Ocean Currents

[Chazbagel]

Ocean Currents. Act as a road in the ocean that doubles a ship's movement.

 

[Aramda Master]

Intersting idea.

 

[Elrohir]

A good idea, but it would be kinda complicated.

 

[Pentium]

Yes but in the opposite direction it would slow them down. Complicated to do and to use.

 

[Chazbagel]

But its realistic ... You could even make it so that the seafaring civs could spot the currents, while all the other civs cannot spot them until later in the game.

 

[Left]

It was sort of simulated in the Age of Discovery conquest with the sea squares giving no movement penalty and ocean squares giving penalties.

 

[Chazbagel]

Yeah, thats where i got the idea

 

[emzie]

Double/half is unrealistic though. One of the faster currents, the Gulf Stream, peaks at 5 knots.

 

[sir_schwick]

Excellent idea that really needs consideration.

 

[searcheagle]

I think it would be difficult to make the flow speed up one way and slow down the other way. But I like this idea.

It would make naval activity more interesting because it would force the ships closer together.

 

[sir_schwick]

I know this sounds stupid, but arrows on the ocean tiles once you learn the current. Although it might be slightly overpowering, allowing doubled movement would add real value to controlling ocean currents.

 

[searcheagle]

I know this sounds stupid, but arrows on the ocean tiles once you learn the current. Although it might be slightly overpowering, allowing doubled movement would add real value to controlling ocean currents.

It might work for sailed units, but I think the difference should be significantly smaller for modern units. However, any benefit would be appreciated if you are trying to move massive amounts of troops across the ocean.

 

[Elrohir]

It would make naval activity more interesting because it would force the ships closer together.

Which would be more realistic. As it is, you can bring a bunch of aircraft carriers, battleships and transports anywhere you please and land anywhere on their coast. But in real life, ships ofton follow the ocean currents for added speed at no cost.

And as you said, it would make for more interesting naval activity, instead of searching around for their navy across the whole map (And I usually play on a huge map) you would have to look at just a few major currents. (Unless they decided to take the sneaker, but longer route without the currents)

 

[Admiral8Q]

How about +1 move down current, -1 move up current, no effect parallel to the current.
It would look something like this:
111
0X0
222
Where X=Unit, 1=+1(with current), 0=0(parallel to current), 2=-1(against current)

And to go a step further, perhaps sailing ships and aircraft would be affected by air currents. So a wind and sea current in the same dirrection would be doubled +2 etc...

 

[Evie]

That's the SAME as doubling, you know...

 

[Admiral8Q]

That's the SAME as doubling, you know...

No it's not.

With water currents, a sailing vessel that moves 3 goes 4,3,2. If the sailing vessel moves 5, it goes 6,5,4. If air currents are incorporated then a sailing vessel that moves 3 goes 5,4,3,2,1. If the sailing vessel moves 5, it goes 7,6,5,4,3. A Destroyer is not effected by air currents so if it moves 8, it would go 9,8,7.

 

[Albow]

I like this adding of air currents too ... it was the major way to get to Australia from England, by way of the Roaring 40s - which is a large air current at 40degrees south ... very strong winds would make ships fly along!

but for the purposes of gameplay, perhaps a sea-lane idea is more practical, where the sea lane gives speed bonuses, whereas nonsea lane is slower and perhaps more dangerous ... (sea lanes could do the road trick with 1/3 movement cost)

 

[sir_schwick]

I like the direction idea because of how it affected discovery in real life. Consider Portugese mariners heading the 'mar de sol'(I think) came within view of Brazil when hitting up the canary islands.

 

[Admiral8Q]

Well, on an Earth based world, the ocean currents would look something like this.

Yes, and you can see the route from the Canary Islands to Brazil!
Maybe this one is easier to read:

 

[Admiral8Q]

Haha! Here's a really complicated version!