gazza666
08-01-2006, 02:03 AM
Scout special training kind of sucks in the current rules. -2 melee and +2 missile could be considered to cancel each other out (at best this is perhaps a +0.25GB modification); the move enhancement is worth less than the hit penalty (at least -0.5GB net here), which means that the free mobility and adjacent province ability is costs at least 1.25GB - and that seems somewhat overpriced.
It isn't so bad for most races - they just won't build a lot of scout units - but it really hurts elves, who all have to take it (even those elves who are mounted or wearing medium or heavy armour). There's no easy way around that - elves naturally have the ability to move through any terrain, and game balance demands that they pay for this somehow.
Here's my idea.
Firstly, create a new base unit type "Scout". This unit has the statistics -2 melee, +2 missile, 1 hit, move 2, +2 morale, and +0.5GB cost. Their special ability is that they can identify hostile units in adjacent provinces.
Next, replace the "Scout" special training with "Mobility" special training:
Special training: Mobility
Soldiers have been trained to quickly traverse hostile territory. Only foot units in light or no armour may take mobility training. Mobility training does not count against the maximum number of advanced training areas for scout units; thus, a standard scout unit may take mobility training and one other form of special training. Unit modifier: +0.5GB muster cost. Special: May move freely through any terrain
Finally, change elves so that rather than take scout training, they all must take mobility training (where appropriate - since mobility training isn't allowed for mounted units, or medium or heavily armoured units, elves with these characteristics need not take mobility training).
The overall effect of this is that for all non-elves, you can get pretty much the same sort of scouts for the same costs as you currently do. Elves that choose not to make scout units end up being 0.5GB cheaper; since the statistics for the elven units are almost entirely wrong anyway in the current rules, this revision shouldn't cause any serious problems.
Thoughts?
It isn't so bad for most races - they just won't build a lot of scout units - but it really hurts elves, who all have to take it (even those elves who are mounted or wearing medium or heavy armour). There's no easy way around that - elves naturally have the ability to move through any terrain, and game balance demands that they pay for this somehow.
Here's my idea.
Firstly, create a new base unit type "Scout". This unit has the statistics -2 melee, +2 missile, 1 hit, move 2, +2 morale, and +0.5GB cost. Their special ability is that they can identify hostile units in adjacent provinces.
Next, replace the "Scout" special training with "Mobility" special training:
Special training: Mobility
Soldiers have been trained to quickly traverse hostile territory. Only foot units in light or no armour may take mobility training. Mobility training does not count against the maximum number of advanced training areas for scout units; thus, a standard scout unit may take mobility training and one other form of special training. Unit modifier: +0.5GB muster cost. Special: May move freely through any terrain
Finally, change elves so that rather than take scout training, they all must take mobility training (where appropriate - since mobility training isn't allowed for mounted units, or medium or heavily armoured units, elves with these characteristics need not take mobility training).
The overall effect of this is that for all non-elves, you can get pretty much the same sort of scouts for the same costs as you currently do. Elves that choose not to make scout units end up being 0.5GB cheaper; since the statistics for the elven units are almost entirely wrong anyway in the current rules, this revision shouldn't cause any serious problems.
Thoughts?