Luddite
04-15-2009, 13:43
The effects of experience in the TW series have bounced between minor effects to the creation near god-like units capable of levelling continents with a flick of the wrist. With the earning of exp requiring either the single handed conquest of the known world to get to someting respectable or showered upon units for merely turning up. Bottom line equilibrium has yet to be found.
This mechanism probably fits ok with older time period titles, where armies were less about professional soldiers with standardised equiment, and more about dragging who you had as part of your feudal obligations training the basics and then letting them pick the rest up on the job (providing they didn't get run through).
For ETW it could have been different. Like a lot of posters I initially missed the role play elements of the dynastic family, carefully nurturing lunacy and psychopathy in equal measure. However as I got in to my first campaign (UK) I found that this had been replaced with the role playing of the trusty line infantry developing them into volley firing bayonet charging masters of the battle field. But my Austrian campaign made me realise that it hadn't gone anywhere near as far as it could. Austrian line infantry in game are about as far away as possible from UK as possible, loads of them and pretty poor with a musket. No matter what I do with them they will always come off second best to equivalent exp troops, I can provide advance bayonet drills, rank firing, but teach them how to reload and fire at a reasonable rate and acceptable accuracy forget it! (I know there might be historic basis for this but I am more interested in the game mechanic).
What I think could have been more interesting would have been a reduction of exp and introduction of training to the barracks (similar to tech research at universities):
Exp:
1 - untrained (peasant mobs etc)
2 - basic training (militia)
3 - Professional (line infantry)
4 - Professioal* (grenadiers)
5 - Elite (guards)
At each level the unit would be more proficient in line with performance standards of that unit class and access better drills.
The training element would allow you to set training prioities (firing, accuracy & reload - melee, offensive & defensive - unit sizing) essentially shape your factions military doctrine. You would have a training quota that could be used to improve training over a period, and the size and number of barracks would effect the amount and quality of troops you produce. To keep faction differences changes in training that depart from faction start prioities would lead to an increase in cost and delays in those increases taking full effect. In the case of the Austrians to try and gain improvements in firing drills would cost me more and take more time to achieve than UK, but as you focus more on a particular type you become more proficient and earn bonuses quicker, establishing a new doctrine, the player then has the option of playing to national strengths or forging a new path.
Just a rambling thought.
This mechanism probably fits ok with older time period titles, where armies were less about professional soldiers with standardised equiment, and more about dragging who you had as part of your feudal obligations training the basics and then letting them pick the rest up on the job (providing they didn't get run through).
For ETW it could have been different. Like a lot of posters I initially missed the role play elements of the dynastic family, carefully nurturing lunacy and psychopathy in equal measure. However as I got in to my first campaign (UK) I found that this had been replaced with the role playing of the trusty line infantry developing them into volley firing bayonet charging masters of the battle field. But my Austrian campaign made me realise that it hadn't gone anywhere near as far as it could. Austrian line infantry in game are about as far away as possible from UK as possible, loads of them and pretty poor with a musket. No matter what I do with them they will always come off second best to equivalent exp troops, I can provide advance bayonet drills, rank firing, but teach them how to reload and fire at a reasonable rate and acceptable accuracy forget it! (I know there might be historic basis for this but I am more interested in the game mechanic).
What I think could have been more interesting would have been a reduction of exp and introduction of training to the barracks (similar to tech research at universities):
Exp:
1 - untrained (peasant mobs etc)
2 - basic training (militia)
3 - Professional (line infantry)
4 - Professioal* (grenadiers)
5 - Elite (guards)
At each level the unit would be more proficient in line with performance standards of that unit class and access better drills.
The training element would allow you to set training prioities (firing, accuracy & reload - melee, offensive & defensive - unit sizing) essentially shape your factions military doctrine. You would have a training quota that could be used to improve training over a period, and the size and number of barracks would effect the amount and quality of troops you produce. To keep faction differences changes in training that depart from faction start prioities would lead to an increase in cost and delays in those increases taking full effect. In the case of the Austrians to try and gain improvements in firing drills would cost me more and take more time to achieve than UK, but as you focus more on a particular type you become more proficient and earn bonuses quicker, establishing a new doctrine, the player then has the option of playing to national strengths or forging a new path.
Just a rambling thought.