Unit traits

[adherbal]

A list of special unit traits currently in the game:

airborne: Unit can be transported by air

submerged: Unit operates below water

submergable: Unit can dive underwater

camouflaged: Unit is invisible until an enemy unit moves into it

explosives: Unit can destroy bridges, supply sources, ...

bridgeBuilder: Unit can construct pontoon bridges

weakFlanks: Unit suffers more from outflanking attacks

tunneling: Unit can travel through underground tunnels

concealable: Unit can't be spotted from range or air in certain terrain types (ex: Jungle)

minelayer: Unit can deploy mines

mineClearer: Unit can clear mines

amphibious: Unit can switch to amphibious mode (shallow water)

kamikaze: Unit attacks by throwing itself at the enemy

singleShot: Unit can only fire once (ex: B29 Nuclear Bomber)

noSupply: Unit does not require supply

fieldArmour: Unit can trade speed for additional "field armour"

entrenchSupport: Unit assists adjacent friendlies in entrenching their position

carrierBased: Unit can operate from aircraft carriers

highRiskReturn: High randomisation in combat odds (ex: Jap Infantry in "banzai" mode)

guerilla: Unit does not suffer from efficiency loss over difficult terrain (ex: Australian Commandos)

assault: Unit has bonuses against entrenched positions

[ruggs215]

Interesting to see that camouflage will have a part in this game as well as tunneling. Pretty cool since the Japanese were masters at using underground tunnels to reinforce and or launch surprise attacks from.

Will you be able to build your own tunnels, or will the tunnels be pre-constructed and units just be able to use them?

Field armor? Does this mean that certain units are customizable?

B-29 Nuclear bomber? Does this mean that we can choose what type of armament planes will carry?

Will there be torpedo planes as well for naval warfare?

[Myrddraal]

Tunnels are pre-constructed - there will be pre-placed tunnels on a few specific maps (ex Iwo Jima). The design is kept fairly simple: units can "warp" between tunnel entrances. It costs all their movement points. Tunnels also connect supply lines so a region that is cut off will get supply from another sector if they both have tunnels. Tunnels are also "camouflaged" so can't be seen until enemy stumbles upon them.

Units with the field armour trait can add field armour within a scenario. This takes a turn. It decreases the speed of the unit but adds an armour bonus. This trait represents the habit of Allied soldiers to put wooden plates, sandbags and weld additional armour plating to their tanks for extra protection. When field armour is added this is visualised on the unit model.

Not as such for the B-29 bomber, this is more a special unit.

There will be torpedo planes yes

[Horst]

Will there also be some kind of recon/phase movement trait for vulnerable recon units, so they can move several times per turn? Most importantly, will the AI make use of it too?

About concealment and sight system in general:
How far goes the spotting range of naval units? Will ground/naval unit types equally be able see through common land hexes, even through forests and hill hexes?
If all naval units can spot each other from far away, how can weaker naval units, like destroyers, hold against larger capital ships?

[adherbal]

Will there also be some kind of recon/phase movement trait for vulnerable recon units, so they can move several times per turn? Most importantly, will the AI make use of it too?

As it stands, recon units can't move multiple times but they have greatly improved retreat capabilities. When defending against bad combat odds, they will retreat 1 hex taking minimal casualties while also dealing less damage. All units have this behaviour but recon units retreat faster and more effectively, making them hard to destroy but also bad at holding a position. Experience further improves unit retreat capabilities making elite Recon units very effective at scouting the enemy with little risk of being destroyed.

How far goes the spotting range of naval units? Will ground/naval unit types equally be able see through common land hexes, even through forests and hill hexes?

The game has a basic true-LOS system. Forests and mountains block LOS while units can see further across water. This also means ships have a large spotting range across water but cannot see deep into land.

If all naval units can spot each other from far away, how can weaker naval units, like destroyers, hold against larger capital ships?

Naval LOS is much higher than range, so with some care ships won't stumble in range of enemy ships. Destroyers are actualy cost-effective against Battleships though. Especially Japanese destroyers (they had very potent "Long Lance" torpedos). Battleships require a screen of their own destroyers and cruisers for protection.

[Durin1978]

As I read the last post about naval units a question came up to my mind. How will ships be repaired? With most units this "repairing" reflects getting reinforcements, new weapons, vehicles etc. But with ships it is very different in reality. There ships need a harbour, repair facilities and a lot of time to get fixed. Will this be reflected in the game? Will ships keep the demage? Or can they be repaired exactly like other units for the sake of needed game mechanics and balancing? Would be interesting to know.




Another question I have. Some "could have been" scenarios were mentioned like the invasion of the USA. How about not only attacking Hawaii, but conquering it? With loosing Hawaii, even only for a short period of time, the US ability to fight Japan would have been reduced a lot, and really set back for a serious period of time. No recovery and repairing of a lot of damaged/destroyed ships from the Pearl Harbour Attack. It is at least an interesting thought. Will there be such a "possible" scenario in the game? Hawaii under Japanese Flag?

[adherbal]

How will ships be repaired?

Naval units can only be repaired in port or at scenario start. So in case of pure naval battles, you'll have to do with the ships you have (and any script triggered reinforcements).

Some "could have been" scenarios were mentioned like the invasion of the USA.

The Japanese victorious campaign branch ends with the conquest of Australia. A (much more fictional) invasion of the USA is something we are considering for a future expansion though. Considering the size of the USA it could easily cover a large number of scenarios and requires new terrain types/styles to represent correctly.

[Horst]

Thanks for the answers! This already sounds very good with the true LOS system what someone can hardly expect in a turn-based hex-strategy game.

About the mentioned destroyer screen: does that mean that torpedo attacks from destroyers, submarines and bombers have to be done at point-blank range, adjacent/above to an enemy unit? Or are torpedo attacks a ranged attack that needs an unblocked line to the target?

[adherbal]

Ship firing ranges aren't set in stone yet, but we won't distinguish between normal attacks and torpedo attacks for destroyers. Their torpedo capabilities will be included in the default attack values. Torpedo bombers will attack ships from adjacent hexes, while bomber types can only attack from the hex above. You also cannot drop torpedos from a land hex so a ship against the coastline or inside port is slightly more protected from torpedos than ships in open water.

Tac bomber types that could equip both torpedo and bombs will be able to switch weapons when landed on carrier or airfield. Torpedos will be more effective against big capital ships, while more accurate dive bombers will be more effective against small maneuvrable ships.