What is the benefit of hexes over squares?

[TLF]

With hexes there are 6 movement choices.
With squares there are 8 because you can move off the corners.
So, aren't the hexes more limiting in movement choices, or am I missing something?

 

[Ogrelord]

didn't you get the memo? BEES took over Firaxis.

 

[Charybdis]

Something about how diagonal movement on a square board is stronger because it allows movement through both the x and y axis simultaneously.

A good example would be moving two diagonal up and right, and two diagonal down and right while sailing about. Same horizontal movement, but you got a lot of extra map exploration doing it (or doing 1 up/down for ships with only 1 visibility) so giving more return for essentially the same thing.

Hexagonal removes it, just creating essentially 3 lines of movement across a flat board, none stronger than the other.

 

[Mercade]

There are a multitude of threads about this: here, here, here, and various articles and interviews with lead designers.

 

[Black Gate]

It gets rid of always going the diagonal, as it is supposedly better (or faster). With hexes there are no shortcuts or quicker ways.

 

[demidyad]

It's more organic.

 

[DalekDavros]

On the contrary. Early units have 2 movement points now, so you end up with 36 potential moves per turn.

 

[Caeserportugal]

I personally prefer the hexes to the squares. Not only does it sounds better in the artistic approach but in terms of warfare it actually bring some new stretagys.

 

[allypower]

Hex: more consistency in distance. In square a diagonal move cost 1 move. A horizontal or vertical move also cost 1 move. This is a problem.

Now if you define a diagonal move as costing 2 moves then the square system there is only 4 adjacent squares instead of 8.

 

[smileylad]

"It's hip to be square" ~ Huey Lewis and The News

 

[Suho1004]

There is another advantage to hexes over squares. With squares, two tiles can be "adjacent," but you can still move between them. With hexes, however, this is impossible. This is best illustrated with mountains. With squares, you could have two mountains adjacent diagonally, but units could still pass diagonally between them.

Oh, and welcome back! I gather you've been away for a while.

 

[cr0ws]

didn't you get the memo? BEES took over Firaxis.

So where's the honey? Or did you mistake bees for wasps?

 

[Ramesses]

On the contrary. Early units have 2 movement points now, so you end up with 36 potential moves per turn.

18, actually. 6 on the inner ring, 12 on the outer ring.

 

[kozzer]

18, actually. 6 on the inner ring, 12 on the outer ring.

It is 36. Each movement point gives you 6 options, and there are two movement points, so it's 6 x 6 = 36. There are certainly less meaningful possible movement paths, but there are 36 options.

didn't you get the memo? BEES took over Firaxis.

Obligatory Simpsons reference: I, for one, welcome our new bee overlords.

HAIL BEES

 

[Dale]

Obligatory Simpsons reference: I, for one, welcome our new bee overlords.

HAIL BEES

Another obligatory Simpsons reference: Ahhh! Bees! Shoo, get off my sugar! OWWWW they're defending themselves somehow?

 

[kozzer]

Another obligatory Simpsons reference: Ahhh! Bees! Shoo, get off my sugar! OWWWW they're defending themselves somehow?

lol

 

[markieness]

It is 36. Each movement point gives you 6 options, and there are two movement points, so it's 6 x 6 = 36. There are certainly less meaningful possible movement paths, but there are 36 options.

It all depends if you count 2 different moves moving you to te same hex 'Different'

If so then youd have to add not moving as option 7*7 not 6*6

If not there's 18 choices of hex to end up on, not counting the one youre on

Not that it really matters.

 

[Caeserportugal]

Another obligatory Simpsons reference: Ahhh! Bees! Shoo, get off my sugar! OWWWW they're defending themselves somehow?

Nice to have you here on the forums Dale and by the way good joke.

 

[Jamuka]

Hexes allow for more tactical combat.

Imagine a situation where you had an archer and wanted to block an axeman. On a square grid, the axeman could simply go around. It wouldn't slow the axeman down at all.

But with a hex grid, it takes it an extra turn for the axeman to go around.

 

[Schuesseled]

Hexes allow for more tactical combat.

Imagine a situation where you had an archer and wanted to block an axeman. On a square grid, the axeman could simply go around. It wouldn't slow the axeman down at all.

But with a hex grid, it takes it an extra turn for the axeman to go around.

Not to mention in civ 5, that because of ZoC and faster based movement, what should have been one move turns into 4, and you get shot a lot.