"Terrorism" mod - request comments on balance

[Grey Knight]

Having seen the fun one can have with privateers, I've been drooling to get my hands on a "terrorism" mod -- ground based troops who have "hidden nationality". Well, I did it! I'd like some feedback as to balance. My general rule is to have the unit cost the same as the offensive unit of the era (i.e. cavary) but have only 2/3 the attack. Defense is half again of the attack rating (as bandits are usually easy targets for regular army). Another though would be to have them cheaper and weaker still...

Anyway, here are the units. All have hidden nationality, and are listed in upgrade order:

Unit (corresponding unit) - Tech & resources - cost A/D/M modifiers

Brigand (swordsman) - Iron - 30 2/1/1
Bandit (cavalry) - Economics / Horses / Saltpeter - 80 4/2/2 mounted
Guerilla (tank) - Radio - 100 10/6/1 ZOC all terrain
Terrorist (mod.armor) - Ecology - 120 16/8/1 all terrain

Thoughts? The AI will build these as offensive units. I'm not sure if it will use them for sneak attacks though.

I don't have groovy graphics. The terrorist is Dark Sheers, as is the Bandit. The brigand is a copy of the swordsman, and the guerilla is a copy of the paratrooper. If someone wants to make "hidden nationality" copies of these that would be great

Cheers,
Shawn

 

[Grey Knight]

Edit: Updated BIC file - AGAIN!

Brigands now come with currency (to pay the suckers!), and bandits come with banks (after all, bandits are for robbing banks, no?)

I've done mini icons for brigands, bandits, and guerillas (see units32.pcx). I took a stab at civilopedia text & graphics.

Art\Units you'll still have to do yourself!

Cheers,
Shawn

 

[Grey Knight]

LOL - the AI will use hidden nationality fighters without a doubt! I had a 16/8/1 (all terrain as roads) unit come when we had Ecology, and the AI went bezerk building these guys. Made for an out-and-out shield brawl. Given this result, I don't really see having hidden nationality units as adding to gameplay, since not having to declare war save you so much hassle it is unbalancing.

FWIW, taking a city with a hidden nationality unit does have a diplomacy impact, but does not give you the option of declaring war.

Cheers,
Shawn

 

[Dark Sheer]

Actually, having hidden nationality units plus submarine ability is fun for Civ3!! And I won’t call it unbalancing for any unit that the AI will built and use. It only get unbalanced when only the player know how to use these units, not so for the hidden nationality units.

For my own mod, I use the bandit which comes with Military Tradition and the AI do build the Bandits and also the Cavalry (both having 6/3/3 but Bandit has hidden nationality and submarine). And the AI is smart enough to use the Bandit to capture the workers and also tries to take cities. Perhaps the main reason why AI is still building the Cavalry is Cavalry is upgradeable to Mech Inf while the Bandit is only upgradeable to Special Ops (which is available after smart weapon ). And there is no short of war as the AI still bash it out with all the other units with a few Bandits thrown in now and then. Of course, I have marked the Infantry as both Attack and Defence unit and the AI will build Infantry for attack over Cavalry (6/10/1 vs 6/3/3 )