I think war could be a lot more interesting, defensive strategy could be complex and satisfying, and defensive/peaceful/turtle approaches could be more competitive options if a few tweaks were made:
1. Allow units the movement benefits of roads even in enemy territory.
This may seem counter-intuitive, but it forces additional choices for the aggressor. Do I take a more measured approach and advance troops slowly in formation? Or do I strike quickly but sacrifice formation, flanking bonuses, terrain, GG proximity, etc.? Defensive troop positioning becomes more strategically powerful, as you attempt to direct aggressors to your battlefield of choice. The following tweaks will hopefully make this more clear / valid.
2. Forts get a ranged attack of 2 tiles.
This attack can be indirect, as long as a spotter has line of sight to the target. Ranged attack works whether or not the fort is occupied. Fortified defenders get a defensive bonus, but non-fortified units do not - choice as defender is additional firepower with a ranged unit or additional defense with a melee. Ranged units get a temporary indirect fire promotion while in the fort. Forts exert ZOC regardless of occupancy. As attacker, moving into a fort tile automatically pillages the fort and disables the attack and nullifies the ZOC.
3. Citadels get a more powerful ranged attack of 3 tiles.
Same mechanic as fort, but unlike other GP tile improvements, no strategic resources can be harvested (I don't any GP improvement should, tbh).
4. Booby Traps
A worker improvement that creates a chance of damaging an enemy unit that enters the tile. Traps are invisible to the attackers. Percent chance and damage scale with certain techs (e.g. the equivalent of a hole with pointy sticks in the Classical era, IEDs in Modern). Not sure if these should scale automatically upon research of given techs, or have to be upgraded. Planting a trap on a road tile provides a higher chance of success (e.g. 30% chance with no road, 50% chance with road). Regardless of whether a trap succeeds, it is pillaged upon hostile entrance, cancelling the opportunity until it is repaired. Citizens cannot work a tile with an active booby trap.
5. Guerrilla Promotions
Available for melee units only, and all benefits only apply in friendly territory. Guerrilla I camouflages fortified units in rough terrain, and grants 10% fortification defense in rough terrain. Guerrilla II extends the camouflage to movement in rough terrain, and the bonus to all combat in rough terrain (not just fortified defense). Guerrilla III extends the camouflage and combat bonuses to open terrain.
6. Great Wall
Road movement is not impacted by the Great Wall, except when crossing into or out of the owning Civ's territory. Instead of obsolescence upon the owning Civ's discovery of Dynamite, any Civ that has discovered Dynamite ignores the Great Wall's effect.
I think these changes would make defensive play more viable, and frankly more fun. Aggression currently is the most certain path to victory at all levels, and almost pigeon-holes you into playing one way - sure you can win peacefully but it's more difficult to succeed, and even if you are, many people find it monotonous and boring. I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, criticism, etc.
1. Allow units the movement benefits of roads even in enemy territory.
This may seem counter-intuitive, but it forces additional choices for the aggressor. Do I take a more measured approach and advance troops slowly in formation? Or do I strike quickly but sacrifice formation, flanking bonuses, terrain, GG proximity, etc.? Defensive troop positioning becomes more strategically powerful, as you attempt to direct aggressors to your battlefield of choice. The following tweaks will hopefully make this more clear / valid.
2. Forts get a ranged attack of 2 tiles.
This attack can be indirect, as long as a spotter has line of sight to the target. Ranged attack works whether or not the fort is occupied. Fortified defenders get a defensive bonus, but non-fortified units do not - choice as defender is additional firepower with a ranged unit or additional defense with a melee. Ranged units get a temporary indirect fire promotion while in the fort. Forts exert ZOC regardless of occupancy. As attacker, moving into a fort tile automatically pillages the fort and disables the attack and nullifies the ZOC.
3. Citadels get a more powerful ranged attack of 3 tiles.
Same mechanic as fort, but unlike other GP tile improvements, no strategic resources can be harvested (I don't any GP improvement should, tbh).
4. Booby Traps
A worker improvement that creates a chance of damaging an enemy unit that enters the tile. Traps are invisible to the attackers. Percent chance and damage scale with certain techs (e.g. the equivalent of a hole with pointy sticks in the Classical era, IEDs in Modern). Not sure if these should scale automatically upon research of given techs, or have to be upgraded. Planting a trap on a road tile provides a higher chance of success (e.g. 30% chance with no road, 50% chance with road). Regardless of whether a trap succeeds, it is pillaged upon hostile entrance, cancelling the opportunity until it is repaired. Citizens cannot work a tile with an active booby trap.
5. Guerrilla Promotions
Available for melee units only, and all benefits only apply in friendly territory. Guerrilla I camouflages fortified units in rough terrain, and grants 10% fortification defense in rough terrain. Guerrilla II extends the camouflage to movement in rough terrain, and the bonus to all combat in rough terrain (not just fortified defense). Guerrilla III extends the camouflage and combat bonuses to open terrain.
6. Great Wall
Road movement is not impacted by the Great Wall, except when crossing into or out of the owning Civ's territory. Instead of obsolescence upon the owning Civ's discovery of Dynamite, any Civ that has discovered Dynamite ignores the Great Wall's effect.
I think these changes would make defensive play more viable, and frankly more fun. Aggression currently is the most certain path to victory at all levels, and almost pigeon-holes you into playing one way - sure you can win peacefully but it's more difficult to succeed, and even if you are, many people find it monotonous and boring. I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, criticism, etc.
