Are pathfinders or scouts a too much threat for workers and settlers?

[myclan]

With 2 promotions, they can move 4 tiles per turn in desert/forest/jungle/tundra, and ignore ZOC. Which means easily to attack a worker or settler from a tile even out of sight. Will it be better to make a little restriction for them?
They are also the easiest to get XP for promotion in the early game. Great advantages compared to other units. Maybe we should forbid them from attacking other units?

 

[Tekamthi]

this has been an on-and-off discussion here for a while now. To catch you up, the community definitely agrees with the sentiment, we elected a proposal to fix this a few congress rounds ago, but the implementation for the chosen solution was not technically feasible upon closer investigation by the devs

imo defend only on recon will be too great a restriction; plus they could still capture civilians. For example, archer is defend-only in the same way you suggest (but with ranged attack, unlike recon), but it can still move onto and capture/destroy civilian units. Could be wrong but I don't think they can be blocked from moving onto civilians

 

[azum4roll]

I'd say that's what recon units are supposed to do in war, other than spotting and pillaging. During war, you should be extra cautious around rough terrains and always guard your valuable tiles and workers.

 

[myclan]

I'd say that's what recon units are supposed to do in war, other than spotting and pillaging. During war, you should be extra cautious around rough terrains and always guard your valuable tiles and workers.

I agree recon units should do that job. But in early game there are too few units to counter them, especially when they pick up a ruins and upgrade into a scout. I think Pathfinders and scouts should focus more on just exploring.

 

[andersw]

The real op part is when I snipe a city with a recon unit.

 

[stii]

I think you could solve it by just removing the ignores zone of control part. Generally a scout can run away pretty easily without it over any rough terrain. It just gives them a bit too much movement into enemy lands to pillage without much counter play

 

[Rekk]

Protect your civilians.

 

[stii]

I mean git gud is the solution to a lot of issues.

 

[Stalker0]

the issue remains that the AI is partially coded not to abuse this, but its a little weird. Sometimes the AI has easy access to workers, and won't take them, but other times they will move in aggressively and grab something.

The reality is, is the AI was REALLY using their recon units as they could people would be complaining a lot, because I do think its "impossible" to protect your workers fully without going into a completely defensive mindset. You just don't have the units to cover.

 

[Amask]

Exactly. It requires a disproportionate effort to fully protect yourself against a single unit. The only reason it's not a bigger issue is that the AI has no idea how to use them to their full potential.

 

[Delvemor]

A scout can easily capture one of your workers but the worker is easy to catch back after that, unless you don't have horses. And as other ppl said just defend your civilian units, don't expect them to be totally safe anywhere, spread out your units, protect your strategics too.

 

[Stalker0]

A scout can easily capture one of your workers but the worker is easy to catch back after that, unless you don't have horses. And as other ppl said just defend your civilian units, don't expect them to be totally safe anywhere, spread out your units, protect your strategics too.

also make more gold than your opponent, and out tech them as well.

I mean I hear what your saying, but its very difficult to have enough units to defend recon units and attack in the early game. One recon unit can just wreck havoc if your units are out of position

 

[azum4roll]

If needed, we can always give Pathfinders and Scouts half moves in enemy territory. That'll make them purely exploration units.

 

[myclan]

Exactly. It requires a disproportionate effort to fully protect yourself against a single unit. The only reason it's not a bigger issue is that the AI has no idea how to use them to their full potential.

Thanks to that, or we will really have a hard time even at Prince/King difficulty.

 

[CivilizationPlayer]

In real life (history), they were a threat indeed. I like that aspect in the game, to be able to harass the industry and civilians with your scouts.