Design a Unit 3 Contest

[Kael]

For a little fun we are going to have a design a unit contest.

The Rules:

1. Each participant can submit 1 and only 1 unit. We mean it, we don't want "either of these are fine", "here are a handful of ideas", or "here is my very favorite, filtered down, cream of the crop 347 pages of unit ideas".

2. This contest isn't for heroes. This is only for a non-unique unit.

3. The unit must belong to one of the civs focused on in "Shadow": Balseraphs, Sidar, Svartalfar or Malakim.

4. Make sure your ideas are unique before submitting it (your idea may be excellent, but if it is already done somewhere else you won't win).

5. Bonus points given to non-uber units. We already have the top of the power curve detailed out (I know those units are the most fun to make) what is more difficult to design is making the early and mid-game units interesting.

6. Backgrounds or writeups aren't nessesary but a good name is.

7. Please keep your responses to this thread down to 1 post for each entry (and therefor 1 post for each person). Create a new thread if you want to chat about the contest.

8. While we are accepting sumissions you are free to change your entry if you have a new idea.

9. FfH team members can't enter. (this means you Woodelf!)

10. It must us an existing model. We can't commit to modeling and animating a new unit right now, so please dont purpose anything that requires a new model.

The contest starts right now and we will be accepting submissions until November 30th at 6pm EST (Eastern Standard Time).


Judging:

After 6pm each member of the FfH team will have a few days to pick their favorite unit. I will add all of the selected units to a poll for public voting for a few days. At the end of that poll the unit with the highest votes wins!


The Reward:

Your unit will appear in FfH2! Thats right, we have taken stealing ideas to a whole new level by asking you to compete for the right to have your ideas stolen! You can supply the pedia entry for the unit if you like or we will write it based on your description.

Civilization Design Information:

Malakim- Desert nomads and religious fanatics. Once a loose collection of tribes currently united by Varn Gosam, a priest of Lugas. Their design principle is the Sun, meaning revelation, truth and wisdom. Their totem animal is the lion and the reflect the lions pack nature, ferocity and dominance in their environment. Their color is gold. Lugus is their patron god and Baelious ("fortune") is the archangel of Lugas.

Be careful to differentiate them from the Bannor, who are also religious warriors. The distinction should be that where the Bannor are strong defender and rely heavily on the ability to maintain larger empires and stronger military (at least defensive) units the Malakim's focus are more on true religious units, disciples and special powers over raw force.

Balseraphs- The insane. Not much to go on in design priciples here, just about anything is allowed. If we have an idea we love and no place to put it it usually goes to the Balseraphs. Their design principle is the Mind, in practice this means maddness. What shouldn't be allowed is available to them and their greatest curse can be their greatest benifit, randomness. Their patron god is Mammon the god of greed and excess, and his archangel is Hastur the Lord of Nightmares.

Sidar- Shades, men who have traded portions of their soul for immortality, the Grey are detached from the events of the world. Only intervening to protect themselves or striking out to destroy undead (they see undeads as abberations despite their own use of magic to extend their life). Their design aspect is death, they revere Arawn as their patron god but Arawn doesn't pay any attention to them. Gyra (Arawn's archangel) has interceeded on their behalf but only in minor ways (keeping her brother from destroying them, sending of Benu, escape from Laroth).

Invisibility is the chief power of the Sidar, the ability to remain outside of notice or to hide information. They are not strong militarily (their empire strength is in their specialists) but should have units that support their disspearence motif. Design similarities will be difficult with the Svartalfar, who principle is deception, not dissapearence.

Svartalfar- With their prayers unanswered (when Sucellus died) bands of elves abandoned their faith and began worshipping Esus instead. This caused a bloody civil war within the elven nation during a time when their numbers were already hard hit. The Age of Ice stopped the war by default as bands were seperated by expanses they couldn't cross. Now that the Age of Ice is over they are free to reach out and begin their war anew. Their patron diety is Esus and his archangel is Iaegus.

The design principle of the Svartalfar is shadow, meaning deception, illusion and obscurement. Remember that the Svartalfar were the Winter Court of the elven nation during the Age of Magic, faeries that danced under the stars, played pranks and caused mischief. But those simple days are gone and those pranks have become lethal.

 

[Psychic_Llamas]

Sidar: Enaid (Recon)

the name is the welsh word for soul, and my thoughts about this unit are that they are souls that have been able to bind to the living world but still have a foot hold in the world of the dead, and so they are still able to shift between the worlds of the dead and the living.

acts as a second Scout. does not replace scout.

25
1
2

starting promotions:
-invisible
-hidden nationality
-immunity to physical and unholy Damage (if new damage types are added, like 'light' or 'shadow' damage, then they are also immune to Shadow damage)
- +100% damage from Death and Holy damage (if new damage types are added, like 'light' or 'shadow' damage, then they are also vulnerable to light damage)
- -100% city defence
-'Walk between worlds'
--- a new spell effect which grants the new promotion 'Ethereal' or 'incorporeal' that grants +1, -1, adds the 'run away!' mechanism so they do not become an invincible city defenders (Thanks to [NWO] Valis for that last bit ).
symbolises their phasing out of this existance and into the parallel world of the dead, making them unable to attack enemy units, but also making enemies unable to attack them. however due to the difference in the way time works in both worlds they are able to traverse the globe faster than normal granting the mextra speed.

 

[Love]

Refugee or Populator

• 
  0
  0
  2

This can use a settler skin.

These little fellas is actually two different units. But with the same stat. One of these represents a Population point. Then they use the poulate option similar to the Manes option in a city, which represent them. They can be builded in two ways. One way for each unit. The first is the Refugee.

Refugee

These guys have a chance, if a city is razed or captured, they have a chance to be builded. The chance is a percentage with the population. Like for say, if there is a city with 20 population, the max units who can be builded is 10. (The half) Then if its a 2 population city, the max is 1. If it is a 1 population city, none of them can refuge. Ofcourse, you can't capture them, since it would ruin gameplay.

I'm too stupid to count out a actual chance.

The it is the

Populator (or something else, couldnt figure out another name )

They have an option in the city screen bar, which says "Establish a populator" or something.

Then the city lose a population and you have a populator. This is a brilliant thing to do when you want your cities to grow fast when having a huge capital... This can only be done once a turn/ city.


Bye, hope you like 'em.

 

[Shadius]

Carnival of Torment

The crowd cheered as the stagehands, dressed in gaudy yellows and blood-bright reds and bearing wooden masks adorned with obscene mad grins dragged in the screaming performers. During the first few performances of this kind, the victims had been either gagged or had their mouths sewn shut, but King Perpentach had soon decided that he preferred the sounds of terror echoing trough the theater halls to mute agony.

Today’s performers were Luchuirp - enemy combatants who had been unfortunate enough to have been captured by ruthless Task Master rather than killed outright. The crowds of the Balseraph cities had always possessed a particular love for Luchuirp and Khazad blood. Perhaps it was due to the century-long enmity between their respective nations, but more likely it was because they were a hardy folk. They suffered so very long before their final shrieks of pain left their tormented bodies, driving the audience to unparalleled heights of bloodlust.

In a way, these few who were to be sacrificed to the growing blood-hunger of the Balseraph people were the lucky ones. Many of their compatriots were fated to become more permanent attractions of the Carnival of Torment, such as the famous Inverted Orc, who had his chest sliced open and his organs put on display for hours on end at every city the carnival passed. After each macabre performance, the company's mages would restore him to perfect health - ready to endure another agonizing show the following morning.

The crowd roared deafeningly as the Master Tormenter raised his blunted ceremonial knife, dripping with painful but non-lethal venom. Most disturbing of all was the chuckling of the Laughing Man himself, seated upon the dais and dancing as he giddily anticipated the upcoming debauchery. Perpentach never missed a show if he could help it, and whenever he was present, the crowd's thirst for blood seemed to double in intensity. It was as if they breathed in their King's insanity and cruelty as they would a drug, growing ever more addicted to the degenerate, decadent entertainments which he had to offer.

• Balseraph Unique Unit.
• Requires a Theater to build.
• 2 , 0/4
• Carry capacity: 3 (may only transport slave units)
• +1 and +2 in the city where the Carnival of Torment is currently stationed for each slave carried.
• Begins with the "Frightening" promotion.

This unit would probably use the Gypsy Wagon model. I confess I'm not sure about the specific stats of the units - I'm a role player sooner than a strategy gamer, I fear. There's also the fact that the Balseraph already have a leg-up in the Culture and Happiness department, which may or may not make this unit obsolete. I haven't really played with them enough to be a fair judge. If anyone has any thoughts as to what other bonuses this unit could grant (XP for certain units, maybe? You'd probably learn a whole lot about how to hurt mortals from watching these shows), then feel free to share.

The bonus culture might also be a pretty cheap way of raising the culture of starting cities. If this is undesired, maybe the effects should only work in cities that have Carnivals.

((EDIT: Perhaps a free "bloodlust" promotion comparable to the "Offensive" promotion found in some mods (minor strength bonus when attacking) would be a suitable alternate effect))

 

[formless blob]

Malakim Nomads:

Like a settler, but it dismantles the entire city, allowing it to be moved to another place. When the Nomad unit settles on a new spot, all buildings are recreated and all population and culture is restored. Basically everything is just moved.

All stats, cost and requirement the same as the settler unit.

This may pose a problem for the AI, but it would be a cool toy to play with.

 

[it-ogo]

The Restless
Sidar UU

0/0
1

Unit can not be built. Arises whenever Sidar living non-immortal unit is defeated. Ignores terrain movement cost. Can explore rival territory. Water walking. Can pass unpassable terrain. Completely invisable to everyone but owner. Can share tile with enemy units. Can be sacrificed to increase the population in Sidar city.

Model: Djinn

 

[Keilden]

Sidar: Shade
45
3
3
Invisible
Tech: Ethereal Call

A Sidar who refuses to die even after his body has been destroyed. This unit can't be built but everytime a Sidar unit dies after Ethereal Call has been reaserched has a 10% chance to become a shade.

 

[Dogfax]

how about a national unit (1 or 2 allowed) that can go out and creat a city island in the ocean. This will terraform the tile you create your city on into a hill tile but keep the rest of the squares as sea/ocean tiles. To stop this being used as a "make a base right next to your enemy" unit, could it be coded to act like an aircraft unit?? ie so its stays in the created city (perhaps permantly fortified or so it loses all it movement) thus counting against it limit (if it disappeared as a settler then I guees the limit would drop) and be made to have a range like the Hawk has for example??

That way you could have a cance to create a unique ocean city or two but be forced to keep them in your close borders.

Any sort of model could be used for this, perhaps some sort of mage/octopus overloads unit?

 

[zxcvbnm]

Sidar: (whatever, shade was already taken)
This is more a mechanic than a single unit

Invisible (in unimproved tiles?), can be seen by units in same tile, can explore enemy territory if not seen
- because the sidar are half-ghosts this allows them to pass some lands unnoticed
- might consider this as a mechanic for all sidar human units

- because sidar are stronger than mortals but far less numerous these are single unit units (ie. shows as only one compared to three unit Xs of other civs)

 

[Ambreville]

Malakim's Travel Djinni

Originally, I had meant this to be a magical flying carpet (the Travel Kilim), but it would require a new graphic model. So my carpet has mutated into a Djinni.

• 100
  
• 0/0
  
• 10
  
• Tech/Mana: Requires Air Mana

Movement: The djinni provides fast transportation for special units (any disciple, adept, or unmounted hero). It cannot carry normal combat units or non-living machinery. Although it must have a passenger in order to move, it functions like a standard air unit in BtS.

Combat: The travel djinni relies exclusively on its passenger's combat stats. It can handle rebasing, recon, air strike, and air intercept missions (no bombing missions). Other air units (if others existed in this mod), could "intercept" the djinni while it flies over their city. If defeated either as the result of an enemy interception or a failed air strike, the passenger unit is destroyed and the djinni is captured (or high odds of such happening).

Limits: Malakim would not be able to maintain more than 3 of these at any time (does this still qualify as a "non-unique" unit?)

 

[the_fish]

Svartalfar Blood Hawk
(replaces Raven, uses slightly reskinned Hawk (darker))

as Hawk, but can also:
A) intercept other fliers (%50 chance)
B) strafe (harry) stacks for minor amounts of damage at range

The idea is that Svartalfar recon can use birds of prey to weaken enemies at range, and close for the kill. The intercepting feature also allows them to take down enemy hawks trying to scout their territory.

To balance this, it'd probably need to cost a bit more (+%50?). Also, all units on the archery line should be able to defend against strafing in a similar manner to SAM infantry, if this is at all feasible to add.

Ideally this'd be some sort of drake/drakeling, but of course I'm limited by #10.

 

[thomas.berubeg]

phantom (replaces shadow/assassin)
Sidar

promotions: invisible, phantom

when the phantom wins a battle against a living creature, it gains strength, which it slowly loses until it wins another combat again. (also has a 1% chance of turning barbarien when outside cultural borders) a unit killed by a phantom is not resurected as a mane or angel.

Nobody know what phantoms come from, from what unlucky magical accident the spawned. all that is known as that they exist... hordes of spectres, floating silent through the trees, masked in fog. they descend on their victims, and when they are done, all that is left behind is an empty shell, living, but devoid of it's soul.

uses a darker spectre skin


(contrary to what may be thought, i did not rip this from Rowling's dementors


only from pillip pullman's spectres

 

[westamastaflash]

Svartalfar

Sniper (replaces Crossbow), Requires Deception & Archery

120
6 / 4
2

1 First Strikes
Starts with Drill I & II
+25% vs. Melee Units
+25% vs. Mounted Units

 

[BeefontheBone]

Balseraph: Protean

Replaces Maceman. Slightly more expensive. Lower Str, 10 or 15% withdrawal chance, plus starts with a new promotion - Mutative (or similar).

The Mutative promotion (which could also be gained randomly through mutation on other non-hero units) has a disease-like/collateral damage-type effect when the unit attacks, having a chance to cause mutations in the defending stack. Would generally be negative, but would occasionally be beneficial.

 

[Rex rgis of Ter]

Luminarium

Civilization- Malakim

Replaces Conjurer

Stats
240
2
1

Strategy- Can see invisible units. 2 less then normal Conjurerers. Can cast the Whitefire spell (Nomad+Summoning=Whitefire).

History- The Luminarium controls the element of the sun. Their spells reveal enemy spies and shadows. Their summons are imbued with light magic, gifting them great power against the dark. The order of Luminariums originated as disciples of Lugus, but slowly evolved to a more arcane, less spiritual order.

Strategy- The Luminarium are excellent counters to the undead and unholy units of the Ashen Veil. These units should always be kept along for a crusade against unholy enemy empires.

Model- Can use a summoner model ,or a lightbringer model.

 

[Cadaveres]

Sidar - Will-o'-the-wisp

• Recon unit
• 90
• 0 (cannot attack)
• 3 (can pass through ANY terrain, including mountains and oceans)
• Technology: Deception
• National Unit, only 3 of them allowed at a time.
• Invisible
• Can detect invisible units in nearby tiles
• Can undertake espionage missions
• Promotions: Sentry, Dimensional I (Escape), Mind I (Charm)
• Confusion: Units in the same tile than a Will-o'-the-wisp get: -30% strength if the tile is ocean, hell, forest or jungle, -20% if the tile is not any of the previous but there is no improvement nor city on it and -10% strength on improved or city tiles (resembling that their confusion power is greater in dark areas)
• Model: Can use fireball model (changing the colors to bluish and increasing alpha channel/transparency)

Description:
"Wanderers of unknown paths, the Will-o'-the-wisps are mysterious even among the Sidar. Those who say that they have seen one will tell that a Will-o'-the-wisp resembles a faint flickering blue flame, but they banish so fast that nobody can really know their real aspect. They are like that dream you do not remember when you wake up, like that object you think you are forgetting but you don't know what it is, like that feeling you have on your back when you think that somebody is staring at you. Masters of distraction and deception, they take advantage of dusk, night and darkness to confuse travelers and peasants by resembling candles and leading them through dangerous paths, but even in light they can be mischievous"

Strategy:
The idea is that a will-o'-the-wisp is a powered spy. The confusion ability and the charm person spell can really help in combat, while the ability to pass any terrain plus the escape spell give them great versatility as recon units. Furthermore, they can undertake espionage missions, as normal spies.

 

[3voices]

Ball of Confusion

this chaotic cloud is a Balseraph unit granted free with Deception in the city of Jubilee. invisible to most units like a shadow (can be seen by birds, floating eye, etc.). will not cause war when entering rival territory. can’t attack or be attacked.

when the Ball of Confusion comes in contact with other civilations’ units they scatter. Specifically, all units level 4 and below will move their complete movement in a random direction away from the cloud (movement will not cross a rival boundary if it would cause war). units level 5 and above have a 50% chance to resist. does not affect birds, floating eye, etc. units that are able to see the cloud. contact is defined as the Ball of Confusion unit plus its 8 surrounding tiles. does not affect Balseraph units.

movement:
• 2 per turn
• moves across bodies of water
• Balseraph player chooses initial direction of movement
• Thereafter, movement is AI controlled:

40% chance to continue in current direction​

15% chance to deviate 45 degrees right, 15% chance to deviate 45 degrees left​

10% chance to deviate 90 degrees right, 10% chance to deviate 90 degrees left​

4% chance to deviate 135 degrees right, 4% chance to deviate 135 degrees left​

2% chance to deviate 180 degrees​

• If playing on a map with “edges”, will bounces off edge and continue in opposite angle from which it hit

can use a modified water elemental graphic model.

 

[mindlar]

Civilization- Svartalfar

Spider Wrangler

Replaces scout

+50% attack vs spiders. Immune to poison. Can capture spiders without the animal handling promotion.

Svartlafar spider wranglers are the primary source of spiders for their cities. They have been taught to track the spiders back to their lairs to capture them and return them to support their citites.

Gameplay: The spider wranglers will give the svartlarfar a slight advantage towards capturing some early spiders. Spiders being the hunters that they are will still eat many spider wranglers that get caught unaware. The poison immunity at the point of the game where the wranglers are in play only gives them an edge against spiders.

 

[GeeJo]

Civilisation: Sidar

Shadowcloak (replaces Assassin), Requires Poisons

120
3 / 2 (+1 Poison)

1 First Strikes
Starts with Marksman
Can see hidden animals
Cannot Pillage.
Immune to First Strikes.
City Attack/Defense Modifier: (-25%/-25%).
+35% Withdrawal Chance

(For those who don't fancy comparing the two, the unit has a decreased city modifier and a withdrawal chance, representing the higher degree of stealth afforded by the Sidar's nature.)

 

[Grey Fox]

Svartalfar Huntress (or something better)(replaces Pikeman)
Belonging to an all-female warrior society (clan, whatever. Your writers can probably think up something that fits with the Svartalfar), the svartalfar girls that are chosen at the age of six for the intense training to become a huntress, not only require excellent physical potential, but also a strong mind and the ability to at least sense the arcane.

The Huntress are excellent warriors and hunter-scouts. And during their enduring training years they are put through several tests, which not all pass, many don't even survive. But those that do, are trained in the ancient art of Blinking, passed down from generation to generation of Huntresses, it's secret kept within the society.

Melee Unit
5
1
120

+50% vs Mounted Units
Unit can use Bronze, Iron and Mithril weapons.
Got a unit ability called Blink, making them able to instantly travel 1-2 tiles depending on what would be determined balanced. (But 2 would be cooler ).
Give them an exhausted promotion or something, which prevents them from using blink again until they have rested for a turn.