Brainstorming: Modern Infantry

[Lord Shadow]

Hey guys. Just have an idea brewing in mind, and I'm looking for some input.

The Mechanized Infantry unit has a couple of cool-looking modern infantrymen flanking the main APC/IFV unit. Ever since Civ3 I've wanted the late game military not to lose its humanity and become entirely vehicle-based. Civ6 does the job, partially, with the inclusion of Modern AT, Spec Ops and the presence of those two guys in the Mech Inf formation.

But I feel it's not enough. I'm thinking about making a Modern Infantry unit, taking those guys and making a full formation with them. Thing is, it'd be a second Melee unit in the Modern Era, butting into the Mech-Armor-AT triad. So the question is how to make it worthy and distinct.

The first thing that comes to mind is making it resource-free, cheaper and weaker than Mechanized Infantry, but is that enough? I don't want it to be just a poor man's version of its mostly wheeled counterpart. It'll probably be slower than the latter, too, so it really needs some twist: perhaps increased Strength fighting in rough terrain (Hills, Woods, Rainforest), enough to make it equivalent in those optimal conditions? And/or maybe make it paradrop-capable, assuming I can fiddle with the Spec Ops animation and mix it with the Modern Infantry model?

What are your thoughts?

 

[Wolfdog]

I have agonised over this question with my WE:CE mod. The only thing I came up with and although not entirety accurate was to move the Mechanised Infantry to the light cavalry line and added Modern Infantry to the melee line. I also moved the Helicopter to the anti cavalry line to make room for it.

In your case we have access to the para drop animations now so maybe make it a paratrooper. You could even make it Air Assault and get extra moves when near a Helicopter or something. Possibly give it a defensive bonuses as well.

 

[Lord Shadow]

It's ready, but I'm missing a portrait since the Asset Previewer broke during the last SDK update. Attachments aren't showing.

MODERN INFANTRY
Unit
Promotion Class: Recon
Base Cost: 620 Production
Maintenance: 7 Gold
Required Tech: Synthetic Materials

Atomic era melee unit. +5 Combat Strength in Hills, Woods and Rainforest terrain.

Melee Strength: 80
Movement: 3

MISC CHANGES
- Mechanized Infantry Movement increased, from 3 to 4.

• It's a Recon/Melee hybrid, since I figured the extra mobility in rough terrain would make sense. The +20 Combat Strength Ambush promotion might be OP, though. Wish I could forbid/replace it somehow.
  
• Maintenance is on par with Atomic era units, 1 less than Information era units.
  
• With Synthetic Materials, it's unlocked alongside the Helicopter, on the cusp of the next era.
  
• Production-wise, it's between Modern AT (+40) and the Helicopter (+20), and Mechanized Infantry (-30).
• Mechanized Infantry gets a movement buff so it can keep up with tanks (that's the idea of the general concept, after all), and to set it further apart from regular Modern Infantry.

 

[Lord Shadow]

Might be too exceptional for a single unit (so far), but I came up with a hybrid promotion class to work around the Ambush incompatibility and then some.

Ambush itself is replaced by Hardened, which provides half the bonus (+10 instead of +20). It overwrites Zweihander, removing a further edge against anti-cavalry. Similarly, Ranger and Alpine step on Battlecry and Tortoise. Overall, the result is a somewhat lighter, more mobile melee unit.

Screenshot attached!

 

[Patine]

Might be too exceptional for a single unit (so far), but I came up with a hybrid promotion class to work around the Ambush incompatibility and then some.

Ambush itself is replaced by Hardened, which provides half the bonus (+10 instead of +20). It overwrites Zweihander, removing a further edge against anti-cavalry. Similarly, Ranger and Alpine step on Battlecry and Tortoise. Overall, the result is a somewhat lighter, more mobile melee unit.

Screenshot attached!

It may be gilding the lily, but what about organic artillery, both land and AA? Even Third World Armies and militias often have the latter now, as Stingers, Strelas, and Iglas/Verbas are ubiquitous around the world's warzones in the modern era.

 

[Lord Shadow]

It may be gilding the lily, but what about organic artillery, both land and AA? Even Third World Armies and militias often have the latter now, as Stingers, Strelas, and Iglas/Verbas are ubiquitous around the world's warzones in the modern era.

Giving it a ranged attack and air defense, GFX challenges aside, would probably make the unit far too versatile.

I've attached a shot of the Civilopedia entre. I think I've finally produced an icon I'm satisfied with, and one which looks decent and recognizable on the unit flag itself.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

It's ready, but I'm missing a portrait since the Asset Previewer broke during the last SDK update. Attachments aren't showing.

MODERN INFANTRY
Unit
Promotion Class: Recon
Base Cost: 620 Production
Maintenance: 7 Gold
Required Tech: Synthetic Materials

Atomic era melee unit. +5 Combat Strength in Hills, Woods and Rainforest terrain.

Melee Strength: 80
Movement: 3

MISC CHANGES
- Mechanized Infantry Movement increased, from 3 to 4.

• It's a Recon/Melee hybrid, since I figured the extra mobility in rough terrain would make sense. The +20 Combat Strength Ambush promotion might be OP, though. Wish I could forbid/replace it somehow.
  
• Maintenance is on par with Atomic era units, 1 less than Information era units.
  
• With Synthetic Materials, it's unlocked alongside the Helicopter, on the cusp of the next era.
  
• Production-wise, it's between Modern AT (+40) and the Helicopter (+20), and Mechanized Infantry (-30).
• Mechanized Infantry gets a movement buff so it can keep up with tanks (that's the idea of the general concept, after all), and to set it further apart from regular Modern Infantry.

Nice profile.
Similarly my Big Mod (First version is coming soon, i'm working on this unit now) will include similar unit dubbed 'Assault Infantry' (True WW2-Cold War Infantry with assault rifles, I already have StG44 asset which downloaded from Civfanatics and both M1 Carbine and StG 44 will be their weapon) with Modern Inf asset animation rigged to standard infantry. (and they're something between Inf and Mech Inf). Mine still retains a movement of 2
What's the point giving Modern Inf a movement points of 3 rather than 2? I'm still agree to Mech Inf movement points of 4, but my plan also included a superior option for Assault Infantry-- Mobile Infantry (yet i still need a model of Halftrack or armed truck with cover closed), which requires oil (while Assault Inf doesn't need strategic resources)

Still, broken Asset Previewer still annoys me and this prevents me from making new unit portraits except those came in one piece with no extra attachments.

 

[Lord Shadow]

What's the point giving Modern Inf a movement points of 3 rather than 2?

Being almost an Information era unit, it coexists and needs to be on par with Modern AT, which has 3 movement points. It can be safely assumed the increase represents the generalized motorisation of modern infantry units. Aside from maybe airborne units, pure light infantry doesn't really exist anymore.

Still, broken Asset Previewer still annoys me and this prevents me from making new unit portraits except those came in one piece with no extra attachments.

Amen. That's really a critical blow to us unit modders.

 

[Wolfdog]

(yet i still need a model of Halftrack or armed truck with cover closed), which requires oil (while Assault Inf doesn't need strategic resources)

I have Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack model that I made for my Warfare Expanded mod that you can use if you like.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Yes but I wants ones with covered top and turreted MGs instead of Panzergrenadier MG gunner

 

[Deliverator]

Yes but I wants ones with covered top and turreted MGs instead of Panzergrenadier MG gunner

There are so many Sd.Kfz designations even for half-tracks that you might need to be more specific...

 

[Jarms48]

Maybe something like:
- Replace Mech Infantry with Modern Infantry.
- Replace Helicopters in the Light Cav line with Mech Infantry.
- Make Helicopters a unique air unit. That can end its turn over land, over coast/oceans (maybe at a HP cost) and can embark in carriers.

Just some brainstorming.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

I might agree with it. but in this context Firaxis viewed Helicopters as Air Cav thing.