information hiding -> scouting more important (please read)

[Atahualpa]

For example the Stack size! I dont think that when I first discover a stack I automatically know the size of the stack.
Maybe an approx. like: (s)mall, (m)edium, (l)arge stack. Where instead of the exact number only the letters s,m or l are printed.
Small stacks consist of 1-3 units. Medium stacks of 4-8 and large stacks consist of 9-12 units!

The only way to discover the real stack size would be to send a scout unit to investigate the stack (or do a scouting ability and give it to some units).

I think this would add more thrill to the game, as a stack of size 'm' can be no real threat: 4 Units or it could be a threat: 8 Units.

A lot of how wars are fought depends on your intelligence. And if you confuse your enemy about the size of your army you have won a great deal!

Best example is the American Civil War when McClellan believed he fought against 200,000+ men while there were only a bunch of them.

Is it too late to implement this? I dont think it would be that much work.

What do you think?
ATa

P.S.: Could this be done with SLIC?

I think it's a great idea too! There's probably no real need to create a new unit for this. Any of the stealth units should be able to revela the information.

Deception has always been a very important military tactic throughout the centuries.

It would be a good move to include something like this.

[Tilemacho]

Great idea! Maybe you could find the exact size only if you are immediate next to the unit in question.Or this could be an extra ability of spies.

Of course this should happen only until moders age!After that the exact number of unit should appear.
[This message has been edited by Tilemacho (edited October 20, 2000).]

[Swissy]

The designers look to be taking alot of the micro-managing out of the city management. Let's not put it back into the unit manuevering. Remember these units are groups of warriors, pikemen, etc. The vision range is the scouting ability of the unit. Example, the machinegunner represents the typical modern era fighting unit and it has a vision of 1. The Marine is and elite modern fighting unit, it has a vision of 2. Spies are a small network of operatives whose main purpose is information gathering, they get a three vision.

The deception comes with the inability to tell exactly what is in the stack. You only get to see one unit type, usually the strongest unit. Are there really 8 samurai in that stack, or is it one samurai and a bunch of warriors? I usually send in a cheap unit as a "scout" to see before attacking with more expensive units.

And as for McClellen, this is represented by Democracy having Bad military. McClellen is the perfect example of a "political general", concerned more with his standing in public opinion than how best to fight the war.

[Nsae Comp]

Democracy was alleight in CTP1 because the people in a democracy don´t like war and they don`t like when their people must go into war.

[Atahualpa]

quote: The deception comes with the inability to tell exactly what is in the stack. You only get to see one unit type, usually the strongest unit.

Yeah thats the system now. I also thought there could be another deception level as you can only tell a vague number of how many units are in there.

A game that already has his feature is HoMM3. When you view an enemy hero you get to see a picture of the units he has and below are the numbers, but not hard numbers more like: few, a bunch of, a group of, a hord of, a legion of,... . And each of this description represents a number range. For example "some" would be: 1-4. Now it matters if you fight 1 angel or 4 angels! (Of course the game is fictional and I dont want that stuff - the fictional stuff - to be included).
This made it a lot more thrilling in HoMM3 to fight against enemies as you dont know the exact number.

And I guess it would also be more thrilling in CtP2. Just guess a medium stack with a marine on top marches towards you! Now that could be just 4 marines to upset you, or it could been 8 to really cause some troubles. The next deception level ist that you dont know if there are 8 marines or if there are 4 marines and 4 tanks!
I dont think it would be too much micro to scout them as you could have spies or other stealth units that could do the job for you.

quote: And as for McClellen, this is represented by Democracy having Bad military. McClellen is the perfect example of a "political general", concerned more with his standing in public opinion than how best to fight the war.

That still doesnt play down the fact that Confederates fooled him on their troop size all the time.

Ata

P.S.: Thanks for the feedback so far.