unavailabilty: Carrack. Nau. Jamaican Sloop.
- Obsolete: Brigantine. Brig.
- Cargo Brig: Military/Trade || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 2 CS || starts with sentry promotion. 20% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Can flank attack against Merchantman . Standard unit. Upgrade for "Brigantine".
- Late Brig: || Brigantine || 4 S || 4 M || 30% withdrawal chance. 20% against Sloop. Can flank attack against Unrated Vessel & Galleon . 1 first strike Standard unit. Upgrade for "Brig"
- Sloop of war: Military || Sloop || 4 S || 5 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against Unrated Vessel. 1-2 first strike. 40% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". Standard unit. Upgrade for "Jamaican Sloop".
- Late Bermuda Sloop: Military || Sloop || 4 S || 5 M || 1 CS || 40% against pirate units. 30% against Unrated Vessel. 10% againstSloop. 2 first strike. 40% withdrawal chance. Upgrade for "Bermuda sloop". English UU.
- Late Merchant Sloop: Military/Trade || Sloop || 3 S || 4 M || 1 CS || 30% against "Carrack", "Nau" & "Merchamant". 20% when defending against Brigantine & Sloop. 20% withdrawal chance. 1 first strike. Standard unit. Upgrade for "Merchant Sloop"
(TO DO: SOME UNITS ALREADY INCLUDED WHICH I HAVE NOT LISTED, MINOR CHANGES IN THE BALANCE, UUs FOR ALL THE FACTIONS, PRODUCTION POINTS REQUIRED, )
Art & sources for the units: see post9
Units per faction:
While the list at top enumerates all the available units, this will only show units per faction as well as some special notes, nomenclature or changes in the names for the UUs.
- Portugal:
- Nau: proper spelling for the "Carrack", so replaces it. Only for Portugal (Spain use "Carrack")
- Spain:
- Carrack: replaces Caravel.
Tracing ships
One of the annoying things of Vanilla in naval combat is the impossibility to follow an enemy ship even when your unit has more movement points.
Due to CIV engine, per turns, you are not able to trace an enemy ship through partial movements or in "real time", provoking that movement points are not really important for these units in combat (even when these points are the representation in game terms of speed, maneuverability and possibility to perform longer travels).
Tracing a ship and therefore be traced by the enemy only depends on the square you choose to move randomly.
In the best case while passing turn you can see the enemy movements (if the option is enabled) and therefore see 1 or 2 squares at max. but you need to memorize the movement and what you see it's not the entire path the unit has followed.
The suggestion: a new option with its icon named "Trace Ship" which will let you -when enabled- to select an objective (an enemy ship) to trace it.
By using the option a route line (like the movement route line which has numbers according to the turns required to perform the movement) which links the 2 ships will appear in the screen.
This graphical feature should be visible when selecting your ship (or putting the cursor over the enemy ship) and only if you have used the option selecting an objective.
The "trace ship" option will be enabled only if an enemy unit is adjacent to our unit or in its line of sight (usually 1, 2 or 3 squares depending on the promotions). A ship will only be able to follow other if this is within a logic distance which is its vision radius.
By passing turn the route line is updated showing the path the enemy unit has followed according to 4 methods:
- Realistic: This is movement point dependent. Enemy unit has"X" mov. points. Human ship has "Y" mov. points. Therefore:
If X=Y, you are able to know the entire path the enemy has followed and the route line will show it in the screen. The length of the line will be X.
If x<Y, same than X=Y. You are able to know the entire path followed.
If x>y, your unit will only be able to know a partial path. Where the squares which the enemy ship have follow and you see are equal to your movement points (Y). Therefore faster units are able to trace others and to scape easily.
The condition: when using this option your ship is supposed to be following the enemy ship, therefore your next movement is forced to some specific squares which are the adjacent to this last square. Your unit will follow the enemy path until the line of sight is adjacent to the enemy unit (but you still don't see it).
2 paths (optimized to use the same movements points than the enemy) are possible. One of them gives you 3 final positions, the other only 2.
Therefore the option should be coded to calculate the best path and force the player to move to one of this 3 last squares. It's not really hard because the best option (in movement point terms) will give you always 3 possible movements, and the others are contained into it.
The exception are coastal zones or square occupied by other units which will decrease the possibilities. The calculation in general:the better path will be the less restrictive in movement points; being adjacent to 2 enemy units is not a problem if you have still points to scape.
The only problem is that after tracing the enemy ship (always possible following my statement) you can not assure you will be able to perform other actions.
Therefore you are forced to follow the enemy until the last consequence and you have not possibility to change your decision after following it a few squares.
- Advanced & realistic level: Same mechanic than realistic but includes other possibility. I really recommend this.
Instead of calculate the best path and force the player to follow it until the last 3 (max.) possibilities the code only needs to calculate any possible path. In terms of programming and calculating is less expensive and easier (loop against loop+optimization problem) .
The conditions:
Spoiler :1.Your unit can move to any square. You can change your decision and abandon the tracing.
2.The entire route line will not be shown. Instead of that you are only able to see up to 2 squares (in my images as example), 3 squares (with some promotions) or X where X is the radio of your line of sight +1.
In other words, you are able to see to where the unit has sealed spending 1 movement point, going out of your line of sight. (same system than hard level method)
3.When you move to any square which is adjacent to one of the enemy unit movement a new enemy movement is shown in the route line. The route line will be showed incrementally when you move your ship to adjacent squares. And again 2º point.
Note when I say adjacent it really means: in the vision radius. The unit we want to trace is always in our line of sight (usually 1 square = adjacent) and therefore we always will be moving our ship in paths adjacent to the route line; but if our unit can see trough 2 squares (sentry promotion) you only need to see that enemy square and not be "adjacent" to it, therefore we only will need to move the unit to 1 tiles of separation to the route line to active the next square in the route.
4.1st rule gives us the possibility to move anywhere but what about "flanking" or following alternative routes? Not possible. In order to use the incremental apparition of the route line we need to "discover" in an orderly manner every point of the route.
If you abandon any path which is contained in the rule 3º you will not be able to continue tracing the enemy.
These 4 conditions have been created to assure all the possibilities, give a real playability, be logic & simple for the human player & the AI and be easy to implement in the code.
Therefore the objectives have been satisfied:
-You can follow the unit through some squares, consider the risk and retreat or try to find the unit by yourself following a possible shorter path.
-You can always trace the unit if you have enough mov. points.
-You have total liberty: tracing an unit will not force you to do anything if you decide to not start the tracing.
-Any possible path is available, you only need to follow the unit. The way you do it is irrelevant.
- Hard Level: This method will only "draw" the path followed up to 2 or 3 squares depending on the line of sight of your ship. This include any square within the line of sight and the next to them (you are able to see to what square not visible the enemy unit has sealed).
This will not show you more than vanilla game (unrealistic) but you will not need to memorize paths, enable the see enemy moves option, ...
No restrictions are needed.
- Easy level: Same than realistic in the mechanic but your unit is not forced to follow the enemy ship, therefore you can trace an enemy ship and then seal to any other place.Unrealistic and unbalanced because you know where the enemy ship is placed but you don't necessarily follow it, obtaining free information.
Again, I only recommend to implement the 2nd method which is the simplest and better option. Hard & easy level could be added as optional in some type of config. file for those who prefer the vanilla naval system or don't want restrictions. Realistic method could be considered as an alternative harder level but implementing the entire tracing system instead of vanilla.