Ranged attack units
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 12:08 am
It's possible the idea has been here already, but let's see:
How about a unit with a decent ranged attack, but weaker in melee? (Name them archers or whatever.)
But before we get into questions of game-balance, what will they actually shoot? Seeing the globular, mud-like composition of most units, it doesn't strike me as in-tune with the game to let them carry bows or guns... what if they could throw themselves? (In other words, detach parts of their own, form them into bullets/darts/whatever, and throw them at their enemies.)
This immediately invites a built-in weakness: the more they will shoot, the weaker they will become, until at some point they will not be able to continue. Should they be wounded below their shooting threshold, they could be cured up to it in hospitals, but really recover only in inns (so in the end it will be food for ammunition). These dynamic globs might be able to heal in inns as well, but at a slower rate.
Upgrades should be done in the barracks... err, training camps, and of course they could target explorers.
Things to optimize:
- how much they loose/are wounded with each shot
- how well they can shoot, and how do they perform in close combat
- how effective are their shots against buildings (certainly less than warriors)
- how do they perform from behind walls
Extra option:
If it is mud they throw (or whatever are they composed of...), they could also make their enemies slower - as the buildings they target.
Strategy bit:
With walls (and towers) and a source of food, you could make little closed fortresses.
How about a unit with a decent ranged attack, but weaker in melee? (Name them archers or whatever.)
But before we get into questions of game-balance, what will they actually shoot? Seeing the globular, mud-like composition of most units, it doesn't strike me as in-tune with the game to let them carry bows or guns... what if they could throw themselves? (In other words, detach parts of their own, form them into bullets/darts/whatever, and throw them at their enemies.)
This immediately invites a built-in weakness: the more they will shoot, the weaker they will become, until at some point they will not be able to continue. Should they be wounded below their shooting threshold, they could be cured up to it in hospitals, but really recover only in inns (so in the end it will be food for ammunition). These dynamic globs might be able to heal in inns as well, but at a slower rate.
Upgrades should be done in the barracks... err, training camps, and of course they could target explorers.
Things to optimize:
- how much they loose/are wounded with each shot
- how well they can shoot, and how do they perform in close combat
- how effective are their shots against buildings (certainly less than warriors)
- how do they perform from behind walls
Extra option:
If it is mud they throw (or whatever are they composed of...), they could also make their enemies slower - as the buildings they target.
Strategy bit:
With walls (and towers) and a source of food, you could make little closed fortresses.