aksully said:
Anyhow, I would like to share some thoughts about the Guerilla unit. Something for you guys to think about in terms of its part in TOS. I like the idea of the unit. But I would suggest some modification. As it is right now it is perhaps the strongest unit of the game.
First I think its too early for the unit. China starts off with the Tech to build them. I would have to check references...but I don't think Mao's guerilla forces were up and running in China in 1941 or early 42. I might be wrong but it needs to be checked. At the very least....China should have to research the tech at the start of the game.
Second, I think its movement is unrealistic. In the last turn, a Chinese guerilla was on a mountain square, went to a hill square, then to a plains square, then went into Hsinking. This might be okay for Air Cav units but it seems like too much movement for a ground force. Consider Merrill's Marauders in Burma. They used mountains, hills, and jungle for concealment of movement...ie stealth to move unobserved from one point to the next.....not for fast transit.
Third, I understand the concept of giving them stealth attack but I think it gives them a very unrealistic game capability. I've lost a bunch of art units..most stacked with other troops which guerillas were able to destroy by selective attack. I don't have a problem if art is by itself. But not when stacked with other troops.
Guerilla functions are fairly well represented in Civ3's "resisting citizens". That takes x number of troops to quell resistance in captured cities. And that to a degree does represent an abstract of "guerilla" activities.
Option 1)
So are you suggesting to make the Guerrila unit invisible? That would be an interesting twist. Remove stealth attack, but make the unit type invisible. I would suppose that the Security Battalion would then need to have see invisible to balance it out.
In such a situation though, you'd basically have to restrict Guerillas to being a Chinese only unit. That would get majorly abused by the other countries.
It might be a good way to insure that Japan actually garrison its cities in Manchuria and Korea. Guerillas could move invisibly behind the lines, kill undefended workers and pillage. Selectively they could attack garrisons (or garrisoned units protecting vulnerable unit types like artillery or workers). "Wolfpacking" guerrillas could get pretty nasty and take out what the Jap thought was a safe stack of workers building a railroad etc.
I kind of like the idea, but you would have to dramatically reduce the number of game start guerillas to make it practical. (I'd suggest no more than 4-5 of them and no where Japan can kill them on turn 1). I'd also suggest giving them 2 mps and removing their "ignore terrain costs of hills / mountain".
Option 2)
I agree with Sully that there are way too many guerillas in v3.05. I've run a couple of playtest simulations and with the new unit setups, combined with the damaged tiles, combined with the large numbers of guerilla units, an effective Chinese player can wipe out virtually all Japanese artillery in 2-3 turns. That makes a huge dent in the Japanese offensive capability since its suicide to attack the bunkers (defended by the MGs) with regular infantry that isn't backed by artillery.
I think starting China with about 1/3 of the number of guerillas currently on the map might be more playable (especially if those guerillas in cities and on the front lines are removed). That way the Japs can't reach any of them on turn 1 (and would have no idea where you are moving them to).
I also think that Canton is understrength. I think it should have a tank there. The offensive and movement ability is necessary given the significant possibility of a 1 unit loss taking Hong Kong (and the damaged terrain in the area). I'd suggest removing one of the MGs and putting a light tank in its place.
Adding a tank to Canton creates a possibilty of Nanning being taken on turn 1, but Japan would have to be very lucky in taking out Hong Kong with 1 infantry (and no artillery). Then the artillery would have to hit (and do 2 hps of damage to the MG in Nanning). Then you'd need 2 (or more) tank attacks to finish the city off. Not real good odds in my book.
Misfit
Look who's afraid to attach his save 
I'll be waiting for you my friend... around Wake or maybe even the Coral Sea perhaps? After all...Spring is a lovely time of year to watch the hulls of US ships sink below the gentle swells to see the surface....Nevermore!
