Proposal:
- reset pathfinder and scout to base 2 moves
- free promo for pathfinders only
- lost on combat
- 1 free withdraw per turn
- ignore terrain cost
- kept on upgrade (...if not already lost via 1st combat)
everyone is in the mood for some recon changes, but this is a rebalance congress, and some of the other proposals may push the boundaries, requiring dll and/or numerous promo tree changes. The others' analysis is sound, and the proposed solutions may each have their merits, but those things should be considered next round alongside more full-fledged recon redesign proposals -- implementing caps now, or partial tree rebuilds, is premature when we don't know where the promo tree will fully settle, and what kind of new functionality might yet be implemented (xp pools, water/land xp splits, etc.)
With this change, we don't fix all that ails recon, but address its most glaring problems incrementally.
This is a redux of the "core0" and "core1" components of my "Recon Pay Terrain Cost" mod collection, and
can be test-driven here,
and here. (note that mod functionality is slightly different than the proposal)
edit: amended out the ignoreFrom -- we can consider it separately in 9-74; added start balance promo to pathfinder
edit 2: links to other 9-42's per MAGI instruction
I’m surprised there hasn’t been a proposal focusing on the recon line yet, so I’ll make one.
Motivation: As anyone who lurks in the community probably knows, superscouts—scouts that gain many promotions from early exploration, especially Survivalism III and Trailblazer III—are a problem. A properly promoted superscout can ignore terrain costs and ZoC, use enemy roads, reach 5 movement (with Scouting II), heal every turn, and stack substantial defensive bonuses.
On standard speed, it’s possible to get a superscout with some of these promotions by the Classical era, or even earlier...
Here we go. It's the big one.
Motivation:
In previous versions of VP scouting class units have changed a lot in an attempt to find their best design.
Currently Scouts have 3 Moves base and learn to ignore terrain costs by their promotions.
There are various opinions on this, and I expect several counterproposals.
My personal opinion is based mainly on the "super scout" phenomenon, whereby your starting (and sometimes second) Pathfinder get so many promotions, so fast, that they reach levels like 7 or 8 before your first war, effectively gaining Trailblazer III and Survivalism III and...
Counterproposal to
proposal 9-42.
Motivation :
Same as base proposal : Super-scout are too strong, and should be limited.
Proposal :
Scout experience gain from exploration is limited to max 60XP (standard speed).
Rational :
This would ensure that you cannot get a super-scout without fighting AI opponents, and make the early promotion pick very important, as you are no longer almost guaranteed to get all of them with your starting scout.
This also have the merit of making the XP gain very transparent compared to proposal 42, where the XP gain is lowered with each...
Motivation
The current proposals on this topic have either involved flat nerfs to recon units, or changes that would nerf their early movement/scouting. I'm of the opinion that so-called "super scouts", while not ideal, are currently a crutch that enables early-game exploration, and would not be a fan of changes that would either nerf them or recon units in general without compensation to early game exploration speed.
Hence, I am making this counter-proposal as a way of reducing their impact in early-game wars, while leaving their exploration abilities intact.
I wouldn't mind...
