Fort Commanders

[frekk]

For the Svartalfar, I thought what might be better than an illusory defender is a hidden commander and hidden fort (using the same mechanics that hide resources - you'd need a tech to locate these forts). Secret strongholds, hidden by illusion magics. This would be a real pain in the butt as these strongholds couldn't be claimed until the technology to reveal them was discovered, and even then, the commanders themselves would need to be spotted by something that can see hidden.

Alternately, I thought that just a hidden commander might be interesting for the Sidar or maybe the Calabim, one of the undead civs. Like a haunted fortress. You could see it but you'd be subject to unseen attacks in the area from the undead spirits inhabiting it and you wouldn't be able to claim it until you could bring in a spotter who can see hidden, and root out the "commander"/entities.

 

[sputnik323]

I dont know which race this would be good for... maybe all of them. I think it would be awesome to have a promotion to upgrade a fort/castle to be able to have a moat. this would cause attacking units to have the crossing river penalty... but defending units would not if they attacked. Maybe Lanun? if not everyone...

 

[Valkrionn]

Couldn't REALLY do a moat, due to the way rivers are handled... What I could do, is gant a promotion giving 40% defense, or however much the malus for crossing a river is. Then give any promo removing the river penalty a combatmod vs the promo, equaling the defense boost....

I would think Lanun only, personally, but it seems a bit too convoluted to actually use ATM.

 

[Valkrionn]

Right, been working on these quite a bit. Should have the rest done in a day or two. Some are from the first post, some are from MaxAstro's RLD modmod.

From RLD:

• Ljos - Sagitar
• Sheaim - Pyrelord
• Archos - Fort Spider
• Bannor - Garrison Commander
• Chislev - Windtalker

From this thread:

• Amurites - Tower Mage
• Grigori - No UU, instead can cast 'Sidequest' when sharing a tile with a Fort Commander. Grants 'Questing', lasts ten turns, grants xp each turn but has an effect like Lost.
• Illians - No UU. Commanders gain promo causing White Hand effect.
• Austrin - Falconer. Has two unique 'spells', both summon a falcon. First summons a temporary bird with range of six, for exploration. Second requires Commander 1, summons two permanent birds with range two and 4 combat.

Already had one:

• Kuriotates - Pioneer. Not a direct replacement, but the base Commander is from their civ and the Pioneer allows for an instant Expanded Influence unit.
• Khazad - Clanhome Chieftain. Same thing as the Dwarven Commander, just changed the name to the RLD version.
• The Legion of D'tesh - The D'teshi Commander
• Jotnar - Homesteader. Can pay to transform the fort into a city.

 

[Valkrionn]

Been neglecting this project in favor of merging in the new improvement tags, which is related but doesn't get the UU's done.

The Calabim are done: Same art as a Vamp Lord, and gains some first strike/access to Drill 3&4. Meant to show that the castle is trapped. The bonuses are done via a promotion rather than unit.

The Dural 'Battle Architect' is coming along. Here is the origin of the idea. The Beacon promotions will come at level 5, and can be switched out for each other... But they are not free. Each time you switch it requires a level up.

 

[Andvare]

Lanun. Highway robber. Fort commander have the ability to hide his nationality, and thus attack neutral/allied units.

 

[Slvynn]

Kahdi are not so elemental-oriented dudes, their sphere is mind. Mind control, Psionic abilities, and magic (metamagic) creatures, resembling mix of Oghma and Mammon powers.

Djinni is quite good choce imo, some type of them.
Fits to creature that dwell and rule Kahdi fortresses

 

[razzach]

Kuriotates: Shouldn't the Forts be combined with Settlements as they essentially perform the same roles? I proposed that instead of Pioneers creating forts, Settlements instead spawn with Fort Commanders on them. This will greatly aid in the survivability of Settlements and will not be overpowered (since Settlements does not anything anyway except claim resources).

 

[Valkrionn]

Kuriotates: Shouldn't the Forts be combined with Settlements as they essentially perform the same roles? I proposed that instead of Pioneers creating forts, Settlements instead spawn with Fort Commanders on them. This will greatly aid in the survivability of Settlements and will not be overpowered (since Settlements does not anything anyway except claim resources).

Honestly, my intentions were to block settlements entirely in the beginning... But then you have to raze potentially useful cities.

How about this: Forts can become settlements (Yes, like the Jotnar, but I think it's worth duplicating here) after the Fort Commander is a high enough level. After he converts the settlement, he gains some culture promotions, generating culture in the settlement... It also starts with the borders the fort had. In addition, settlements gain a Fort Commander unit.

Sound good?

 

[razzach]

Honestly, my intentions were to block settlements entirely in the beginning... But then you have to raze potentially useful cities.

How about this: Forts can become settlements (Yes, like the Jotnar, but I think it's worth duplicating here) after the Fort Commander is a high enough level. After he converts the settlement, he gains some culture promotions, generating culture in the settlement... It also starts with the borders the fort had. In addition, settlements gain a Fort Commander unit.

Sound good?

That's a great idea actually.
What is the mechanic for upgrading from Fort to settlements though? Instead of Fort Comm level, how about Age-based? This gives an edge for Kuriotates vs Jotnar since the Jotnar can use their Fort-Settlements as cities while the Kuriotates gains Fort-Settlements faster BUT will not really benefit them as much anyway...

Also, I propose the Kurio Fort Comm can take promotions like Colonization I/II, etc. that provides auto-built buildings in their Forts/Settlements, e.g. Kurio Palace gains x gold/science/hammer per Kurio Colony building (available only after Fort Comm have prerequisite promotion), these can open up various synergies that can help Settlements become slightly less useless. Another building will be trading houses... as proposed in another thread somewhere we can create a trade route that transports excess food from the settlement to real cities. If we have this, another promotion can increase the size of the settlement to 2 to take advantage of amount of tiles worked, hence increasing amount of food that can be transported.

 

[Calavente]

ok.. now a noob question ..
How do I claim a fort ?
I've seen the AI do it on a fort on turn 20.. I thus discovered the possibility.
I loaded back the game 2turns before, when my scout was on top of the fort.. and lo... no option to claim the fort.

How do I do this ?

 

[Valkrionn]

The only requirements are that there cannot be another commander on the tile, and the tile must be either owned by yourself, unowned, or owned by a civ you're at war with.

 

[Swinkscalibur]

are more fort commander UU's still in the works? I could take a stab at making the Luchuirp UU I suggested, but if you wanted to do it your own way or make suggestions for changes before I do, I thought I'd let you have your say.

 

[Valkrionn]

They aren't ACTIVELY in the works, but eventually I'd like one for most civs, yes. Just couldn't take anymore of it at the time.

If you want to make a module, feel free. I'll link to your thread for it in the Download thread, and if I like it will merge it in.

 

[Dean_the_Young]

Grigori Fort Commander:

I like the idea of Side Quest, but I feel it could use something... a little more. I mean, the point of sidequests isn't just exp, but also a reward, right?

So maybe expand it: Minor Side Quests, and Major Side Quest.

Minor Side Quests would be more like the current one: small XP per turn (lower to 1?), but also a small reward of gold. Maybe like a Goody Hut, only halved/quartered. Small gain, but guaranteed return. Also, might also be able to send multiple units out at once.

Major Side Quest, however, would be a different affair. Perhaps effectively a dungeon exploration, good or bad, but you only find out what on that final turn. But the experience is greater (3,4 per turn?), and so are the rewards. But so are the dangers. And you can only do one Major Side Quest at a time. Or per fort: you'd have to build a new fort to do it again.

So... smaller minor side quests, but also a Major Side Quest with increased benefits?

 

[lemonjelly]

What civs don't have one?

I may do a Svart one if there is an easy way of making an improvement invisible. Or, I may just make the commander invisible with Animals, so they are pretty easy to spot, but with some promos that make them harder to spot as they level up. They will be recon, and have some way of summoning animals.

 

[Valkrionn]

If you check the first post, all the civs that have a unique commander or unique ability of some kind have their name in Italics. The Calabim are kind of in-between... Slightly stronger, but nothing really different about them. They just get a few first strikes and so on.

There's no way to really make an improvement invisible... But you could give it a PythonAtRange function that runs when units come too close that blinds them.

 

[Hankc]

I had an idea for a Lanun comander, sort of. Let them have standard comanders for forts on land, but allow them to build forts on water. Give that fort a unique comander representing a more navaly oriented comander. Would need waterwalking, or else he would drown. Maybe allow him to capture defeted naval units. Maybe let the comander blockade enemy ports? Oh, and only Lanun would be able to claim those forts.

 

[Zharkov]

...
The Calabim are done: Same art as a Vamp Lord, and gains some first strike/access to Drill 3&4. Meant to show that the castle is trapped. The bonuses are done via a promotion rather than unit.

I think the calabim commander should get its own graphics, this perhaps?

Anyway, the animal faction staff forts, too, and they definitly need another graphic. This is the best I found, although I am ambivalent with this suggestion myself.

 

[Valkrionn]

Actually, I think I'm just giving the Animals the same commander as the Archos.