jkp1187
Unindicted Co-Conspirator
One thing I grow tired of is the fact that it is difficult to use naval units defensively, to prevent an enemy amphibious landing, or offensively to attack enemy trade. This is a bit ahistorical, and it discourages construction of a navy, when in fact, a navy can be a very poweful tool of defense and economic warfare.
I suggest that in future, ships have a "patrol" order. This patrol order would sacrifice all of a ship's movement points for that turn (i.e., a ship that has moved one more or spaces cannot patrol, it must wait until the next turn.) A ship will patrol a radius equal to half its normal movement points. If, during AI movement, an enemy ship enters that radius, there would be a certain % chance that the patrolling ship would intercept the enemy and initiate naval combat (which would be resolved normally). The more ships patrolling, the higher chance of interception (and more ships would be required to intercept an enemy stack, since each ship can only attack once.) This would also make submarine wolf packs a much more threatening weapon.
Because of their low movement, I would not give the "patrol" ability to galleys and triremes.
This is conceptually similar to the manner in which air-to-air interceptions would occur under the Civilization II and Alpha Centauri systems, back when air units moved normally like other units. I still think that having naval units move one square per turn in ordinary circumstances is preferred (especially in the beginning of the game, when galleys and triremes are used more as exploratory units.)
In addition, I suggest that for blockade purposes, ships have a one square ZOC, meaning that fewer ships would be required to blockade enemy ports.
Thoughts?
I suggest that in future, ships have a "patrol" order. This patrol order would sacrifice all of a ship's movement points for that turn (i.e., a ship that has moved one more or spaces cannot patrol, it must wait until the next turn.) A ship will patrol a radius equal to half its normal movement points. If, during AI movement, an enemy ship enters that radius, there would be a certain % chance that the patrolling ship would intercept the enemy and initiate naval combat (which would be resolved normally). The more ships patrolling, the higher chance of interception (and more ships would be required to intercept an enemy stack, since each ship can only attack once.) This would also make submarine wolf packs a much more threatening weapon.
Because of their low movement, I would not give the "patrol" ability to galleys and triremes.
This is conceptually similar to the manner in which air-to-air interceptions would occur under the Civilization II and Alpha Centauri systems, back when air units moved normally like other units. I still think that having naval units move one square per turn in ordinary circumstances is preferred (especially in the beginning of the game, when galleys and triremes are used more as exploratory units.)
In addition, I suggest that for blockade purposes, ships have a one square ZOC, meaning that fewer ships would be required to blockade enemy ports.
Thoughts?