Mojo’s Land Unit Mod Ideas:

[Mojotronica]

Here are my notes for a potential mod that I could put together incorporating several ideas I have for the game.

First of all – NO IRONCLADS. Too powerful, too soon after the discovery of Magnetism. Ironclads must go or your age of sail is completely lame.

I’ve changed some of the upgrade paths for the units. For example, now Spearmen & Pikemen converge with Swordsmen in the Middle-Ages. Archers are defensive units now, and kick-off that upgrade path.

Some of the costs have been changed, mostly to deflate a couple of points in the game where the cost seems disproportionate to the unit’s value. Spearmen have increased in cost, but they don’t require any resources to build, either.

I eliminated the Medieval Infantry in this mod proposal. I have replaced them w/ the Axman instead.

The Axman represents a style of fighting in which self-defense is not a priority. Constant motion is required to remain alive. It is extremely weak defensively, but it is the most powerful offensive unit of the Ancient era. By making it available only with the Monarchy advance (and access to Iron) this unit won’t appear until more balanced units have been around for awhile.

It could also represent the earliest religious fanatics, and I considered making it available w/ Polytheism – but Monarchy is better – it’s not a required tech. Its lack of dependence on Monotheism makes it the perfect unit for the pagan Vikings, for example…

The Longbowman has been promoted to UU status for the English. It is replaced with the Crossbowman. Historically only the English used Longbowmen effectively, and it’s a MUCH better UU for them than the Man O’ War.

The Crossbowman is defensive, a little weaker than the old Longbowman but cheaper, available earlier and still requires no resources. It will defend adequately against Knights, which are twice as expensive…

Knights are a little cheaper.

Grenadiers are musket-armed offensive units. Powerful attack, strong defense but vulnerable. They are designed to be used w/ Musketmen and Cannons in coordinated assaults.

Riflemen are cheaper.

Guerillas are more powerful offensively, and are also cheaper.

 

[Mojotronica]

Basic Units:

Warrior: 1.1.1/10s (Upgrades to Axman)
Scout: 0.0.2/10s (Upgrades to Explorer)
Archer: 1.2.1/20s (Upgrades to Crossbowman) – Available w/ Warrior Code
Chariot: 1.1.2W/20s+Horse (Upgrades to Horseman) – Available w/ Wheel
Spearman: 2.2.1/30s (Upgrades to Pikeman) – Available w/ Bronze Working
Swordsman: 3.2.1/30s+Iron (Upgrades to Grenadier) – Available w/ Iron Working
Catapult: 0.0.1W/4.1.1/20s (Upgrades to Cannon) – Available w/ Mathematics
Horseman: 2.1.2/30s+Horse (Upgrades to Knight) – Available w/ Horseback Riding
Axman: 4.1.1/30s+Iron (Upgrades to Grenadier) – Available w/ Monarchy
Pikeman: 2.3.1/30s+Iron (Upgrades to Grenadier) – Available w/ Feudalism
Crossbowman: 1.3.1/30s (Upgrades to Musketman) – Available w/ Engineering
Knight: 4.3.2/60s+Iron & Horse (Upgrades to Cavalry) – Available w/ Chivalry
Musketman: 2.4.1/40s+Saltpeter (Upgrades to Rifleman) – Available w/ Gunpowder
Explorer: 0.0.3/20s (Upgrades to Recon Vehicle) – Available w/ Navigation
Cannon: 0.0.1W/40s+Iron & Saltpeter (Upgrades to Artillery) – Available w/ Metallurgy
Grenadier: 5.3.1/50s+Saltpeter (Upgrades to Guerilla) – Available w/ Metallurgy
Cavalry: 6.3.3/80s+Saltpeter & Horse (Does not upgrade.) – Available w/ Military Tradition
Rifleman: 4.6.1/60s (Upgrades to Infantry) – Available w/ Nationalism
Artillery: 0.0.1/12.2.2/80s (Upgrades to Radar Artillery) – Available w/ Replaceable Parts
Guerilla: 8.6.1/70s (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Replaceable Parts
Infantry: 8.12.1/90s+Rubber (Upgrades to Mechanized Infantry) – Available w/ Replaceable Parts
Recon Vehicle: 0.0.4/30s+Oil (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Combustion
Marine: 10.8.1/100s+Rubber (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Amphibious War
Tank: 16.10.2/100s+Rubber & Oil (Upgrades to Modern Armor) – Available w/ Motorized Transportation
Paratrooper: 8.10.1/100s+Rubber & Oil (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Advanced Flight
Mechanized Infantry: 12.20.2/110s+Rubber & Oil (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Computers
Modern Armor: 24.16.3/120s+Rubber, Oil & Aluminum (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Synthetic Fibers
Radar Artillery: 0.0.2/16.2.2/120s+Aluminum (Does not upgrade) – Available w/ Robotics

 

[Mojotronica]

Here is a short (hopefully decently formatted) chart that shows the seven land unit upgrade paths:

Warrior --> Axman --> Grenadier --> Guerilla
Spearman --> Pikeman --> Grenadier --> Guerilla
Swordsman --> Grenadier --> Guerilla
Chariot --> Horseman --> Knight --> Cavalry
Scout --> Explorer --> Recon Vehicle
Archer --> Crossbowman --> Musketman --> Rifleman --> Infantry --> Mech Infantry
Catapult --> Cannon --> Artillery --> Radar Artillery
Marine
Tank --> Mod Armor
Paratrooper

 

[Mojotronica]

Unique Units:

Celt – Gallic Warrior: 2.1.1/10s (Replaces Warrior)
*Gives the Celts an early advantage a great opportunity for an incredibly early GA, but its time passes early in the game. On the offensive, these ultra-cheap units can pose a serious threat to the Romans throughout the Ancient era.

Egyptian – Bowman: 1.3.1/20s (Replaces Archer)
*I prefer Babylonian Chariots to Egyptian Chariots, so I swapped them. Egypt is amazing defensively through the Ancient era.

Babylonian – War Chariot: 2.1.2/20s+Horse (Replaces Chariot)
*Represents Assyrian Chariot hordes. This unit truly replaces Horsemen – no Wheel restriction on movement. Should make it a very useful unit through the Ancient era.

Persian – Immortal: 4.1.1/40s (Replaces Spearman)
*It’s almost as good as Civ 3s… But not quite… Civ 3s is a little too generous, if you ask me…

Greek – Hoplite: 2.3.1/30s (Replaces Spearman)
*Pikemen of the Ancient era with no resource requirement. Nice! All the Carthaginian players will flock to Greece.

Aztec – Jaguar Warrior: 3.3.1/40s (Replaces Swordsman)
*They needed to be powerful enough to pose a threat to the Spanish. They needed to downplay the use of metal. An expensive Civ 3 Roman Legion.

Roman – Legion: 4.2.1/30s+Iron (Replaces Swordsman)
*I gave the Immortal to Rome – because Rome conquered the Persians… (via the Greeks)

Carthaginian – Elephant: 3.1.2/40s (Replaces Horseman)
*When I think Carthaginians I think Elephants in the Alps. These are slightly expensive – but resourceless – Mounted Warriors.

Chinese – Rider: 2.3.2/30s+Horse (Replaces Horseman)
*China bloomed early thanks to its military prowess – so they get a powerful unit.

Iroquois – Iroquois Warrior: 4.1.1/30s (Replaces Axman) ***All terrain as roads***
*Didn’t want the Iroquois to be dependent on Eurasian horses for their UU. The Iroquois Warrior is fast and deadly. This unit could pose a threat to American Cavalry.

Zulu – Impi: 4.1.2/40s+Iron (Replaces Axman)
*This unit is also fast and deadly – watch out, English Grenadier!

Scandanavian – Berserker: 4.1.1/30s (Replaces Axman) ***Has Amphibious assault***
*Scourge of the North Sea – coupled w/ Galleys this unit is fast and powerful…

 

[Mojotronica]

English – Longbowman: 2.4.1/30s (Replaces Crossbowman)
*Great defenders – and a powerful enough attack to bring on a GA against any basic ancient unit.

Indian – War Elephant: 4.3.2/50s (Replaces Knight)
*Cheap and resourceless Knights.

Japanese – Samurai: 4.4.2/60s+Iron (Replaces Knight)
*Makes Gunpowder obsolete until the mid 1800s.

Arab – Ansar Warrior: 4.3.3/60s+Iron & Horse (Replaces Knight)
*Fast! The greatest Knight in the world is an Arabian Knight.

Mongol – Keshik: 4.2.2/40s+Horse (Replaces Knight)
*Powerful and SO CHEAP. You can quickly build a horde of them.

Spanish – Spanish Galleon: 2.2.3/40s (Replaces Caravel) ***Carries 3 Units, Sea only***
*Almost as good as a Frigate, plus it carries stuff and is cheap. Gives the Spanish the edge in sea combat for a long time, especially if you take my advice and lose the Ironclads.

Korean – Korean Musketman: 4.6.1/40s+Saltpeter (Replaces Musketman)
*As good as a Rifleman, for the price of a Musketman. Represents how Korea pioneered the use of gunpowder and then kicked back until the rest of the world caught up…

Ottoman Turk – Turkish Siege Engine: 2.4.1/8.1.1/40s+Iron & Saltpeter (Replaces Musketman)
*Their GA kicked off with the conquest of Constantinople, which was accomplished w/ a big Cannon. But Cannons make bad units, so they get the most versatile defender in the game.

French – Imperial Guard: 6.3.1/40s+Saltpeter (Replaces Grenadier)
*Napoleon’s armies changed the way war was fought. The first people’s army, his units are self-sufficient (therefore cheaper) and masters of combined use of Muskets, Cannons and Cavalry.

Russian – Cossack: 8.3.3/80s+Saltpeter & Horse (Replaces Cavalry)
*The world’s most powerful attackers! Until Tanks are invented. Actually they’re not going to do well against fortified Infantry either…

German – German Rifleman: 6.8.1/70s (Replaces Rifleman)
*Great defenders. Compliment the new Guerilla unit very nicely.

American – Leatherneck: 14.8.1/100s+Rubber (Replaces Marine)
*Very powerful Marines. Useful until the game is over, but mostly for a very specialized purpose.

Please, please, please – pick apart my ideas. If anything about this seems completely screwy, let me know. If you like my ideas, feel free to let me know as well.

 

[Procifica]

Quote: First of all – NO IRONCLADS. Too powerful, too soon after the discovery of Magnetism. Ironclads must go or your age of sail is completely lame.

I disagree here. I don't think Ironclads are powerful enough, in relation to how powerful they were in history. The first naval ironclads were produced in the late 1850's by the British and French, the first true ironclad was in 1862.

Quote: Historically only the English used Longbowmen effectively, and it’s a MUCH better UU for them than the Man O’ War.

Actually, the Welsh used them quite extensively as well.

I don't see how archers and crossbowmen are defensive in nature.

Rifleman seems too cheap (same price as knight but a superior unit).

How does infantry defend better than a tank?

Quote: Babylonian – War Chariot: 2.1.2/20s+Horse (Replaces Chariot)
*Represents Assyrian Chariot hordes. This unit truly replaces Horsemen – no Wheel restriction on movement. Should make it a very useful unit through the Ancient era.

Chariots were wheeled though?

Quote: Persian – Immortal: 4.1.1/40s (Replaces Spearman)
*It’s almost as good as Civ 3s… But not quite… Civ 3s is a little too generous, if you ask me…

I agree here. I think Swordsmen is too powerful as well with its 3/2/1.

Rome's Legion should cost at least as much as Persia's UU.

Quote: Chinese – Rider: 2.3.2/30s+Horse (Replaces Horseman)
*China bloomed early thanks to its military prowess – so they get a powerful unit.

Too powerful for ancient era. I'd go with 2/2/2.

Quote: Iroquois – Iroquois Warrior: 4.1.1/30s (Replaces Axman) ***All terrain as roads***
*Didn’t want the Iroquois to be dependent on Eurasian horses for their UU. The Iroquois Warrior is fast and deadly. This unit could pose a threat to American Cavalry.

Cost needs to increase to at least 40.

Quote: English – Longbowman: 2.4.1/30s (Replaces Crossbowman)
*Great defenders – and a powerful enough attack to bring on a GA against any basic ancient unit.

Needs to be 40s.

Quote: Indian – War Elephant: 4.3.2/50s (Replaces Knight)
*Cheap and resourceless Knights.

Cost should still be 60. I think I'd go 5/2/2 though.

Quote: Japanese – Samurai: 4.4.2/60s+Iron (Replaces Knight)
*Makes Gunpowder obsolete until the mid 1800s.

Movement should be 1.

Arab – Ansar Warrior: 4.3.3/60s+Iron & Horse (Replaces Knight)
*Fast! The greatest Knight in the world is an Arabian Knight.

Cost should be 70.

Mongol – Keshik: 4.2.2/40s+Horse (Replaces Knight)
*Powerful and SO CHEAP. You can quickly build a horde of them.

too cheap. Should be 50.

Quote: Korean – Korean Musketman: 4.6.1/40s+Saltpeter (Replaces Musketman)
*As good as a Rifleman, for the price of a Musketman. Represents how Korea pioneered the use of gunpowder and then kicked back until the rest of the world caught up…

No idea where you got that idea. China pioneered the use of gunpowder, and guns (rifles and muskets) were not used in China or Korea until the Europeans brought them.

Quote: Ottoman Turk – Turkish Siege Engine: 2.4.1/8.1.1/40s+Iron & Saltpeter (Replaces Musketman)
*Their GA kicked off with the conquest of Constantinople, which was accomplished w/ a big Cannon. But Cannons make bad units, so they get the most versatile defender in the game.

Wayyyyyy too cheap and powerful. I'd rethink this unit.

Quote: French – Imperial Guard: 6.3.1/40s+Saltpeter (Replaces Grenadier)
*Napoleon’s armies changed the way war was fought. The first people’s army, his units are self-sufficient (therefore cheaper) and masters of combined use of Muskets, Cannons and Cavalry.

TOO CHEAP. Needs to be probably 50 or 60.

Quote: German – German Rifleman: 6.8.1/70s (Replaces Rifleman)
*Great defenders. Compliment the new Guerilla unit very nicely.

Too powerful. 5/7/1/70s would be better.

Quote: American – Leatherneck: 14.8.1/100s+Rubber (Replaces Marine)
*Very powerful Marines. Useful until the game is over, but mostly for a very specialized purpose.

Also too powerful. 12/8/1/100s would be better.

It seems you're highly favoring the second set of UU's over the first. Axman needs a better name. Some of these ideas look good....