Ok for fun, I decided to try to come up with a list of all possible types of military systems:
A. Systems with units
These are systems that have a physical unit on the map that the player can click on and move.
1. One unit per hex (aka 1upt)
- One unit per hex (absolute).
As stated, only one unit would be allowed per hex at the same time, no exceptions.
- One unit per hex (only for military units)
The one unit per hex rule would only apply to military units so civilians units could still coexist with a military unit on the same hex.
2. Multiple units per hex ( aka stacks)
- Multiple military units per hex with cap (aka limited stacks)
Players could stack military units on the same hex and move them as one. But there would be a cap on the number of military units in the stack. This cap could be hard or soft.
- Multiple units per hex with no cap (aka unlimited stacks)
Same as above except there would be no cap on the size of the stack.
3. Armies per hex
Army units on the map would represent a combination of different classic units. So an army unit could be 2 archers, 1 swordsman, 1 horseman and 2 catapults.
The game would only allow one army unit per hex. Similar to 1upt except the unit would represent a combo of military types instead of one single type. This system would be a way of “doing stacks” in a 1upt way.
- Multiple army units per hex with cap
Similar to “stacks” but with armies instead of single classical units. There would be a cap of how many army units can exist in the same hex at the same time.
- Multiple army units per hex with no cap
Similar to “unlimited stacks” except with armies instead of single classical units.
4. One unit per region
Maps would be divided into regions instead of hexes, like a map in Risk or Europa Universalis.
- One unit per region (absolute)
Same as 1upt except with regions instead of hexes. Players could move units from one region to an adjacent region.
- One unit per region (only for military units)
Same as 1upt with civilian stacks except with regions instead of hexes.
5. Multiple units per region
- Multiple units per region with cap
Same as “limited stacks” but with regions instead of hexes.
- Multiple units per region with no cap
Same as “unlimited stacks” but with regions instead of hexes.
6. Armies per region
Basically combining the idea of army units and regions.
Similar to 1 upt but with army units in regions. So only one army unit is allowed per region at the same time.
- Multiple armies per region with cap
Same as "limited stacks" but with army units in regions. You could have multiple army units in the same region but there would be cap on how many army units per region.
- Multiple armies per region with no cap
Same as "unlimited stacks" but with army units in regions. You could have unlimited number of army units in the same region.
B. Systems with no units
These are systems that do not have physical units on the map. Instead, military is typical represented by a number that the player can allocate around to a region or hex.
1. Military strength per hex
Each hex would have a number representing the military strength in that hex. You could initiate combat by clicking on a hex with your military strength and clicking on an adjacent enemy hex. Hexes would change ownership based on differences in military strength. Military strength number would NOT represent the number of soldiers but would take into account other factors to represent the total combat strength of however many soldiers you have in that area.
2. Military strength per region
Each hex would have a number representing the military strength in that region. It would be the same as above except using regions instead of hexes. See Age of History II.
3. Military strength per city
Each city would have a military strength number. You could shift military strength from one city to another or shift military strength numbers from a city to an adjacent enemy city to initiate combat. Cities would be like star systems where military strength would “jump” from one city to another. This system would work for maps that have no hexes or regions at all. Instead cities could only be built on "settlement locations" on the map.
4. Military strength per battle front
In this system, there would be battle fronts on the map along the borders. Players would allocate military strength to a battle front. When at war, the attacker could pick a front and the direction they want to push in and fronts would shift forward or backwards based on the difference in military strengths of the two sides. This would be a unique system that would favor fluid shifting of fronts on a map.