a)
I would like to see ranged units returning fire when attacked with ranged attacks. If archers, e.g., place themselves in a position to shoot at an enemy, they are in a position to be shot at themselves.
An attacking ranged unit is still able to out-range the defender and by doing so attack with impunity, but if the attacker is within the ranged attack range of the defender, they will take damage from return fire.
b)
I'd like to give almost all units a ranged attack capability. In most cases this new attack would be weak in comparison with their melee attack and at least for pre-renaissance units would be 1 hex only. This represents skirmish attacks for earlier units and the fact that later units, while nominally melee, are usually capable of far more potent ranged attacks than an ancient era archer or slinger possessed.
This will give all units to possibility to defend themselves unless they are outranged. This encourages more careful positioning of ranged units to outrange the melee units' return fire.
It also allows for "light infantry" / "skirmish" / "scout" units with comparatively strong 1-hex ranged attack compared to other melee units of the same technological era. Perhaps allowing them to automatically flee from melee attacks, like slingers.
Combat rock-scissor-stone table:
Ranged attacks: Ranged units > Skirmishers > Melee
Melee attacks: Melee units > Skirmishers > Ranged
c)
Changes to ranged attack ranges would allow for more tactical fun and a bit less disbelief:
Skirmishers / Melee - 1 hex range
Archers / Muskets / Catapults - 2 hex range
Rifles / Cannons - 3 hex range
Howitzers / Rocket artillery - 4 hex range
d)
City bombardment is something I'm a bit undecided about. It might work with the above rule suggestions, though it will probably need some fine tuning regarding the strength of the ranged attack.
However, I'm leaning towards making city defence ranged attacks return fire only. Any ranged attacks from the city must come from the garrisoned unit. The range of the city attacks could be connected to the level of city defences:
No defence - No ranged attacks
City walls - 1 hex range
Castle - 2 hex range
Arsenal - 3 hex range
Military base - 4 hex range
This would work well with another proposal, that I think I'll make another thread about: A new Militia/Freeshooter/Partisan/Insurgent-type unit that is available to buy for 0 gold in a city, but which has 0 movement. It would have a fairly weak ranged attack, but would allow cities without a regular military unit to have some sort of ranged attack.
===
These ideas would obviously change quite a bit of the combat dynamics of the game, but in my opinion it would be for the better; creating the need for more careful placement of units and more risky use of ranged attacks as well as the option of creating units (like the skirmishers) that play into the new mechanics of ranged combat.
I'd love to hear if you are interested in these changes, what problems these suggestions cause, and even better if you have ideas how to solve these problems. I'm sure that to many, this is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist for them, but to me it addresses some issues I've always found to be strange about the game. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
I would like to see ranged units returning fire when attacked with ranged attacks. If archers, e.g., place themselves in a position to shoot at an enemy, they are in a position to be shot at themselves.
An attacking ranged unit is still able to out-range the defender and by doing so attack with impunity, but if the attacker is within the ranged attack range of the defender, they will take damage from return fire.
b)
I'd like to give almost all units a ranged attack capability. In most cases this new attack would be weak in comparison with their melee attack and at least for pre-renaissance units would be 1 hex only. This represents skirmish attacks for earlier units and the fact that later units, while nominally melee, are usually capable of far more potent ranged attacks than an ancient era archer or slinger possessed.
This will give all units to possibility to defend themselves unless they are outranged. This encourages more careful positioning of ranged units to outrange the melee units' return fire.
It also allows for "light infantry" / "skirmish" / "scout" units with comparatively strong 1-hex ranged attack compared to other melee units of the same technological era. Perhaps allowing them to automatically flee from melee attacks, like slingers.
Combat rock-scissor-stone table:
Ranged attacks: Ranged units > Skirmishers > Melee
Melee attacks: Melee units > Skirmishers > Ranged
c)
Changes to ranged attack ranges would allow for more tactical fun and a bit less disbelief:
Skirmishers / Melee - 1 hex range
Archers / Muskets / Catapults - 2 hex range
Rifles / Cannons - 3 hex range
Howitzers / Rocket artillery - 4 hex range
d)
City bombardment is something I'm a bit undecided about. It might work with the above rule suggestions, though it will probably need some fine tuning regarding the strength of the ranged attack.
However, I'm leaning towards making city defence ranged attacks return fire only. Any ranged attacks from the city must come from the garrisoned unit. The range of the city attacks could be connected to the level of city defences:
No defence - No ranged attacks
City walls - 1 hex range
Castle - 2 hex range
Arsenal - 3 hex range
Military base - 4 hex range
This would work well with another proposal, that I think I'll make another thread about: A new Militia/Freeshooter/Partisan/Insurgent-type unit that is available to buy for 0 gold in a city, but which has 0 movement. It would have a fairly weak ranged attack, but would allow cities without a regular military unit to have some sort of ranged attack.
===
These ideas would obviously change quite a bit of the combat dynamics of the game, but in my opinion it would be for the better; creating the need for more careful placement of units and more risky use of ranged attacks as well as the option of creating units (like the skirmishers) that play into the new mechanics of ranged combat.
I'd love to hear if you are interested in these changes, what problems these suggestions cause, and even better if you have ideas how to solve these problems. I'm sure that to many, this is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist for them, but to me it addresses some issues I've always found to be strange about the game. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
