Army/Unit 1UPT Solution

I am not sure I like the sound of the solution that they are proposing for Civ 6. It sounds too much like Civ V and I could not stand the mess created by 1UPT rules.

I REALLY hope someone is listening because there is a logical solution that provides the best of both worlds. It has been way too long since I had a good, up to date, civ game on my computer. What they need to do for Civ 6 is create a task force system. Only one task force per tile, but this group can have multiple units assigned based on a set of rules that restrict what size and types of units (within a range). Those unit types are based both on the size and on the task that the force is supposed to be given.


Example sizes:
single unit (1 unit)
detachment (2-3 units)
squadron (4-6 units)
army (7-10 units)
armada (11-15 units)

Example task force types:
Reconnaissance
Spy (different types!)
Settlement
Defense (same types as attack)
Siege (attack)
Flank (long range/fast moving attack)
Infantry(short range attack)
Amphibious Assault
Invasion (multiple types)
etc...

Yeah they are not going to completely redesign a fundamental feature of the game this close to release. You should look out for how powerful the modding tools are. With code already in allowing for a lot more stacking modders might be able to remove or substantially lessen 1 UPT. add in that support units are now detachments added into units and most of your vision could be added in reasonable modding. Robust mod tools that are released early will allow the users to work on the AI at a rate no company can ever afford.

So, basically, the same system as in Civ VI except with potentially more units in an army in certain cases? What, in your opinion, makes this better?

I personally never had a problem with 1UPT. Preparation and logistics were part of the fun for me. What I think is a proper solution is allowing an engineer unit to build cheap temporary roads kinda like Roman legions. Or maybe more forms of land or air transport in the later game where unit counts actually became significant. However I am very pleased with the support unit stacking. My only concern is dedicated defensive units stacking over offense oriented units. That ruined most combat for me.

m15a said:

So, basically, the same system as in Civ VI except with potentially more units in an army in certain cases? What, in your opinion, makes this better?

Click to expand...

Well for one it is much more true to life. I am not really sure what Firaxis has in mind when it comes to their army sizes/support options but if it is as simplistic as it sounds, it seems almost as unrealistic as Civ V fighting was. I understand that some people like employing the strategy required by the 1UPT game-play model but I didn't sign up to play chess and I personally would prefer a more realistic approach. I am not the only one with this opinion.*

The bottom line is that the task force approach is very true to life and task forces ("armies") in real life are made of multiple types of units and which units (and quantities) are included depend on the mission of the task force. This approach to creating armies/unit groups has already been done in at least one other 4X strategy game that I have played in the past.

*You only have to look at the numbers of people who played (and may still play) Civ IV instead of going on to Civ V to know that plenty of others agreed. (Civ IV views and community participation on this sight vastly outnumbered Civ V viewers and participants for several years). My point however is to bring together the best of both worlds in a way that isn't just illusory. The ONLY reason that I no longer play Civ IV is because the mod that I like to play (which made others considerably less rewarding) has outgrown the restrictions inherent in Civ IV (turns take waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tooooooooooooooo long on a single processing thread).

Thanks for the explanation. This is better than 1upt because of realism, I can sort of see that. But why is it better than getting rid of 1upt completely? Or just allowing each army to have a larger number of units (say, 15)? Is that also for realism's sake?

Well... for a few reasons.

A major complaint that people had against stacking (and FOR 1UPT) was the fact that it was possible to create HUGE stacks of 100's of units. This is also unrealistic to the opposite extreme. The basic idea behind my suggested version of a "task force" approach is that only one task force is permitted per plot. This will allow limited "stacking" of units (based on a realistic approach) while at the same time, limiting the number of units that can be "stacked", and still requiring a more strategic approach.

It would also make the AI much easier to compartmentalize.