Manned Fortifications

[BlueTemplar]

ORIGINAL: MatthewVilter

Yeah I agree. Some ability to put down fortifications seems reasonable.

As for the detail of how to target hex borders as opposed to hexes: Technically roads are a border future. It might feel a bit odd to click into the next hex for fortifications but barring dedicated UI development we at least know it's possible.

EDIT: Good examples btw.

That would be cumbersome though, since you want them to be perpendicular to that direction.

I guess that the fortifications, when drawn, could be automatically facing your border ?

Also we *do* have (now?) another way (if needed) to customize further hex borders like this : the traffic signal UI !

[Arcalane]

Personally I like the idea of radar stations that someone proposed up-thread. Hex-building that grants recon on surrounding tiles based on level, requiring machines for the first couple of levels and then hitech parts for the remainder.

Something like-
Radar lv1; 2t radius, 50 recon, tools
Radar lv2; 2t radius, 100 recon, tools
Radar lv3; 3t radius, 125 recon, electronics
Radar lv4; 4t radius, 150 recon, electronics
etc., up to a max of maybe 6t/200 recon, with no stacking of the recon from multiple stations in close proximity, so you still need scout units if you want proper details beyond vague sensor contacts.

Could also tie in to AA units to improve their performance if AA/planes are enabled, but that might just be unnecessary or too fiddly.

ORIGINAL: BlueTemplar
Spies, as already noted, are extremely effective against Non-Aligned and some of the minors that lack anti-spy capabilities.
(Don't ask me how a spy manages to "blend in" among Arachnids, does she just put on a spider Halloween costume ? [:D])

I think it's best to think of scouts in minor/indigenous territory as scout/ranger types. Rather than blending in amongst human populations, they're living off the land, using various spotting equipment and portable comms gear to radio back updates on tribe/herd movements.

Most indigenous critters probably won't care as long as the scout doesn't get too close, and for all other circumstances I imagine there's all sorts of neat tricks like pheromone/scent masking and such. Bugs that only hunt by scent? Make yourself smell like one of them!

ORIGINAL: BlueTemplar
As for "the remaining forces being too weak to really hold anything", tell that to the poor AI ! :

Now granted, at some point I *did* have to call those 9 tanks -
(now pretty obsolete, but still kicking ass!)
- to slap down the AI in the places where it was massing troops, and where he managed to start to push back my line...

I've noticed the AI can be a bit dumb about engagement and stance use at times, so that might have contributed to the effectiveness of your otherwise obsolete tanks. As it turns out, All Out Attack isn't a very good stance if you're not, you know, actively attacking. [;)]

[BlueTemplar]

Yeah, still doesn't explain why enemy 100mm Polymer *Tanks* (supposedly unaffected by the "All Out Attack" and "No Retreat" postures that this AI loves so much ?) have so much trouble against my 60mm HVGs... I'd have to look more carefully at the modifiers !

Anyway, that wasn't about my tanks, but about the 3 MG per tile infantry holding that line for so long ! On a plains !! (I *think* that "All Out Attack" was being used against me ?)

----

Personally I like the idea of radar stations that someone proposed up-thread. Hex-building that grants recon on surrounding tiles based on level, requiring machines for the first couple of levels and then hitech parts for the remainder.

Something like-
Radar lv1; 2t radius, 50 recon, tools
Radar lv2; 2t radius, 100 recon, tools
Radar lv3; 3t radius, 125 recon, electronics
Radar lv4; 4t radius, 150 recon, electronics
etc., up to a max of maybe 6t/200 recon, with no stacking of the recon from multiple stations in close proximity, so you still need scout units if you want proper details beyond vague sensor contacts.

Could also tie in to AA units to improve their performance if AA/planes are enabled, but that might just be unnecessary or too fiddly.

Ah, yeah, that would be nice to keep check on the borders with majors and minors that you're not at war with !

[zgrssd]

ORIGINAL: BlueTemplar

Yeah, still doesn't explain why enemy 100mm Polymer *Tanks* (supposedly unaffected by the "All Out Attack" and "No Retreat" postures that this AI loves so much ?) have so much trouble against my 60mm HVGs... I'd have to look more carefully at the modifiers !

60mm / 100mm is only a -40% attack value penalty, IIRC.

The Howitzer has -50% on all Hard Combat values.
The High Velocity gun has -75% on all Soft Combat values
Meaning the HVG Tank has ~double the Hard combat values of a Howitzer tank

[BlueTemplar]

As you can (barely, but still) see, their tanks have mostly light laser guns by now.

[Sieppo]

Fortifications absolutely needs to be implemented. It is one of the major things still missing from the game. Should be expensive in industrial points and even take some manpower and take a lot of time. One of the most enjoyable thing in the game is surviving a overwhelming assault by using terrain etc and building fortifications is a part of it. It is also an enjoyable part of strategic planning. Troops just entrenching themselves is not the solution.