The size of huge stacks

[PPQ_Purple]

Would it be possible to implement a file structure like system.
The initial tooltip would provide you with just raw unit count:
Warrior (20)
Dragon (1)
Archmage (5)
Archer (50)

And each of these would be clickable to provide a detailed list of the individual units and their promotions.

(Althou I am guessing this would be hard to implement)

 

[zup]

At least the number, please. I want to see it with a glance. Isn't civ supposed to be a semi-hard strategy game without spreadsheets for everything? Don't make me open one (military advisor).

 

[JonathanStrange]

I've not found it too crucial to know if the enemy's brought 50 axemen or 56 axemen. If my king asks me how many are invading, I'd just shrug and say "All of them". Now, if this were a tactical game where knowing the enemy had 4,000 cavalry and not 10,000 then I'd want better info 'cause I place my regiments appropriately.

I might find it interesting to have numerical info - ironically, it's most useful when the numbers are small because again, I may not know how many the enemy units they need to take my city but I can see they brought that and a bunch more besides. I don't need a calculator for a horde, but it may come in handy (although be unnecessary) if they bring a dozen-plus.

 

[Honor]

It would be better if
1 dot - less than 5 units
2 dots - 5 to 10
3 - 11 to 15
4 - 16 to 20
5 - 21 to 30
6 - 31 to 50
7 - 50+

... or even better, a plain text number above the stack as others have suggested.

I would presume this would require SDK work, though.

By the way, Heroes of Might and Magic roxxors, you blasphemous infidels!

 

[Thunder_Gr]

By the way, Heroes of Might and Magic roxxors, you blasphemous infidels!

I'll bite the bait. Heroes of might and magic gives you no clue about the strength of the units you are going to face. And have a limit of 8 heroes(all versions except IV-which was the best IMHO of this game's series), but even in IV, the first argument stands. BtS, on the other hand, gives you detailed info about strength, movement, promotions etc.

 

[Jules.lt]

It's not crucial to know if there are 50 or 56.
It's problematic that there's no way to know at a glance if a stack has 20 or 100 units.

 

[Thunder_Gr]

It's not crucial to know if there are 50 or 56.
It's problematic that there's no way to know at a glance if a stack has 20 or 100 units.

Well, I have to admit that I have become victim to a SoD because I negleted to mouseover a stack entering my lands with >100 units, but this was due to my fault. What more simple than just mouseover a stack?
Besides, even with the proposed altered dot system, it would be needed to mouseover to see what kind of units are coming your way.
It is not only a matter of numbers, it is also a matter of quality. I wouldn't care if the enemy was coming, in midgame, with 200 scouts and 2 rangers, but I would really care if it was 10 rangers, 10 horse archers/chariots and 4 catapults.

 

[Jules.lt]

I don't care much for this dot system, the game has a very good way of representing the number of each unit and the promotions present in the stack when you mouse over it. It's just not using it correctly.

I went back to see how it worked exactly and why I had found it so messy. The game lists the first units in details until it fills up the screen, then puts a contracted list of the rest at the bottom. That would be fine if that meant that you could see the most powerful units in detail and a summarised list of the rank and file, but the list goes below the interface at the top, so the most powerful units are unreadable.

Am I the only one seeing this?

 

[Thunder_Gr]

[...] but the list goes below the interface at the top, so the most powerful units are unreadable.

Am I the only one seeing this?

I think there is an option to hide the interface. Haven't used it, I can't tell you how, or where, but I think there is one...

To answer your question, this bugs me also. I would really like it to be one line lower, since it only affects the 1st unit in the stack

 

[Jules.lt]

The first 2, in fact. The most powerful ones.
And I'd very much like any list of 3+ similar units compacted instead of crowding the screen with useless stuff that keeps me from getting the big picture faster.

 

[Honor]

I'll bite the bait. Heroes of might and magic gives you no clue about the strength of the units you are going to face. And have a limit of 8 heroes(all versions except IV-which was the best IMHO of this game's series), but even in IV, the first argument stands. BtS, on the other hand, gives you detailed info about strength, movement, promotions etc.

Well, err, you are aware that in HoMM the only units for which strength would matter are the heroes, right? You already know the strength of the regular units you are going to face.