Hi had an iddea for an XML suggestion, but I think that this idea requires some discussion before being submitted, in order to build a clear and simple suggestion.
One thing that CC maps are lacking is the concept of Upkeep. We have the concept of Production/Reinfocements. Each turn, depending on the bonuses a player holds, a number of troops can be deployed. But those troops are maintained magically by themselves. They don't have any associated cost. This leads to some deadlock situations when players just reinforce, and reinforce, and reinforce. Until someone gets bored and attacks. It also fails to simulate the mechanics of war, in which generals have to care for maintaining their big armies.
What I am proposing is to give mapmakers the chance to enable upkeep for their map. With upkeep enabled, armies have to be paid for at the begining of turn.
To make things simple, upkeep would work in this way.
- Code: Select all
Armies to deploy=MIN[Reinforcement bonuses,(Reinforcement bonuses-upkeep cost+upkeep bonuses)]
But never below 0.
Reinforcement bonuses:The "normal" reinforcement bonuses present in all maps, usuall formed by regions/3 plus continent bonuses (but not autodeploys).
Upkeep Cost: Number of troops in player's army * troop upkeep cost (this constant could be declared in the map).
Upkeep bonuses: In addition to giving reinforcement bonuses, regiones/continents would also give upkeep bonuses, that help to maintain the army of the region's owner.
As an example, an upkeep bonus could be a windmill. A reinforcement bonus could be an iron mine. A castle could provide a mixed bonus of reinforcement and upkeep.
As you can see, once your army is bigger than what you can maintain, the number or armies you can deploy each turn gets smaller and smaller, because production resources are used to maintain existing army rather than creating a new one. At some point the army is so big that all resources are directed exclusively to maintenance.
Now for the advantages of this idea:
- It adds a new layer of strategy. It's not only about creating a big army. Is also about maintaining it.
- It adds more depth to the game. Now there are two types of resources, which makes for more varied and fun maps.
- It is still simple. Instead of keeping track of upkeep in a separate place, that cost is incoporated in the reinforcement formula, and will reduce it's number when upkeep is big enough.
- It's optional. So the mapmaker can use it or just ignore it.
- It's fun! Having more strategic options is always fun.
Added: Upkeep bonus could also be negative, representing places that have a high cost for player's economy. Such as a swamp that is an unproductive land but is strategically interesting because it represents a bottleneck. Or a cannon, that allows the player to bombard many territories but has a negative upkeep bonus to compensate for it.
Please, if you see any way to improve it or any issue, don't hesitate to ask. I know that this will only have a chance of getting implemented if it is kept simple. That's why I choose to incorporate the upkeep cost inside the reinforcemente calculation.
