New Unit Wish Lists ?

[frunobulax]

So, assuming a Mac Editor is on the way, what new units would you want to incorporate into a standard Civ3 game (as opposed to a scenario) ?

My top 5 choices would be...

1. Crusier (like the Civ2 pre-AEGIS class)
2. SR-71 'Blackbird' spyplane (a Civ2 fave of mine).
3. Super Battleship class - e.g. Iowa, Bismarck or Yamamoto class
4. Special Forces unit (Commandos/SAS etc)
5. Lancers (a la Napoleonic Imperial Guard).


Frunobulax

 

[Pinky]

Mines would add so much ! Get the workers to place & disarm them...New sea unit for that too. Anyhow... have fun !

 

[dojoboy]

Special forces. I love the idea of dropping behind enemy lines to disrupt lines of communication and logistics. This is why I like Civ3's paratrooper; however, for some time, I've not even bothered researching 'advanced flight.' Ever since 1.21f-beta, its been the forgotten tech.

I would like to see a special forces unit, or improved paratrooper unit, w/ a cloak ability; the ability to remain hidden from the enemy, perhaps a one-tile buffer. Not in the genre of science fiction but more like "special forces." Scout, sabatoge, and hide.

 

[Beamup]

I'd like to see Special Forces, myself. I'd make them essentially one-attack, one-defense invisible paratroopers. Thus they wouldn't be useful in straight-up combat (since one "unit" would probably be only a couple of dozen people at most). They could, however, pillage. Problems would be that the computer probably wouldn't know how to deal with them, and they'd be one-shot units against humans since it would be a trivial exercise to just attack the square they just pillaged. Even if you just used them for recon, it wouldn't be hard to just sweep all your territory with a single unit (using railroads) each turn.

While I'd also like to see another few things on your list (mines and AAA), they would be impossible to add with the editor since they'd require actual changes to the engine to make them work.

 

[Sid]

Like most others, I go for the spec ops. Of course they were guerrillas in an earlier era. Thinking wildly here, what about replicating what the Brits did with the Spanish in the Peninsular War (1808-1814)? I've no idea how to program this, but you could spend a certain amount of gold to create guerilla units from any unhappy citizens in another civilisation's city.

Some fast patrol boats would be useful in the late game, and I like the idea of anti-tank artillery prior to Radar Artillery (one of my favourites, but it takes ages to appear).

Something else that I have seen in PC mods is the 'Coracle'. It would be a tiny, one unit only, transport vessel for crossing some of those narrow sea gaps before Map Making. Then, by making the Swordsman able to attack straight from the sea, you could get Viking-style raids on workers and coastal settlements.

I guess I really miss the unit-creation workshop in SMAC/X. My particular favourite was the sea-borne Probe team.

 

[Sid]

Oh, and helicopter-borne marines that can operate from Carriers.

 

[frunobulax]

Originally posted by Beamup

While I'd also like to see another few things on your list (mines and AAA), they would be impossible to add with the editor since they'd require actual changes to the engine to make them work.

In Civ2 I had customised Sea Mine and AA units that were given certain ability 'flags', and worked reasonably well, though AI-operated AA's were used a bit waywardly...

I presume Civ3 units have something similar (via the editor ?) [another question for Brad here !]

Anyway, Special Forces seem to be out in front at this stage...

Supplemetary question
What applications for the Mac are best for designing Civ3 type units (in 3D modelling style) ? Any recommendations anyone ?

Also agree with dojoboy about the Advanced Flight/Helicopters/Paratroopers advance... I tend to skip that one too... we need Apache attack helicopters... plus longer range Chinooks (heavy lift !!)

 

[Architekt]

Would it not be possible just to use all the currently available custom units posted here at CFC?...

 

[Grey Randall]

Let's see......

ASW planes like S-3's and P-3's (ok, I'll admit.. I was an FAW while I was in the Navy, so I'm kinda partial)
Hydrofoils for quick response sea defense
I'd include spy planes as well
Mobile Anti-tank materials
There's other units I'd include. I'm not too fond of catapults used as defensive units in cities. I'd make Trebuchets and mangonelles for roaming around in the earlier periods.. Ballistas as well!!!

Can't really think of other units... Was thinking of making Janisaries though ::chuckles::

Chinhooks, Apaches, SeaKings, Sea Knights.... yeah, we need those.

A-10's as well.

I'd have added Zeplins for the WWI WWII eras as well. And because I miss Charles M Schultz so much, I'd probably create a Sopwith Camel for the English use only.

 

[Grey Randall]

Ok, so these aren't units, but things I'll change or add with the Mac Editor (Some I've done with the PC Editor and transferred to my Mac... but that is such a pain in the backside, that it's not worth doing that often)

Allow hillside/terraced irrigation
Additional Growth Wonders sort of like the Statue of Liberty, etc. Happiness/Cultural wonders like Amusement Park, or Broadway, Smithsonian Institution, Louvre, etc.

I still think I'd re-add the cultures that Civ 3 got rid of, as well a few that were excluded from all of the Civs near as I can tell.

 

[elpadrino87]

I entirely agree with the special forces unit, that can't be detected by other civs. or at least something similar to that, maybe an espionage mission: select square to be pillaged. that, and i really think helicopters should be able to be transported on carriers, i can only imagine of the possibilities with that! I can see it now, amphibious assults on costal cities while helicopters unload infantry and marines behind enemy lines!

on a similar note, it would be cool to be able to use or "lease" air bases to allies or other civs that you have a ROP with.

 

[ejday]

Hmm. I like the special forces unit, especially with the invisible bit somebody mentioned...
Now, I wonder if you could do it to hide identity (like privateers) to simulate clandestine operations. Seems like it.

Lessee... Grey Randall mentioned attack helicopters. A must-have.
Maybe a water/land transpo unit for marines (hovercraft, ducks, whatever).

How about having the satellite wonder as a small wonder, having it reveal the map and give the ability to see units not in cities (like the espionage option).

 

[Grey Randall]

Originally posted by ejday
How about having the satellite wonder as a small wonder, having it reveal the map and give the ability to see units not in cities (like the espionage option).

Say... didn't the Apollo Program Wonder do something like that in the earlier Civs? Now all it does is allow everyone into the Space Race... but if memory serves as soon as I built the Apollo Program, the whole map, or at least all cities on the planet were revealed.

From what I remember of the PC editor (Haven't had opportunity to use it, since my Mac is down to make room for the christmas tree, and if I can't play, what's the point in editing scenarios?) There's no way to set that. I could be wrong, seeings how my editor is a cracked PC editor from a previous Civ version (I think from the 1.1 patch days)

 

[ejday]

Originally posted by Grey Randall
Say... didn't the Apollo Program Wonder do something like that in the earlier Civs? Now all it does is allow everyone into the Space Race... but if memory serves as soon as I built the Apollo Program, the whole map, or at least all cities on the planet were revealed.

Yes, IIRC. You got into space and the whole planet was revealed.

...But Civ2 didn't have fog of war ...or did it? SMAC did, I think, but not Civ2. IF that was the case, once the map was revealed, did you have to sit around and wait for all the other civ's unit to move? It has been so long I've forgotten.

 

[Grey Randall]

I may just have to dust off my Civ II CD and reinstall it on my iBook so I can play it again. Need to do my "laundry" list of cultures I want back, units, etc so I'll be all set when the editor's available for our greedy little hands.

 

[troytheface]

voted AA Guns but really would like WWI style planes at the start of flight. With some kind of dog fight possible as well as recon. Navies and airforces could be tweaked just a tad-bombard for subs, triremes, dogfights, and missle loads on boats and planes.
There was thread somewhere about great non sea power nations (China was one listed) which made the point that navy strength is regulated to secondary status but what indust/modern powerful nation does not have a strong airforce? The creators balanced alot of different factors and someone wrote that a bombard that would kill would be to strong but i do not knopw if that would be true if the opponent had an airforce and aa guns etc. (also on ships)
Keeping the game simple in the combat arena makes sense and i think the game does a good job with the UU's and all. But the age of sail is short and the game uses only a galley for the ancient time....i sense a bias against ships.

 

[MacBaldrick]

I voted for special forces but agree with Sid that similar capabilities in earlier ages would be cool. Could the scout be modified to have ‘invisibility’ with increasing unrestricted movement. Could the SF have the ability to move say 1/2 squares after ‘pillaging’. After all tilt & run is basic SF tactics – you don’t let them get pinned down. Sid’s guerrillas would be a nice mid-game version. How about Vikings and the original marines (as used by English – give Elizabeth a better UU).

Too many of the other suggestions are all modern age units (geared to 20th C Scenarios ?). The modern era has too much development crammed into a short timescale to reflect accurately. I like the ideas of more gradation in naval strength and artillery over the ages.

Examples - East Indiamen (big transport with significant defence), Clipper (v fast) (Cannon should have high defence factor against mounted units (re charge of the light brigade). Catapult & Cannon should have ability to destroy city walls and avoid city defence advantage. Anti-tank should similarly have good defence against tanks / mech infantry.

Finally how about a second (or more) UU both to balance early / late impact and make up for current weak UUs, e.g. English and French. Could the golden age be deferred to a later period’s UU, perhaps shorter ?

Lets hope the Mac editor comes soon !

 

[jwill]

I know what I would add - offensive musketmen, riflemen, and infantry units. Land transports would be helpful too.

 

[MajorFallout]

How about these units:

Non-military:
Large transport plane - for workers/settlers (civilians), artillery.

Engineer worker - for building specialist buildings, motorways, bridges etc. This unit could be upgraded from a normal worker to this specialist unit for a small fee.

Workers could build a new type of road; a motorway/freeway - allows movement to be doubled.

Military:
V2 Rocket - large range standard ordance missiles - packs more punch than a cruise missile.

Zeppelins - industrial age, for long range reconnisance or limited bombing.

WW1 bi-planes: fighters and bombers!

 

[MajorFallout]

Oops, forgot this major tweak to the units thing....

Leaders
Replace their function with just hurrying wonders, and helping with population unrest. Maybe even to help mobilize the population to increase production in a city.

Armies
With the advent of the Military Academy, there could be an off-shoot unit from that tech with the ability to create armies, eg. 1 army 'General' unit per 4-5 cities in your empire, with a max of say 6-8 armies in all. I think this unit would take a long time to create, as in real life it takes to produce a experienced/career General, eg. the same amount as a battleship. So that it is not really unfair to other civs.
Also, increase the number of units that can go into an army, to 5 or 6.