The New Foreign Legions

[Evie94]

So, according to the recent German article, the Foreign Legion is no longer a French UU and is now available to any Civ which takes a certain Freedom tenet ("Volunteer Army").

Do we think they will remain the exact same as the French UU i.e. the combat bonus in enemy territory or will the fact that they appear "free" be the extent of their specialty (could conceivably be maintenance-free too, as this was a Policy in the Freedom tree)?

I think it could work with the enemy territory bonus as it appears that there are different paths within the Ideologies e.g. an Autocratic tenet "Gunship Diplomacy" allows you to use your army to gain influence with City States peacefully. Not sure I'd like it if it was just lumped in there, as Freedom appears to be the go-to choice for Science victories now and it may make Freedom OP...

 

[Arachnofiend]

I remember the devs saying that the different ideologies would have branching policy trees that would be made for the different victory conditions. We got an example of a Freedom policy that's good for science victories, doesn't mean that the other ideologies will be lacking their own science boosts.

Also, the FL-related Freedom policy states that you get 8 of them for free, not that you can build them. This leads me to believe that everyone can build them, perhaps with certain requirements that reflect how they're not home grown soldiers.

 

[jjkrause84]

That's a slight shame. I loved the Foreign Legion...if only because they looked just like poilus. I had great fun naming them after WWI divisions.

 

[Martinus]

I remember the devs saying that the different ideologies would have branching policy trees that would be made for the different victory conditions. We got an example of a Freedom policy that's good for science victories, doesn't mean that the other ideologies will be lacking their own science boosts.

Also, the FL-related Freedom policy states that you get 8 of them for free, not that you can build them. This leads me to believe that everyone can build them, perhaps with certain requirements that reflect how they're not home grown soldiers.

This. All ideologies give bonuses to all VCs. This is what makes them different from SPs.

 

[Squibbon]

I remember the devs saying that the different ideologies would have branching policy trees that would be made for the different victory conditions. We got an example of a Freedom policy that's good for science victories, doesn't mean that the other ideologies will be lacking their own science boosts.

Also, the FL-related Freedom policy states that you get 8 of them for free, not that you can build them. This leads me to believe that everyone can build them, perhaps with certain requirements that reflect how they're not home grown soldiers.

So, what, will the Order policy tree field totally home-grown conscript armies?

 

[stealth_nsk]

Also, the FL-related Freedom policy states that you get 8 of them for free, not that you can build them. This leads me to believe that everyone can build them, perhaps with certain requirements that reflect how they're not home grown soldiers.

I don't see any reason for making FL a unit which everyone could build - unless it takes some completely new niche. Each common unit has a very distinctive role. So, most likely ability to build FL (probably instead of regular Infantry) is a Freedom feature.

 

[Martin23230]

Perhaps each ideology has it's own unique unit, with some special benefit?
Freedom - Foreign Legion
Order - Conscripts
Autocracy - Military Police

When you start the ideology you unlock that unit, then in the tree there are specific tenants that relate to them. Just an idea...

 

[Martinus]

The OP is factually incorrect. It never said the foreign legion is no longer a French UU.

 

[Evie94]

The OP is factually incorrect. It never said the foreign legion is no longer a French UU.

im extrapolating. it really isnt a colossal leap that if a unit previously unique to one Civ becomes available or free with a tenet of an ideology that every Civ can take, it is no longer unique to that Civ. unless that tenet is only open to that Civ, or their is a special type of French Foreign Legion, which is rather unlikely considering the total Culture reworking they've been giving and how the Chateau could play into that. follow?

 

[Martinus]

Reposting from another thread:
I think the conclusion that the French UU is replaced with a UI is premature:

- a chateau may be simply a new generic land improvement generating tourism,
- the Freedom tenet giving a certain number of foreign legion does not mean it ceases to be French UU (CS already can give you unique units for example)
- there is a possibility that the German article was wrong and the unit given was infantry (maybe also they played as France and got the tenet giving infantry but got the foreign legion since it's French replacement for it)

Your "extrapolations" are really nothing but wild guesses. Follow?

 

[Evie94]

Reposting from another thread:
I think the conclusion that the French UU is replaced with a UI is premature:

- a chateau may be simply a new generic land improvement generating tourism,
- the Freedom tenet giving a certain number of foreign legion does not mean it ceases to be French UU (CS already can give you unique units for example)
- there is a possibility that the German article was wrong and the unit given was infantry (maybe also they played as France and got the tenet giving infantry but got the foreign legion since it's French replacement for it)

Your "extrapolations" are really nothing but wild guesses. Follow?

oooh handbags at five paces here. well okay, we'll speculate and you don't have to if you don't want to? mmmkay?

 

[Squibbon]

Well, Martinus has a point. The chateau may not be a unique improvement. After all, just because the name is French doesn't mean it will be unique to France.

For example, Oxford, Circus Maximus, and Hermitage can be built by anyone and everyone on a map. They're national wonders. Landships were specific to England, yet everyone can use one. England was the only country to extensively use landships (Germans only had a couple). Same with the Gatling Gun, except that was unique to the United States. Something that in real life was unique to only one or a couple civilizations doesn't make it so in Civ. V.

As for that Freedom policy, if they were Foreign Legion, wouldn't that be slighly overpowered? Eight free units that have bonuses on enemy territory, everyone will go for Freedom then, and ignore Autocracy and Order unless they too get something this cool.

As for the German article, game articles aren't always right. However, I don't speak German, so did they announce that SPECIFICALLY Foreign legion would be granted for the policy, or just generic infantry?

 

[Evie94]

Well, Martinus has a point. The chateau may not be a unique improvement. After all, just because the name is French doesn't mean it will be unique to France.

For example, Oxford, Circus Maximus, and Hermitage can be built by anyone and everyone on a map. They're national wonders. Landships were specific to England, yet everyone can use one. England was the only country to extensively use landships (Germans only had a couple). Same with the Gatling Gun, except that was unique to the United States. Something that in real life was unique to only one or a couple civilizations doesn't make it so in Civ. V.

As for that Freedom policy, if they were Foreign Legion, wouldn't that be slighly overpowered? Eight free units that have bonuses on enemy territory, everyone will go for Freedom then, and ignore Autocracy and Order unless they too get something this cool.

As for the German article, game articles aren't always right. However, I don't speak German, so did they announce that SPECIFICALLY Foreign legion would be granted for the policy, or just generic infantry?

my german is very rusty so i wouldnt trust it to translate, but the german speakers in the thread dedicated to the article don't seem to see it as an issue.

Freedom
- "Voluntary army": yields 6 free "Foreign Legion" Units right away (no maintenance)

is exactly as its translated in the aforementioned thread

 

[Matthew.]

It specifically states Fremdenlegion--foreign legion. And it is six, not eight for free.

 

[Evie94]

It specifically states Fremdenlegion--foreign legion. And it is six, not eight for free.

doesnt seem like you can mistranslate that, particularly when the german for infantry is Infanterie

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

The only implication I can draw is that foreign legions are no longer exclusive to France. I would not jump to the conclusion that they are exclusive to the Freedom ideology. Not being exclusive to France means they are almost certainly not a French UU anymore, because it takes a way the unique part. They very well could be a generic unit now.

 

[Evie94]

The only implication I can draw is that foreign legions are no longer exclusive to France. I would not jump to the conclusion that they are exclusive to the Freedom ideology. Not being exclusive to France means they are almost certainly not a French UU anymore, because it takes a way the unique part. They very well could be a generic unit now.

I agree, I'm just noting that the evidence we have for them not being a French UU anymore comes from the Freedom tree. The purpose of this thread was actually just me wondering if anyone else thought they would be nerfed as they aren't a UU anymore, they always did great for me with France

 

[flairin]

maybe you just get to have 6 of your units maintenance free, whatever they may be... doesn't mean that they are what we currently understand foreign legions to be

 

[Matthew.]

I agree, I'm just noting that the evidence we have for them not being a French UU anymore comes from the Freedom tree. The purpose of this thread was actually just me wondering if anyone else thought they would be nerfed as they aren't a UU anymore, they always did great for me with France

I actually think the exact opposite: Since they are a limited one-time use, they should be stronger than regular great war infantry. Otherwise I think I'd rather use one of the Ideology bonuses on something a bit more static and just hard-train 6 GWI in about 30 turns.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

We don't know that they are only available through the Freedom Tenet. We only know that they are available that way. It is very possible that anyone can build them. As yet, social policies that give free units give units that are available to anyone else. I suspect it is the same with foreign legions.

Whether they retain their foreign lands bonus is yet to be seen. I suspect they will have a slightly less powerful version of the bonus or a slightly lower base strength like how marines stack up against infantry currently.