Add 'Attack Invisible' unit ability? Discuss pros and cons.

[yoshi]

Units with this ability selected cannot attack units with the 'Invisible' ability selected (e.g. Ironclads would not have this ability therefore cannot attack subs --logical, no?).


Pros:

Limits ability of non-ASW units (i.e. not Destroyers, Cruisers, Submarines, Nuclear Submarines) thus making units with this ability (like Destroyers) more useful and unique. Would also give subs a more unique role than just being a missle-carrying invisible unit (i.e. as long as there are not ASW units about, subs can rule the seas thus making them far more strategic unit).

A positive side effect is that you could use this flag for modding purposes (e.g. only snipers can attack invisible snipers?).

Cons:

Human player could exploit this by blocking cities of an enemy civ without the tech necessary to build ASW units ad infinitum thus preventuing that civ from moving ships out.

 

[Do_Sa_Nim]

Its interesting. It would make destroyers a lot becuase the only reason i build them now is for their long range. Subs aren't all that good right now, but they would be a lot better with this Invisible unit thing. I also think subs should have an underwater and surface setting. Underwater they can luanch missles and move faster, but they would have to surface to attack ships. Nuclear subs could attack from underwater, so they would be much better (instead of just another movement point and nuke carrying capabilities). Nuclear subs should also be able to carry cruise missles, mabye two of them.

 

[yoshi]

I've thought about ways of distinguishing between diesil subs and nuclear subs. The simplest way would probably be to use flags (i.e. flag allows attacking of flag). In the vanilla game, it doesn't seem that important. In a WW2 scen for instance, you could just give certain aircraft the ability to attack subs (i.e. u-boats had to travel on the surface--where they could be detected--and could only operate submerged for limited periods of time). Just giving the Nuclear Sumbarine a higher defence value shoud be enough for the purposes of the vanilla game (i.e. to make sure air units don't bombard it to destruction).