Scale aircraft ranges to map size!!!

[n3y0]

I was really disappointed with how weak air units were in Civ 5, mainly due to their range. On large and huge maps, bombers couldn't do anything as meaningful as they should have been able to. Even stealth bombers were less than useful because of their range. Nuclear misses couldn't even hit halfway across the ocean in many cases, which was far different from what I was used to in 3 & 4, where they could hit any tile on the map.

I was expecting this to be remedied in VI, and was thrilled to learn how nuclear weapons and air units in general are treated in this game. Missile silo improvements, nuclear warhead stockpiles instead of units, and deploying fighter aircraft outside bases are all fantastic ideas.

However, I was extremely disappointed to discover, after I had built a silo in my first game, that the only land tiles on the map I would hit with it were within my own empire. I put the silo in the center of the landmass of course, as it is the most defensible location and historically accurate, yet this actually made it useless in the game.

Missile Silo and aircraft ranges badly, badly need to be increased dramatically, and especially on larger map sizes. Any target on the map should be hit-able from a silo. Jet bombers very badly need longer range, as stealth bombers needed in Civ 5, else they will be useless again.

I've been waiting to get this fix in Civ games for too long, and Civ 6 needs to fix this.

 

[redwings1340]

I don't know what version of civ V you played if you thought air units were useless there, I used them constantly, but yeah, there should be a relatively easy way to get nukes to the front lines. I haven't played at all with nukes and planes, but if a nuke silo is an improvement, it shouldn't be that hard to create another one at the front lines though, military engineers aren't that expensive.

 

[Ian Brown]

I have to agree bombers are very limited on huge maps, not helped by the limit of one per city with out some sort of landing strip.
At least you can use the fighters patrol to extend the range - I ended up building a number of 'outpost' cites to move planes around.

 

[ilker]

I think the ranges are rational. You shouldn't be able to reach everywhere without an effort. changes in fighter line is also interesting (deploy). By the way you can re-base any airplane to any city in the map, even though it is not showing green hex.

And they are really useful, I outmatched Deity AI with one era later units ignoring airforce easily.

 

[n3y0]

You shouldn't be able to reach everywhere without an effort. changes in fighter line is also interesting (deploy).

You're right, and I understand the devs wanting the player to make an effort regarding air force logistics. I also really appreciate the fighter deployment. But I think the advanced aircraft ranges in particular are wrong. Maybe allow a "refueling" mechanic where allied cities can extend bomber aircraft range without having to re-base?
And the missile silos in particular feel just completely wrong. Limit their shots to 1 or 2 per turn of they have to, but ICBMs should absolutely be able to hit any hex on the map. I shouldn't have to build them on borders with enemy territory just to make them effective.