Thoughts (1.1.3 - 1.1.6)

[jdmillard]

* Added healthDamage attribute to promoteUnits to allow modding Field Training damage.
* Increased Field Training from 10% health damage to 50%.
* Field Training now increases the rank only up to 5.
* Doubled Field Training cost from 16 to 32.

I like the changes, but the damage might be too high. I think I would like it a lot more if the % damage inflicted was dependent on the rank.

* Credits, food, minerals, production and research buildings now give a constant bonus of +2 instead of +2/+4/+8.

A good change.

* Advancements now have a production component.

I think the first faction to produce a given advancement should get a predetermined bonus that is associated with that advancement. Example: first person to get Colonization Fervor does not loose a population point where the colonizer spawns. The first person to get Naval Logistics gets a +1 sight for transports (not all naval units, just transports). There could be a whole discussion about possible bonuses.

* Doubled growth produceable gain.

I usually have higher production priorities, so I don't end up using it... but I agree that the gain was too low before.

* AI factions and aliens now destroy improvements and roads again.

I think it should take two turns to destroy an enhancement, giving a warning to the defender. This adds strategy by allowing the attacker to lure the defender out of his fortifications. Another idea my brother had was that after you research guerrilla warfare, anytime someone destroys an enhancement in your land, the attacking unit takes an automatic % damage. It could be a small percentage.

[BlueTemplar]

Pillaging should be worth it or nobody will bother with it. Destroying an improvement already removes the remaining moves from the unit, therefore leaves it out in the open, which can be a tempting target for the defender to kill.