What are the SC2 Air Forces going to be like?

[pzgndr]

Related to the recent Naval Forces question, it seems appropriate to offer a comparable summary for the air war in SC2. In general, gameplay should be about the same with only a few minor tweaks here and there.

Already mentioned was the new carrier target type. In addition, there is a new bomber target type. So we'll have greater flexibility to depict differences between the three air arms (Air Fleets, Carriers, Strategic Bombers) that we didn't have in SC1. With some adjustments to the combat factors, the more extreme results we sometimes see in SC1 can be toned down a bit.

Strategic Bombers will now have the ability to inflict damage on resources even if there is a unit positioned on top. With new bomber attack/defend values, this should help make strategic bombing campaigns more realistic and more viable as a strategy. The Long Range research tech will add +2 to SB strike range for each level, which should help the SBs reach out and touch someone.

Air Fleets will have a new mode option to toggle intercept and/or escort on/off. Players will now have some flexibility to hold back their AFs if so desired. AFs will also have a new ability to provide some air supply to units within range. This won't be a separate air mission, just an enhancement of the supply determination process.

And as already mentioned, the ability to customize unit builds and upgrades will allow players to mold their air forces in any way they desire. AFs could become short-range jets for interceptors, or long-range low-tech airplanes for recon and air supply. Since costs will increase with tech, players will have to determine their priorities more carefully. Long-range high-tech jets will be expensive. Don't expect to see too many games with dozens of killer AFs.

[Edwin P.]

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

From the previous posts, I also assume that air spotting ranges will be affected by weather.

One question - will friendly air units have any effect on spotting by enemy air units? ie Can my air unit prevent spotting by enemy air of friendly land and HQ units in the tiles immediately surrounding the air unit (perhaps only if the air unit has not moved or attacked that turn)? I ask this as one of the issues in WWII was enemy air preventing aerial recon by friendly air units and in SC you can spot land units even if they are behind 3 enemy air fleets.

[ September 05, 2004, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[pzgndr]

Enemy air units in the vicinity should have some effect on the new air resupply, so perhaps this code magic could be applied somehow to air spotting routines. As you say, weather will also have an effect on air spotting ranges.

This whole spotting issue is a good one. One simple option might be to provide a protective umbrella to prevent any enemy air spotting of friendly units within a 1-2 tile range of friendly AFs, but shouldn't a protective air CAP be displayed somehow so you know something is hidden?? That would clearly identify the enemy AFs and cause a problem. Alternatively, ranges and counter-ranges could be defined by L/R tech levels of air units involved, but that gets complicated quickly and may consume too many CPU resources to calculate things. Either way, we end up with units spotted or not spotted depending on whatever rules we define.

It may be easier to define spotting probabilities and work with those. Given that a unit is spotable with some simple rules, what information is revealed? Then terrain, intelligence tech levels, presence of enemy air, game difficulty settings, etc. could modify the probabilities. Ideally, there should be a chance for no spotting, unit ID by generic type, unit ID by actual type, and perhaps unit ID by incorrect type. At this scale, that's good enough. If we define reasonable values up front and get a process to work, then it should be easy enough to introduce various modifiers.

Ultimately, all we're looking for is a little bit more uncertainty, including incomplete and inaccurate spotting reports, yes?

[Edwin P.]

Ultimately, all we're looking for is a little bit more uncertainty, including incomplete and inaccurate spotting reports, yes?

I agree and I like your idea for:

It may be easier to define spotting probabilities and work with those.

You may even add an order called - CAP. Friendly units within 2 tiles of an airfleet flying CAP have a 20% to be spotted by enemy air while friendly air fleets not on CAP can shelter only units within 1 title and the enemy can spot them 50% of the time.

Another idea is to have the chance to spot a unit adjusted by the air unit's strength. Ie Str 4 = 40% to spot, Str 8 = 80% to spot, Str 10 = 100% to spot. Why? Fewer Planes = Reduced chance to spot.

So: Str 8 fleet (80%) trying to spot a unit next to an enemy air fleet (50%) has a 40% (80% x 50% = 40%) to do so, while a strength 4 airfleet would have only a 20% to do so, and a Strength 14 airfleet would have a 70% (1.4 x 50%) to do so.

---- Enemy Next to Enemy Air Fleet

Spotting by Str 15 Air Fleet = 75% (150% x 50%)

Spotting by Str 10 Air Fleet = 50% (100% x 50%)

Spotting by Str 5 Air Fleet = 25% (50% x 50%)

Spotting by Str 1 Air Fleet = 5% (10% x 50%)

---- Enemy Not Adjacent to Enemy Air Fleet

Spotting by Str 10 Air Fleet = 100%

Spotting by Str 5 Air Fleet = 50%

Spotting by Str 1 Air Fleet = 10%

but shouldn't a protective air CAP be displayed somehow so you know something is hidden?? That would clearly identify the enemy AFs and cause a problem.

Personally, I have no problem with AF locations being identified, if they can hide the existence of Land and naval units.

[ September 05, 2004, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Edwin P. ]

[Desert Dave]

And best of all, "experience" will NOT unduly influence combat results... the Air Fleets CANNOT become super units that NEVER take casualties.

That, more than anything else, will truly enhance and "balance" the new SC2 game. :cool:

Force pool limits are also quite a good thing; since you can edit these, there should NOT be ANY more complaints about AFs ruining the game, nope, no how, no way.

[Liam]

Gotta agree with Dave,

I can beat 90% of Rookies with just Airforces.. They're way too powerful in SC and require an Expert to learn to get around, even then you end up spending majority of your income on

Some of those who don't play as much don't realize how powerful they are. that 2 Hits per attack is just too uber even early on