Projectile tracers and unit limit

[@Lantis]

Hi all,

I recently got TROM again after I played the first version some months ago, and I really like how it has evolved.


Two things I want to ask about. Don't hate me for it, but for my game experience, particularly in naval battles, I would like to have tracers back. I've seen a projectile.fx file in the smoke_and_blood file, is it possible to delete this file in the Packfilemanager, and then re-save the file to get the original tracers back?

Secondly, I have felt that the artificial unit limit (for the fantastic Circassian Cavalry (6) , for example) is a very crude way of the game to limit 'elite units' I was wondering, is it not possible to have a script which counts the number of units, and adds a percentage to the upkeep cost for all units of the same type?

For example, If I have one Black Watch, the unit costs 300 per turn. with a scripted add-on percentage of 50%, if I build another, both would cost 450 per turn, for a total upkeep of 900. Then if I build another, each would cost 600 per turn, for a total of 1800 upkeep for 3 units. This would simulate a 'supply-demand' system, whereby one would really have a tough choice whether the unit capability is worth the extra bucks


If the above is not possible, is there a way of making techs increase cost or particular classes of units?

For example, each Enlightenement tech would increase cost of elite and royal guard units by 10% (making enlightenement a bad idea for monarchies ), so after researching 10 Enlightenement techs, guard and elite units would cost twice as much in upkeep. On the other hand, such techs could for example decrease upkeep for militia or conscript units, making them a much better option for republics/democracies.

This of course requires that increased cost would not apply to all infantry or other type units, but just to specific classes (Elite Infantry, Line Infantry, Militia, Skirmishers, Irregulars, Missile Cavalry, Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, etc.).


I hope the above is possible, maybe someone with good scripting experience can take a look at this.


Greetz,

Atlantis

[Edax]

Hi all,

I recently got TROM again after I played the first version some months ago, and I really like how it has evolved.


Two things I want to ask about. Don't hate me for it, but for my game experience, particularly in naval battles, I would like to have tracers back. I've seen a projectile.fx file in the smoke_and_blood file, is it possible to delete this file in the Packfilemanager, and then re-save the file to get the original tracers back?

Secondly, I have felt that the artificial unit limit (for the fantastic Circassian Cavalry (6) , for example) is a very crude way of the game to limit 'elite units' I was wondering, is it not possible to have a script which counts the number of units, and adds a percentage to the upkeep cost for all units of the same type?

For example, If I have one Black Watch, the unit costs 300 per turn. with a scripted add-on percentage of 50%, if I build another, both would cost 450 per turn, for a total upkeep of 900. Then if I build another, each would cost 600 per turn, for a total of 1800 upkeep for 3 units. This would simulate a 'supply-demand' system, whereby one would really have a tough choice whether the unit capability is worth the extra bucks


If the above is not possible, is there a way of making techs increase cost or particular classes of units?

For example, each Enlightenement tech would increase cost of elite and royal guard units by 10% (making enlightenement a bad idea for monarchies ), so after researching 10 Enlightenement techs, guard and elite units would cost twice as much in upkeep. On the other hand, such techs could for example decrease upkeep for militia or conscript units, making them a much better option for republics/democracies.

This of course requires that increased cost would not apply to all infantry or other type units, but just to specific classes (Elite Infantry, Line Infantry, Militia, Skirmishers, Irregulars, Missile Cavalry, Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, etc.).


I hope the above is possible, maybe someone with good scripting experience can take a look at this.


Greetz,

Atlantis

I do like your idea of scaling the guard. I find it odd that after I take over all of America and India, and half of Europe as France, I can only afford 3 guard units. As I recal, in Napoelon's Grande Armee of the invasion of Russia, his Guard and became an army in of itself, 100,000 strong.

I am not happy about the enlightenement idea. Monarchies are tradionally better at raising armies and waging war. Though I think enlightenement tech could boost a Republic's army moral. When you fight to preserve freedom, theres more on the line then just pride of your king. I don't see how enlightenement would increase the cost of an army, maybe increase it's pride. (Being the Kingdom of Enlightenment and such.) Researching enlightenment is already a deadly slow procress, and a dangerous one, for in the game, Monarchies research slower, and have a much higher clamor for reform. Screwing the army would make Monarchies obsolete, which it is not in this time peirod.

[@Lantis]

I agree wih you, that's why i would only consider using some techs to influence upkeep if it is not possible to achieve the first, and IMO, preferred method. I only posted the example to explain my idea of implementing such a system of influencing the upkeep for certain types of units (typically, the units that are now limited in number). Another example would be increasing the upkeep of cavalry as horses become more expensive to purchase with increased use in farming as farming techs are developed

[Beastro]

I agree wih you, that's why i would only consider using some techs to influence upkeep if it is not possible to achieve the first, and IMO, preferred method. I only posted the example to explain my idea of implementing such a system of influencing the upkeep for certain types of units (typically, the units that are now limited in number). Another example would be increasing the upkeep of cavalry as horses become more expensive to purchase with increased use in farming as farming techs are developed

I long ago listed how CA could have enriched the strategy aspect of naval warfare actually having blood trade winds being the most gaping hole.

Sadly, CA doesn't seem to give a damn about such matters.

[Serenissima]

The main reason that the unit limits are in place, I gather, is for the AI, rather than the player. Without unit limits, the AI just builds huge hordes of militia and elite units. The limits are in place so that this doesn't happen. Unfortunately, I expect that even if such a script as you suggest were possible, it would not deter the AI - and knowing the AI in this game, it'd just churn out thousands of elite units and bankrupt itself with their upkeep costs that it would be unable to see changing. Or care.

[@Lantis]

Hmmm... Good point. And i suppose an AI Picklist will not be able to prevent this? Well, maybe a dynamic unit limit related to the number of 'major' cities? Of course, this is already sort of in place with AOR elite units (2 Walloon Guards, 3 Danish Guards in my current game).


Poor AI programming will be the death of me!!!

[Serenissima]

No such thing as one, I expect. CA didn't exactly code the game terribly well... but I'm not a programmer. Thing is, if it could be done, modders would have done it... and they haven't.

[mAIOR]

I do like your idea of scaling the guard. I find it odd that after I take over all of America and India, and half of Europe as France, I can only afford 3 guard units. As I recal, in Napoelon's Grande Armee of the invasion of Russia, his Guard and became an army in of itself, 100,000 strong.

I am not happy about the enlightenement idea. Monarchies are tradionally better at raising armies and waging war. Though I think enlightenement tech could boost a Republic's army moral. When you fight to preserve freedom, theres more on the line then just pride of your king. I don't see how enlightenement would increase the cost of an army, maybe increase it's pride. (Being the Kingdom of Enlightenment and such.) Researching enlightenment is already a deadly slow procress, and a dangerous one, for in the game, Monarchies research slower, and have a much higher clamor for reform. Screwing the army would make Monarchies obsolete, which it is not in this time peirod.

The armies in Napoleon times were much larger than the ones in this period. Still, Napoleon invaded Russia with 400,000 men so the Guard units represented "only" 1/4 of their army. I think having a limit like 10% of your entire units would be much more appropriate.


Cheers

[Serenissima]

The main problem is coding it. As far as I know, the only way to restrict units is with a numerical restriction, as TRoM has now.

We can all say all the lovely things we'd like done, but unfortunately, I expect most of them cannot be done in the ETW engine, unless (or even if) we had an SDK.