Instant Teleporting Vs. Strategy

[Naokaukodem]

Well, it is something that goes beyond the "problem" of unlimited railroad that you propose here... a new feature in two words. That would prevent from "cascade conquests" if i'm right. (slow down conquests)

About that, I believe that simply filling your most exposed cities with units would prevent any "cascade conquest" to start.

About strategic/logictic points, i thought about that. But i abandonned the idea as it didn't propose that much advantages, even with militaristic leaders that could increase the total of those points. Plus it would emphasize defense and make attack much more difficult/inefficient.

 

[frekk]

About that, I believe that simply filling your most exposed cities with units would prevent any "cascade conquest" to start.

Yes, that was what I was trying to explain. Someone had claimed that once you have railroads you don't need to garrison cities anymore, so I was explaining why it's more a factor of poor AI than game mechanics - since a human player can (and will) go for a "cascade conquest" if all the cities are empty. Defences are necessary, even with 0 move rail, provided the AI is sufficient. It is difficult to structure game mechanics on the basis of poor AI.

About strategic/logictic points, i thought about that. But i abandonned the idea as it didn't propose that much advantages,

Well, I can think of a few. More of a naval role, no shifting entire armies about, less MM and faster turns for multiplay. Plus the strategy of deciding what to move rather than the brainless mass march to the front civ usually tends to be.

Plus it would emphasize defense and make attack much more difficult/inefficient.

True, there would have to be some way of gaining an advantage over the defender at least long enough to attack. That's why I think you'd have to have some mechanism to temporarily increase your points, to simulate major offensives or counterattacks, but this would not be possible every round. A temporary doubling of one's points for a few rounds would certainly pose a challenge for the defence, I think. But then it would run out, and the defender would mount his counterattack ... almost like how it actually happens in real warfare.

 

[Naokaukodem]

Plus the strategy of deciding what to move rather than the brainless mass march to the front civ usually tends to be.

Well, i don't very agree with this part again... you may need all kind of units in the first invasion (not considering reinforcements) like artillery to strike first, regulars to sacrify (let's say?...) and promoted to finish, in every assault, an assault being a try to take a city, or your assault is vain.

 

[frekk]

You would need to conduct a major offensive to take cities. If you were not conducting an offensive or counterattack, you would be limited to holding ground and skirmishing. With artillery doing multiple hits, I don't imagine taking out a stack of static defenders will be terribly difficult. It's the counterattack that would be the problem.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

The problem can't be solved in Civ IV

We need a game with different scales.
One for discovery, economy, science
One for warfare

This is why I think all military combat should be handled similar to air combat in Civ 3

During your turn you position your forces and give them certain objectives, Defend this point, defend an area around this point, attack a point/area

Then after everyone has positioned and given their troops orders they are automatically carried out. (so waves of Tanks come across your borders and your Tanks automatically intercept like fighters automatically intercept enemy bombers)

This has the advantageous of keeping turns simultaneous, and means that your 'counter attack' is limited to the troops already in position. Railroads would allow unlimited 'rebasing' ability on the movement or strategic phase, but would only increase the 'operational radius' that is used in the tactical phase by some finite factor.

It would abstract some of the military part of the game, but overall that would be a good thing.

 

[Theoden]

I think rails should work the way that a unit can be transported from one city to another that is connected by rails, but using up it's movement in the proces like the airdrop in civ3. I would like to see workers on rails function like they do in civ3 though, to minimise micromanagement.