AIR UNITS' UPKEEP

[operating]

What I seeing more and more often in MP matches is: Air units being spammed, It drives me nuts. When this game was first released, units such as fighters had an upkeep of 4 PP and where the owner does not plan on changing any of the balance or features of the game, could you "Please" address the problem?

[Robotron]

You can easily do it yourself: open units.lua (you find it in Commander The Great War/Data/) in any text editor, then look for e.g. "fighter".

Code: Select all

{
    id = 13,
    name = "fighter",
    type = "air",
    defenseType = "smallgarrison",
    chassis = "wings",
    class = "air",
    icon = "fighter",
    levels =
    {
      {
        hp = 100,
        mp = 7,
        ap = 1,
        LOS = 5,
        range = 5,
        shock = 2,
        attack = 4,
        defense = 6,
        airattack = 4,
        airdefense = 6,
        bombard = 0,
        assault = 0,
        ammunition = 0,
      }
    },
    --retreat = 0,
    costPP = 30,
    costMP = 1,
    turns = 5,
    upkeepPP = 1,
    upkeepMP = 0,
    weapon = "light",
    factions = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 },
    strengthValue = 6,

    stats =
    {
      groundattack = 1,
      airattack    = 4,
      airdefense   = 6,
      basedefense = 6,
      highdefense = 8,
      bombard = 0,
      shock = 2,
    },
  },

and change the line upkeepPP = 1, to a value that fits your needs, for example upkeepPP =4, save the file and you're done.

[operating]

Oh, I see what you are saying, but it's the other players, not mine so much. They are moving fighters sometimes right to front line positions to fill gaps knowing they are so cheap to maintain and repair. It's not a new tactic.

[Robotron]

Sorry, but I can only mod the game not your opponent's behaviour.

If you have a proposal how this tactic you mentioned could be prevented by modding the game, please elaborate.

[operating]

Sorry, but I can only mod the game not your opponent's behaviour.

If you have a poposal how this tactic you mentioned could be prevented by modding the game, please elaborate.

Don't be sorry, it's players who have mastered the game and are now pushing the limits, at the very least experimenting, to a degree I do the same thing, however I do not believe I am anywhere near the best, but feel I have competent playing skills. I feel sorry for newbees who jump into MP here only to get their butt kicked in a relatively short time, perhaps discouraging them from going MP again. If I see an opponent struggling, I often will help tutor them on their mistakes and game management. Others have a relatively good ground game, but get overwhelmed by opponents air-power. For this game's sake, not so much for historical sake, that airpower should be harnessed somewhat here. What makes air power so intimidating to the underdog is the low cost and low upkeep for such technological assets, that as a rule, when used in attacks, also has low losses even when the defender has AA techs. Even at that, as a rule, the air-power seldom receives any post attack efficiency loss, whereas, the defender does, resulting in continuous air attacks turn after turn till the owner of the air-power sees that the air unit or units need to be repaired or upgraded or risk total elimination of the air unit or units..., not so much from lost efficiency. If the air power stays as it is in a mod, it won't be long before the mod get's shredded.

Often what I see: is a French infantry front supported by a vast English air armada. The English can afford these assets (that don't need transports to the mainland) relatively easily and dominate the front over time. I have had matches where air losses will be near triple of ground losses in particular relating to England. Take Egypt for instance: Turkey is way behind in techs and can only build class I fighters (if they can afford it), no balloons ect.., however, the English can concentrate a number of air units there that can rout the Turks in short order. How can the English be able to support 2 fronts with such air-power? Again because air is so cheap to maintain upkeep and repair. Give Russia the chance, and before long they also will have a dominate airforce to be used on a wide number of fronts. Russia can easily have in the 80 to 90s PP on their 2nd turn after DOW from disbanding SGs.

At the moment I do not believe the problem is with the cost of air units, it's the upkeep. I would suggest 4 PP upkeep for Entente air units and my gut feeling is 3 PP upkeep for CP air units (only because AH and Turkey do not have convoys and low total PP to start with) and for the most part against an experienced player that Germany is fighting on or near it's home turf, thus an advantage in manufacturing.

[operating]

Should add this: When Italy enters (usually turn 25), they enter with 2 fighters and has exceptional ability to catch up on all techs, even with just 1 lab in each category. Again, If Italy disbands most if not all SGs, it can become formidable within several turns. More often than not, the Italian front get's bogged down near Venice, especially for CP if Serbia has not surrendered. It's difficult for AH to have attained the AA tech by the time Italy enters, even if AH has 2 infantry labs focused on AA... If not accomplished the Italian fighters just start eating up AH units, add in Italian balloons, AH does not stand a chance over time...