Nargott
Hello everyone!
I've returned to active development; at this stage, I have finalized the unit class scheme.
Most of the information below has already been discussed previously (except for the scheme itself), but it makes sense to describe everything together for a complete picture.
Unit Classes and Types
Features of this scheme:
1. All units are divided into 2 categories: Large and small. Each category contains 3 classes: Light, Heavy, and Ranged. Compared to the original, a new addition is the Heavy class, which takes only 50% damage from enemy attacks made while moving (it does not protect against stationary attacks, counterattacks, or ranged shots).
2. Within each class, there are several speed groups (from 3 to 5). Compared to the original, flyers have received higher speed groups (speed 6 for small and 7-8 for large), while ground troops have been significantly slowed down (speeds 3-5 for small and 4-6 for large). Additionally, fast ranged units have appeared, including flyers.
3. Within each speed group, units are divided into types by initiative: Power (6-8 initiative), Standard (9-11 initiative), and Active* (12-14 initiative). Unlike the original, low-initiative troops (including 6 initiative) are widely represented here, and they also possess increased strength.
*In the scheme, Active units are called Rushers; these terms are interchangeable (earlier version)
4. Within each speed group, units are also divided into roles based on the ratio of damage to survivability: Tank, Fighter, and Slayer. Unlike the original, units are distributed evenly: attacking units are not tied to high speed or initiative, and tanks are not tied to low speed or initiative.
5. Each speed group has high cohesion, meaning all 3 types of each unit generally belong to one speed group (with rare exceptions). This means that units rarely change not only their class (e.g., skeleton archers) but also rarely change their speed.
6. Each faction has its own archetype (character), expressed in which part of the speed groups (squares) their units can be located:
- Dwarves: Power Tank (strength + defense) - bottom left corner
- Humans: Standard Tank (defense) - left half
- Elves: Active Tank (initiative + defense) - top left corner
- Mages: Active Fighter (initiative) - top half
- Shadows: Active Slayer (initiative + attack) - top right corner
- Demons: Standard Slayer (attack) - right half
- Orcs: Power Slayer (strength + attack) - bottom right corner
- Undead: Power Fighter (strength) - bottom half
7. Each faction has its own initiative profile, meaning a set of initiatives that their units can have:
- Dwarves: 6-9-12
- Humans: 8-10-12
- Elves: 8-11-14
- Mages: 10-12-14
- Shadows: 9-11-13
- Demons: 7-10-13
- Orcs: 7-9-11
- Undead: 6-8-10
Unlike the original, units are grouped around racial initiatives; that is, considering the minimum 5% starting spread of the turn scale, their turns are synchronous with units of the same faction. For example, in a battle between elves and humans, elven units with 11 initiative will move consecutively, as this initiative is characteristic of elves but not humans.
8. As a result of the system, initiative is evenly represented across different classes. For instance, if we take the small ranged class, we see the following picture:
6 init = priests (3 of 3)
7 init = succubi (2 of 3)
8 init = archers (2 of 3)
9 init = witches (1 of 2)
10 init = monks (2 of 3)
11 init = druids (2 of 3)
12 init = mages (2 of 3)
13 init = scouts* (2 of 2)
14 init = hunters (3 of 3)
*Scouts, although they can shoot, are essentially ranged hybrids assigned to the light class (since scouts and assassins will have only 1 shot).
Another example - large flyers:
6 init = necro dragons (2 of 3)
7 init = wyverns (2 of 3)
8 init = griffins (2 of 3)
9 init = thanes (2 of 3)
10 init = angels (2 of 3)
11 init = dark dragons (2 of 3)
12 init = djinns (2 of 3)
13 init = devils (2 of 3)
14 init = forest dragons (2 of 3)
Class reshuffles (compared to the previous version):
- now all vampires have flight
- small orcs became heavy and mobile (speed 4), while militia became light and slow (speed 3)
- northern dragons became light, and nightmares became heavy cavalry (reason - increasing class diversity for dwarves and tier-7 units in general)
- all dark dragons, except red ones, became light (dark dragons now differ fundamentally from forest dragons by speed rather than class)
- spearmen now have the heavy class (2 of 3 are also ranged)
- most dancers were sped up (from speed 4 to 5), and most cerberi were slowed down (from speed 5 to 4), except for hellhounds
- berserkers were sped up (from speed 4 to 5), and skeletons were slowed down (from speed 5 to 4)
- nightmares were sped up (from speed 5 to 6), and bears were slowed down (from speed 6 to 5)
- one of the ents was sped up (from speed 4 to 5), and one of the northern dragons was slowed down (from speed 5 to 4)
All these reshuffles are motivated by a desire to evenly distribute units into their niches within each speed group.
For example, in the light slow group (zombies, imps, previously orcs), there was no one to fill the Active Tank role - this role is not characteristic of any of these races (undead cannot be Active, demons cannot be Tanks, and orcs cannot be Active Tanks), but humans can occupy this role (as well as dwarves or mages - but they have no small light fighters; or elves or shadows - but they have no small slow fighters).
Also, among the small light class, only humans can take 12 initiative (since there are no mages or dwarves here).
The 8th speed group has returned (but only for large light flyers), which includes angels, forest dragons, and wyverns.
This colossal Rubik's Cube has finally been solved, although it was a quite difficult task as all the above criteria had to be met simultaneously (maximum diversity, but adherence to archetypes, yet even distribution).
Now I am returning to the balance recalculation stage (specific numbers), which was largely completed previously.
Added after 1 hour 5 minutes
I consider the developed scheme (which went through many different versions as the mod evolved) to be a fundamental advantage of WGE. One could, of course, pump out hundreds of "different" units based on the principle of "if it's logical, let's add it":
- if a unit is defensive, its main function is to soak up damage, meaning neither speed nor initiative is needed (many slow powerful tanks)
- if a unit is attacking, its main function is to deal damage, meaning both speed and initiative are needed (many fast active attackers)
However, we have tried all that in many games; therefore, the "exotic" roles are of primary interest, for example:
- fast tanks can block key positions at different parts of the field
- high-initiative tanks can quickly remove counterattacks or timely enter defense (and heavy tanks can also maneuver timely to avoid 100% stationary attacks)
- slow attackers serve as a deterrent or aggressive defense (if you venture into their zone of influence, you'll get hit hard)
- low-initiative attackers create the most severe threats, as each of their rare turns can deal a great deal of damage
In WGE, all possible roles are widely represented.
With the exception of 2 things:
- slow flyers (example - original ghosts), because such a combination is absurd: if a flyer lacks the mobility to attack ranged units from a safe distance (50% shooting), then it's not a flyer, but a parody of one (the flight ability without high speed has little value)
- ultra-fast runners (since all high-speed niches are already occupied by flyers; mobility is their bread and butter)
Added after 18 minutes
I can't download the mod, it says there is no access to the files.