Militarizing Covert Ops

[Pfeffersack]

Would it be possible to allow players to upgrade their regular units to hidden nationality? If that seems unbalanced, probe teams could be used to expose the nationality of a unit for a turn.

That's already possible with two special abilities: "Wild" (for native units) and "Irregular" (for normal units)

Also, any possibility of new unit types (tanks, motorcycles, large bombers, etc) that weren't in SMAC?

The unit workshop will not return because of technical issues and the huge problems the AI would have with using it. Instead special abilties and promotions serve to provide the specilialization. Maniac has added (and probably will add in future, IIRC the Battle Ogres are planned for example) several new units in the past, if they fulfilled a special need or added something cool not covered by special abilites/promotions - so it is best to suggest a certain new unit design. Even if that design wasn't in SMAC, it has a chance to make it in Planetfall, because it is not a 1:1 conversion, just a mod inspirated by SMAC.

 

[Lord Tirian]

Also, any possibility of new unit types (tanks, motorcycles, large bombers, etc) that weren't in SMAC?

In addition to what Pfeffersack said, there are already tanks and dedicated bombers in Planetfall - check out the Armor->Mass Driver->Behemoth line for tanks (now with collateral damage!) and the Penetrator is a dedicated bomber, whereas the Interceptor is more or less a fighter aircraft.

Cheers, LT.

 

[V3N0M]

So do the units upgrade based on combat experience or can you purchase upgrades like in broken star?

If you can't purchase upgrades, would it be possible to merge a probe team with a combat unit to make that unit irregular?

Edit: I don't miss the workshop, it really didn't add that much to the game because it was just a linear arms race

 

[Lord Tirian]

So do the units upgrade based on combat experience or can you purchase upgrades like in broken star?

The upgrades are in addition to the regular promotions, but not like broken star.

After an unit is produced, you can pick 0-2 special abilities (like you pick promos, but you'll recognise them as they have a different button style). After these are picked, the special abilities are done for the unit and you only get regular promotions as in vanilla Civ (though the choice of promos is slightly different) - you cannot revisit the special ability choices, so pick them carefully.

How many abilities you get to pick depends on the unit and buildings in the producing base, for example subs start with 1 special ability, maintenance bays give vehicle +1 special ability, naval yards give ships +1 special ability - but units can never have more than 2.

Cheers, LT.