Dune scenario?

[zealus]

REJS7 - that's the idea!

Here's a little something I drafted yesterday. Feel free to argue, donate thoughts or elaborate.

Buildings and structures

Base is an analog to city. This is a place where all the improvements are built.

Walls are basic base protection. Add little defense bonus to units inside.

Barracks – the place to build your infantry forces. Allows upgrading existing units to more advanced once the necessary technologies are discovered.

Windtraps – allow advanced buildngs (basically anything besides walls, barracks and spice refinery) plus provide initial boost to production.

Spice Refinery – allows advanced building (same as windtraps), base population growth, provides initial money earning boost.

Construction Yard – allows building of MCVs, harvesters, upgrades infantry and light vehicles to next level.

Light Vehicle Factory – allows building of light armored vehicles (trikes, quads, light transports).

Heavy Vehicle Factory – allows building of heavy armored vehicles, upgrades light armored vehicles to next level.

Repair Depot – repairs any unit that spends the turn on the Base. It also upgrades LAV and HAV units to yet another level.

Shielded Walls – advanced city protection, upgraded walls.

Research Center (Mentat House) – unlocks further technology advancement and allows building of more advanced buildings and structures.

Spice Silo – spice storage center. Provides bonus in spice harvesting, money and increases the production speed.

Radar Outpost – increases the range of vision of units and allows air units.

StarPort – allows trading with other/minor homes, unlocks alien (Ix, Tleilaxu, etc.) technologies, allows building air transports.

Shai Hulud Chamber (Fremen Sietch) – produces Fremen Fighters that can be upgraded to Fremen Fedaykin (some sort of elite warriors) that, in turn, may be upgraded to Worm Riders (fremen did that too).

Ix Research – allows research of some of the Ix technologies to be researched as well as units used (Projector Tank, Infiltrator)

Tleilaxu Research – allows researching technologies of Tleilaxu (Ghola Bowls or Tleilaxu Flesh Vat), provides bonus to infantry units upkeep (clones are cheaper) or produce certain units for free every N turns.

Sardaukar Barraks (Imperial Control) – produces Sardaukar that later can be upgraded to Elite Sardaukar (even more fearless and ruthless).

PS! Sand worms (aka Shai Hulud) should be the barbarians

 

[REJS7]

I like these ideas.
Here are my idea for resources:

Worms
Spice
Freman
scrap metal
water

 

[Mistfit]

1. Some techs could be specific to unit upgrades
2. What were the body suits that held in the water called?
3. Irrigation need to be in there as well

 

[REJS7]

irrigation would be the holy grail of the scenario. It could be the last tech that would allow victory (in a similar vain to the UN in normal civ3).

 

[zealus]

It is called "stillsuite" and I had an idea that before researching this technology no troops can end their turn outside of the base without the risk of being lost (just like the Trireme cannot end turn in open water).

 

[Mistfit]

yes "stillsuit" that would be the one... No units can be made until that tech is learned possibly.

 

[REJS7]

except freman who have it as a starting tech, maybe.

 

[Steel General]

How about smugglers as barbarians, along with Sandworms?

 

[zealus]

Smugglers can be another (barbarian?) civ... possible. Fremen as another civ - doubtfully as this would eliminate the whole idea of House befriending with natives...

 

[REJS7]

sandworms would be a hell of a barbarian unit. They have the abillity to run rough shod over EVERYTHING in the dune universe. These critters better be used with caution.

 

[zealus]

As far as I remember sandworms could not enter rock-solid surfaces so if we're thinking of altering terrain types (and bearing in mind that there will be no oceans/rivers/lakes whatsoever) I believe it's possible to do.

 

[REJS7]

welll....how's about turning the ocean tiles into desert tiles and making the sand worms 'ocean going' critters. this way you can model the islands of rock as the 'true' land.

 

[Orthanc]

Great ideas people, I've been considering doing something like this for a while now. I love this series!

I think the ocean as desert, worms as barbarians ideas are very good. Fremen could probably be their own seperate civ, since it would be weird just having them a resource (resources in civ help win battles, but they don't do the actual fighting. Fremen do/did fight). They could aslo be barbarians along with the worms, which would work good because the fremen could be the foot barbarian, the worms the mounted barbarian/ sea barbarian and that way Fremen could travel with worms without attacking them and fremen would appear much more often than worms.

I think the Empirial house would be needed, since they do show up and do negotiations (of a sort) with everyone else. The spacing guild would be pretty hard to work in, since they transported even bitter enemies in the same vessels, but the problems of doing that in civ are obvious. Then again, if this were just focusing on the planet dune and not it's entire universe space travel wouldnt be a concern, and the guild wouldn't be needed. Smugglers might work well as sort of a weak but independant civ, the Bene Gesserit might just be represented by a very expensive unit that every one could make if they have a certain structure or maybe just spice.

Obviously spice has to be required for just about everything, so that the houses are almost garanteed to fight over it. Dune is abundant in spice, but giving it to everyone wouldn't make it very high in demand in-game, so it should be made very rare.

Anywho, just a few of my ideas. And now for the part that should make everyone here happy, I will gladly take any requests for units for this scenario, in fact I already have plans for a sandworm and various Ornithopters (nothing on the computer yet, but lots of sketches). Human units might be intresting, but I'll give them a try, but be warned you may have to be a little patient with your requests.

 

[REJS7]

The ornicopters sound cool.
I think the freman could be both barbarian and a seperate civ because in the Book they have a civilisation that predates the Emperial colonisation of dune.
The navigators guild could be a building that increases commerces, plus a tech that enables diplomacy.
A cool worker unit would be the spice miner - I knows its an artistic liberty but they would look really cool.

 

[zealus]

Is it possible to have spice resources to pop up now and then so that there will be a reason to expand and fight for areas with spice?

 

[REJS7]

yep it should be, just set the appearence/disappearence rate higher than normal.

 

[zealus]

Here's a little something on units. Feel free to make input.

Units

MCV (Mobile Construction Vehicle) – slow, low-armored, not armed, basically just a settler in a high-tech flavor.

Harvester – something similar to worker. Although the initial idea of harvester is to wonder on sand collecting spice and then return to the base I am not aware of anything like this possible in Civ 3.

Carryall – basic flying carrier that automatically carries harvesters back and forth from base to spice fields. We’ll use it as a basic carrier unit, since the idea of harvesters is not entirely possible.

Infantry units

Light Infantry – uses melee (criss-knives) and small firearms, lightly armored but very fast and cheap. Has little (if at all) chance of defeating any kind of heavy machinery.

Armored Infantry – slightly more protected, use a bit more advanced weaponry, slower and more expensive then LI.

Elite Infantry – heavier armed and armored, has same speed as AI, but significantly more expensive unit, has a good chance against light and heavy armored vehicles.

Heavy Infantry – slow and deadly unit. Mostly used by Harkonnen these troops are serious challenge to all but the most advanced armored units.

Kinjal Infantry – average speed infantry that has the bombardment ability. These Atreides troops carry light automatic weapons and light anti-vehicle rockets that pose equal threat to enemy’s both infantry and light armored vehicles.

Mortar Infantry – this Ordos unit also has bombardment ability. Armed with poisonous gas shells they can be truly devastating against enemy infantry units.

Light Armored Vehicles

Trike – basic motorized unit, something like a dune buggy with a machine gun. High speed, light arms, almost no armor.

Quad – four-wheeled buggy with light automatic cannon, a bit slower but better protected. Costs more then trike, but pose more threat to infantry and other light armored vehicles.

APC – armored car well protected to engage any kind of enemy infantry and light armored vehicles. In stacks can be dangerous to almost all heavy vehicles.

Mongoose – this Atreides unit fires anti-tank rockets that makes him a real threat to any enemy vehicle, although light armor and slow speed make it an easy prey for infantry and LAVs.

Inkvine Catapult – Harkonnen unit that can bombard enemy infantry with poisonous shells. Light armored vehicles suffer from this weapon as well since they are not air-sealed and thus crews get affected by poison. Light armor and slow speed make this unit no match for any heavy armored vehicle.

Cobra Cannon – powerful cannon that can take out almost any heavy armored unit. Ordos use this weapon against heavily armored Harkonnens. Fast infantry has no problem dealing with this unit, since it’s too slow and weakly armored.

Heavy Armored Vehicles

Cruiser Tank – it is deadly against lesser units. However, weak armor makes this tank easy kill for any heavier armored unit.

Assault Tank – Slow speed does not make it an easy target because the armor is thick and can handle the beating while weapons will deliver the retaliating punch. Has little bonus against city walls since its high-speed self-propelled shells easily penetrate concrete walls.

Laser Tank – armed with machine guns and powerful laser cannon this unit is equally dangerous to all kinds of infantry and vehicles. Even air units should beware since with laser cannon it is easier to hit the plane that with any projectile weapon.

Sonic Tank – this famous weapon of choice of House Atreides is as deadly as it is loud. The sound wave easily damages both armor plating of vehicles and concrete walls of bases. Infantry also has very little chance to survive the acoustic punch. However weak armor and lack of other weapons make it an easy target for air and ranged weapons.

Deviator – preferred weapon of House of Ordos. The rocket launcher fires rockets with secretly developed gas that eats through armor and damages people’s brain cells. With a lucky shot Deviator will convert the enemy unit to Ordos.

Devastator – the ultimate Harkonnen weapon. Very slow but very powerful tank that can take out any other unit almost with single hit. Well armored to withstand very serious beating with cannon powerful enough to take out any city walls it is so heavy that it negates any kind of road bonuses.

Minotaur – specially designed mortar unit to penetrate advanced walls of heavily armored bases. Useless against infantry and light armored vehicles this unit is indispensable when leveling cities.

Air Units

Carryall – basic light air transporter can carry 4 infantry units or single MCV/harvester.

Transport – air carrier capable of transporting 6 units that are not heavy armored vehicles.

Freighter – heavy air carrier can transport any 8 units.

Ornithopter – light air unit, fast and is able to land on any surface thus not requiring landing pad. Very weak armor and light weapons make it very vulnerable to any kind of aerial defence.

Air Drone – lightly armored robotic unit armed with anti-aircraft missiles. Good at defending base against enemy air units, cheap and has short range.

Eye In The Sky – moderately priced and armored this unit fires its laser cannon at any incoming enemy aircraft. Medium range prevents using this unit for any tasks but local convoys or base defense.

Air Defence Platform – very short ranged but heavily armored and properly armed this mechanized unit is sufficient protection against any kind of air assault.

Gunship – powerful and lethal weapon. It may take down almost any air unit as easy as any infantry. It also carries small bombs that allow it to deliver some additional damage to ground units.

Adv. Carryall – armed and dangerous transporter unit. It can fend off ground or air attack while deploying troops to the ground. Medium armor and average speed.

Other units

MG turret – light fixed turret that provides additional base protection while deployed in base.

Gun turret – medium power turret that packs more punch.

Rocket turret – most powerful active base defence.

Fremen Fighters – basic Fremen infantry unit. Has a moving bonus, cheap but can be produced only if House have built certain building (or discovered certain tech).

Fremen Fedaykin – elite Fremen fighters. Fast, deadly and invisible.

Sardaukar Infantry – Emperor’s elite troops that were feared everywhere. Have moving and attack bonus but quite expensive.

Sardaukar Elite – more powerful and more expensive then Sardaukar Inf., they have additional defense bonus plus benefit from being garrisoned on the base.

Projector Tank

Infiltrator

Saboteur

Worms

Worm Riders

 

[REJS7]

Harvester – something similar to worker. Although the initial idea of harvester is to wonder on sand collecting spice and then return to the base I am not aware of anything like this possible in Civ 3.
I think there a way of doing something similar, how about creating a unit whoes sole purpose is to build roads to colonies? This would tie in with worm attacks if we choose them for barbarians as the worms would frequently attack the harvesters.
Of course we will have to make to air transportable as the carryall carried them.

 

[zealus]

Then worms should produce something that harvester will harvest. I'm not so familiar with the abilities of this version of Civ, so I'll take your word for it.

 

[REJS7]

In the worker box in the editor you can select abillities for the worker (hense why certain tech grants certain certain abillities). If you set the harvester's twin abillities as a road builder and colony creator if would reflect their fictional role.
As far as the worms creating spice is concerned we could always have barbarian camps that produce a 'spice' unit similar to a trophy unit used in a lot of scenarios. That way it could provide presitge (in the form of culture) for the civ who harvests (captures it).