searcheagle
Emperor
Since Civ 2, the franchise is having a hard time figuring out how to include helicopters in the game. In Civ 5, helicopters are treated completely like a land unit and completely exposed on the water and have to travel at same embark speed that all other embarked units. The game classifies it as a land unit but it also has many features of an air unit (and in real life, it technically is it).
Helicopter technology allows a unit to move over land and sea at the same speed, which means that it travels like an air unit. It requires no transition between feet wet and feet dry (Flying over land versus over land). However, I can see why the game designers did classify helicopters as land units. Helicopters have travel ranges that are comparable other land units and are vulnerable to combat fire, especially when they end their turn, aka landed and enemy units attacked them.
So, in the below graphic, it would take a unit 3 turns to get from Utrecht to Prague in Civ 4 and 5. But a helicopter should be able to get there in 1 turn. This will give helicopters more of a quick strike capability, and really diversify combat in the modern era.
But the attack capability of helicopters is just one half part of a helicopters capability. I want to bring back the capability of Helicopters to transport infantry units from Civ 3. The helicopter had the capability to pick up any land infantry unit that did not have vehicles (so, infantry, marines, paratroopers, etc). Unfortunately, the range was short but it did provide you with the capability move units overseas with a combat assaults. The other big disadvantage of the Civ 3 approach was that you had no method to retrieve troops you deployed by helicopter. They had to wait until I could get them a transport ship to pick them back up. (This was in the days before embarked units existed.)
These helicopters also had the ability to detect and attack submarines, which added to their value. Helicopters should also be able to operate from naval ships that can carry air units (Carriers, Missile Cruisers). I always wanted to see an amphibious assault ship, which you could fill up with marines and transport ships to allow for deep penetrations into enemy territory. Think of the combat implications!
Helicopter technology allows a unit to move over land and sea at the same speed, which means that it travels like an air unit. It requires no transition between feet wet and feet dry (Flying over land versus over land). However, I can see why the game designers did classify helicopters as land units. Helicopters have travel ranges that are comparable other land units and are vulnerable to combat fire, especially when they end their turn, aka landed and enemy units attacked them.
So, in the below graphic, it would take a unit 3 turns to get from Utrecht to Prague in Civ 4 and 5. But a helicopter should be able to get there in 1 turn. This will give helicopters more of a quick strike capability, and really diversify combat in the modern era.
But the attack capability of helicopters is just one half part of a helicopters capability. I want to bring back the capability of Helicopters to transport infantry units from Civ 3. The helicopter had the capability to pick up any land infantry unit that did not have vehicles (so, infantry, marines, paratroopers, etc). Unfortunately, the range was short but it did provide you with the capability move units overseas with a combat assaults. The other big disadvantage of the Civ 3 approach was that you had no method to retrieve troops you deployed by helicopter. They had to wait until I could get them a transport ship to pick them back up. (This was in the days before embarked units existed.)
These helicopters also had the ability to detect and attack submarines, which added to their value. Helicopters should also be able to operate from naval ships that can carry air units (Carriers, Missile Cruisers). I always wanted to see an amphibious assault ship, which you could fill up with marines and transport ships to allow for deep penetrations into enemy territory. Think of the combat implications!
