Airships in middle ages???

[Rusty Edge]

My present thinking on airships is-

Physics enables observation baloons, which provide a yellow zone around th city or fort.
This advance warning neutralizes enemy first strikes within the zone.

Physics plus Combustion enables Airships. I think they should be more of an inaccurate psychological weapon.They retain the baloon features and airship features, but there is only a chance of them doing damage. They also cause additional unhappiness or unrest in cities they attack. I think I'd reduce the limit to one per base.

Combustion and Flight would enable biplanes.Require Oil. Biplanes could counter airships.
4 per base. They wouldn't have the first strike negation,.

It would require Combustion, Flight, and Assembly Lines to produce the Fighters we now have , still requiring Oil and Aluminum.

 

[Mik1984]

Not too much units on a too short period of time?

 

[Rusty Edge]

Not too much units on a too short period of time?

Like everything else, it depends. I play Huge/Marathon and I find a use for musketmen.

That's just my take on making things more historical and less silly/annoying in civ terms.

While I'm thinking about it, biplanes should be the ones to recon a particular square, and airships the ones to provide a zone around a city

I guess for gameplay, what I really want is more turns during wartime as regards unit movement, relative to research, building, terrain improving, etc.

For example, if Napoleon invaded me and declares war, I could move my units in response, which would end a subturn, call it spring . He'd move, I'd move-summer, again- fall, and on the last subturn -winter the hammers, flasks, etc. would be added to production, research, the workers would move, etc . and the rest of the peaceful civs would have their normal turns.

Maybe a more practical solution is to raise the cost of Airships, or limit them to one per city , or something.

To me the biggest oddity is a civ with caravels and Airship spam going after pirates and frigates.

 

[Mik1984]

I've downloaded a nice bi-plane graphic now, so it seems airships will finally get removed from my game.

 

[a4phantom]

I think he wanted to use manpower. The only trouble is that converting any physical motion to generate enough energy for reasonable flight is...difficult.

The crew are all pushing pedals on a long bicycle chain that turns the fan.

 

[Mik1984]

The crew are all pushing pedals on a long bicycle chain that turns the fan.

And a groundhog packs the chocolate in the slivers...

 

[Mik1984]

I have a better idea. Airships would have the 4 and no bonus vs. ships, however they would have a chance of bombarding tile improvements -5% turn.Req. Comb&Phys. Upgrade to bomber.
However a new unit of bi-plane would be introduced. :Strength: 8, 5. Cannot bombard, but can attack units. Chance of interception 40%. Req. Flight.
Fighters&Bombers now require Industrialism. Industrialism more expensive as a tech.
PS It would be better if a new tech could be introduced "Areodynamics" which req. Flight and Industrialism and it would be the prerequisite for fighters and bombers.

 

[Mik1984]

Since probably someone is going to start a new "are airships too early thread" in any moment now to futilely speak about stuff which has already been said here(but there is really not much to add about it here, so nobody posts)I would like this thread to hang around a while longer, so that more people can read it.

BUMP

 

[Captain Crunch]

I concur with the historical inaccuracy of the airship. With the current gameplay the unit is probably as effective as a fighter which is not right.

 

[Jolly Rogerer]

The airship should be axed. Though there were both observation balloons and airships, neither platform had such an effect on warfare that they deserve their own unit. Of the two the observation balloon was the more influential.

It's too bad that the game system pretends that we are playing some sort of tactical game at all. Units on the strategic map should be combined arms forces for land, and task forces for air and naval.

 

[a4phantom]

If some hypothetical dork with no knowledge of or instinct for computer code wanted to change the tech requirement from Physics to, say, Combustion, how would our imaginary friend theoretically go about doing this in easy-to-understand steps? I imagine this fellow, if he existed, would really miss the easy customization of Civ3.

 

[Elkad]

So yesterday I'm playing a medium&small map. I end up in what should be a pretty equal frigatewar, but my AI opponent is spamming 10xp frigates. I pop physics and go to build airships, thinking they will save me.

Except I'd modded my Airships to require Physics+Steam after reading this thread, and then promptly forgot about it.

 

[Inky]

The Crossroads Of The World scenario handles airships differently. Though it has the same tech requirements, instead of bombarding units it can only bombard city defenses. And that, at only 2%. The things are primarily recon, which they do well, with a small value as "air support" for artillery.

Maybe the AI gets a bit more use of the airships as early tactical bombers, but it doesn't make a lot of sense historically. Whereas even balloons with small bombs could do something against immobile city targets.

 

[Mik1984]

And that, at only 2%. The things are primarily recon, which they do well, with a small value as "air support" for artillery.

What's the "air support" value? How to mod this value in?

 

[Inky]

What's the "air support" value? How to mod this value in?

I meant that they can bombard city defenses, just like other aircraft. Otherwise, preflight all you have are cannons and artillery. Airships as a small boost to that can help, to soften up a city before you can move artillery up to attack.

 

[Wolfshanze]

If some hypothetical dork with no knowledge of or instinct for computer code wanted to change the tech requirement from Physics to, say, Combustion, how would our imaginary friend theoretically go about doing this in easy-to-understand steps? I imagine this fellow, if he existed, would really miss the easy customization of Civ3.

Already done... check the Wolfshanze Mod... Airships come when they should historically (NOT in the middle ages)... WWI fighters and bombers are in the game... as-are WWII fighters and bombers.

Here's some Polish Biplanes flying patrol over a city...

Here's some custom Modern Generals too...

I already took care of these things in the mod... so if you want realistic Airships, WWI units, and some improved graphics, just try the mod... if you don't like it, don't use it... but it's a free download (check my signature line).