Explorer - Hidden Nationality, Invisible, or Both?

[SayHayKid]

For my mod, I have enabled "disallow trespassing" via the Flintlock patch. This combined with removing map trading, has really extended the Age of Discovery. In C3C, Ooutside of those who use the Explorer for pillaging resources, the Explorer isn't a unit that most build. By giving the Explorer either invisibility and/or hidden nationality it will allow them to cross borders without declaring war or negotiating a RoP agreement. It would give them a useful niche as true military scout. I am just not sure what the best approach would be. Thoughts?

 

[timerover51]

I have never used the Explorer to pillage resources, and did not know that it had that ability. I use him mainly for popping goody huts, and figuring out where the other civilizations are. I play on Archipelago and Continent maps, so that is a useful ability. I like the Hidden Nationality idea though. Barbarians, of which I generally add a lot, take a terrific toll of my Scouts and Explorers. That is one of the reasons that I like the Conquistador unit. I have boosted that unit a bit.

 

[Vuldacon]

Barbarians have Hidden Nationality and the AI knows where they are so the AI will go after them even in unexplored areas as the AI does against Barbarians in the original game.

Invisible Units with attack or defense can cause a War if another Civ simply runs into them.

Using Both Hidden Nationality and Invisibility, if the Unit has No attack/defense the AI can occupy the same tile... This is what I use for The Balloons in EFZI2 so they cannot be "killed". When another Civ occupies the same tile, you will not see them but if there is at least one unoccupied tile around the unit it can escape or move on.

Probably for what you are wanting to do, setting Invisible and Hidden Nationality may be best.

 

[timerover51]

Barbarians have Hidden Nationality and the AI knows where they are so the AI will go after them even in unexplored areas as the AI does against Barbarians in the original game.

Invisible Units with attack or defense can cause a War if another Civ simply runs into them.

Using Both Hidden Nationality and Invisibility, if the Unit has No attack/defense the AI can occupy the same tile... This is what I use for The Balloons in EFZI2 so they cannot be "killed". When another Civ occupies the same tile, you will not see them but if there is at least one unoccupied tile around the unit it can escape or move on.

Probably for what you are wanting to do, setting Invisible and Hidden Nationality may be best.

I have never thought of doing that with Explorers. I will have to give it a try and see what happens.