WarKirby
Arty person
I'm seeing a problem with forests.
Elves have a natural 10% forest combat bonus
and woodsman gives a 30% bonus
Thusly combined, they get a 40% attack bonus in forests. From this, the defender's bonus of 25% is deducted
This creates a total bonus of 15% attacking into a forest.
Now.
Combat I, gives a 20% bonus, and when attacking in open ground, the defender has no terrain bonus.
Thusly, a grand total of 20% bonus, with the same number of promotions.
My point?
At present, it makes more sense for elves to cut down forests around their territory, and attack the enemy in open ground. The forests throughout their territory hamper their defensive efforts.
I see this as a fundamental problem.
I intend to remedy it by increasing the Elven forests combat bonus, to 15%. But there's a bigger problem
Ancient forests, give a 50% defence bonus.
Now, a little lore talk.
There has to be a reason for such a high defensive bonus. I see it, as a living, breathing, thinking forests. Filled with treants. Big trees that will swipe at invaders disturbing their slumber. Animals roused from their homes by armored platoons marching through, and fighting back. These things would favor the defenders, who live in harmony with the forest, by punishing the agressors, and thusly, a better defence bonus seems partially justified.
My problem then, is that this defence bonus is given to everyone in an ancient forests tile, which doesn't seem right.
When playing as FoL elves, you're going to have ancient forests all over the place. And the problem is, you need Woodsman 1 & 2, just to overcome the natural defence bonuses ancient forests give to invaders in your territory. They give a higher defence bonus than the strongest Fort level, even. It's like building a fort in every single tile across your empire, then the enemy just waltzes in and uses them against you.
I'd like to open discussion on this issue. do others see it as a problem? What solutions could be done to make it better?
I percieve an "ideal" solution, of sorts. Alas, it is not simple.
To start with, Ancient forests would only have the same defence as normal forests. Perhaps less, even, because of the hostile life within. But units which meet certain qualifications, would gain a farther defence bonus when in them. Perhaps through a promotion similar to Wall Defender.
Units eligible, would have to meet any one of the following conditions
1. Has Fellowship of Leaves unit religion (mostly for disciples of leaves in non FoL nations)
2. Belongs to a civ that has FoL as state religion
3. Has Elven racial promo
The main problem I can see here, though, is that this would require some python I think, which is a bit beyond my knowledge. Also, since ancient forests are a lot more widespread than cities, it might perhaps cause a lot of CPU usage in constant checking. Although, a similar thing has been done with Ghostwalkers in Haunted Lands, so perhaps it's more feasible than I thought.
Point 2 would give an advantage, in that FoL nations would have less issues invading other FoL nations, than civs of other religions would.
===========================
An alternative solution I'm thinking of, one within my modding capabilities, is to reduce the AF defence to 25%, but increase the AF Defence of Woodsman and Elven promos to compensate, so that only those with kinship to nature would recieve Ancient Forest benefits. This doesn't entirely solve the issue though, as the AI has a habit of giving Woodsman to some units, especially recon, but it would solve most of it.
Thoughts, anyone?
Elves have a natural 10% forest combat bonus
and woodsman gives a 30% bonus
Thusly combined, they get a 40% attack bonus in forests. From this, the defender's bonus of 25% is deducted
This creates a total bonus of 15% attacking into a forest.
Now.
Combat I, gives a 20% bonus, and when attacking in open ground, the defender has no terrain bonus.
Thusly, a grand total of 20% bonus, with the same number of promotions.
My point?
At present, it makes more sense for elves to cut down forests around their territory, and attack the enemy in open ground. The forests throughout their territory hamper their defensive efforts.
I see this as a fundamental problem.
I intend to remedy it by increasing the Elven forests combat bonus, to 15%. But there's a bigger problem
Ancient forests, give a 50% defence bonus.
Now, a little lore talk.
There has to be a reason for such a high defensive bonus. I see it, as a living, breathing, thinking forests. Filled with treants. Big trees that will swipe at invaders disturbing their slumber. Animals roused from their homes by armored platoons marching through, and fighting back. These things would favor the defenders, who live in harmony with the forest, by punishing the agressors, and thusly, a better defence bonus seems partially justified.
My problem then, is that this defence bonus is given to everyone in an ancient forests tile, which doesn't seem right.
When playing as FoL elves, you're going to have ancient forests all over the place. And the problem is, you need Woodsman 1 & 2, just to overcome the natural defence bonuses ancient forests give to invaders in your territory. They give a higher defence bonus than the strongest Fort level, even. It's like building a fort in every single tile across your empire, then the enemy just waltzes in and uses them against you.
I'd like to open discussion on this issue. do others see it as a problem? What solutions could be done to make it better?
I percieve an "ideal" solution, of sorts. Alas, it is not simple.
To start with, Ancient forests would only have the same defence as normal forests. Perhaps less, even, because of the hostile life within. But units which meet certain qualifications, would gain a farther defence bonus when in them. Perhaps through a promotion similar to Wall Defender.
Units eligible, would have to meet any one of the following conditions
1. Has Fellowship of Leaves unit religion (mostly for disciples of leaves in non FoL nations)
2. Belongs to a civ that has FoL as state religion
3. Has Elven racial promo
The main problem I can see here, though, is that this would require some python I think, which is a bit beyond my knowledge. Also, since ancient forests are a lot more widespread than cities, it might perhaps cause a lot of CPU usage in constant checking. Although, a similar thing has been done with Ghostwalkers in Haunted Lands, so perhaps it's more feasible than I thought.
Point 2 would give an advantage, in that FoL nations would have less issues invading other FoL nations, than civs of other religions would.
===========================
An alternative solution I'm thinking of, one within my modding capabilities, is to reduce the AF defence to 25%, but increase the AF Defence of Woodsman and Elven promos to compensate, so that only those with kinship to nature would recieve Ancient Forest benefits. This doesn't entirely solve the issue though, as the AI has a habit of giving Woodsman to some units, especially recon, but it would solve most of it.
Thoughts, anyone?
...Playing malakim does not help to notice for sure! 
