Navy: tech level bump
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A frigate is roughly comparable to a T2 tank on cost and HP, about 2/3 the DPS but with more range, and is much faster (very arguably the better unit due to speed + range). The same is true of destroyer vs T3 siege assault bot except that the destroyer is more expensive with much longer range.
In other words, these units are not at the correct tech level.
Wacky, wacky balance idea: push the whole of navy up a tech level by requiring a T2 engineer to build the first shipyard (effectively, we get T2, T3 and T4 shipyards).
Problem 1: UEF and Cybran have no T1 floaty units (besides engineers). New units needed, either from a "small boats factory" or (more likely) T1 land hover.
Problem 2: it wrecks navy balance on most popular navy maps since frigs and destros take longer to get into action. But maybe not as badly as it first appears since their high cost.
Anecdotal: expansion already happens before building T1 navy. Fast T2 air is common on navy maps, so this probably doesn't have a major impact on big navy maps (Setons, Glaciers).
Problem 3: a few weird maps. Saskiya has a water start which becomes untenable without a T1 navy factory (no big loss, people already complain about that). TAG Craftious lets early frigs get major damage in (IMO delaying that is a balance fix).
Problem 4: air is already strong vs navy; this makes it stronger.
Obviously this is a wacky idea, but it's a fun thought experiment, especially considering how imbalanced navy vs land is now.
Probably would have a whole host of balance repercussions:
- Leaves obvious gaps in T1 amphibious capabilities (already Aurora and Zthuee can be imbalanced here, but it's even more obvious without T1 frigs)
- You play Setons and go T2 air. Opponent builds T2 land and sends riptides or blazes before you get navy built. At least you have the air advantage. Hope you aren't vs Phim who have hover flak.
- As a T2 unit the frigate might want a small buff to damage and range (but at a higher cost)
- Not obvious what role subs have in this: but probably not much different than where they are now since they are anti-navy units.
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I don't see it as a wrong tech level but that navy in general has individual stronger and more expensive units while land has more numerous cheaper and weaker units
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this suggestion is just too extreme think about the gameplay changes alone from this move on a naval map??? First 10 minutes is pure boring eco simulator 2023.
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This is interesting. I do think that having a cheap and expendable T1 naval unit like a scout (and nerf frig intel ranges) or a PT boat that has a high torpedo alpha strike would help T1 navy be less boring frig spam. So I do like the idea of a "small boats factory" but have those units be built at the T1 naval fac
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@zeldafanboy said in Navy: tech level bump:
a PT boat that has a high torpedo alpha strike
couldn't submarines just be buffed to do that?
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No because then the meta will just be sub spam instead of frig spam
Ideally there would be a rock paper scissors paradigm of frigate beats PT boat which beats subs which beat frigates or something like that
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That was tbing of og TA. And removed in Supcom (you can see however the remnants of that in Aeon Unit Line Up)
