Switching places of units

mbabuskov · Post by **mbabuskov** » April 13th, 2004, 1:52 pm

Many times when combat evolves, my units get surrounded by many enemies, thereby restricting their movement. When I wish two units to exchange places, I have to move one unit to a free hex, then the other unit steps into place where first unit was, and finally the first unit get where to other was. Unfortunatelly, this often isn't possible when surrounded with many foes.

So I wonder if it would be possible to add ability to swith positions of two units, and do you guys thing it would be good.

Post by **Boucman** » April 13th, 2004, 2:05 pm

honnestly... no.

I think that being able to switch position more easily than by "move unit A out of the way, move unit B wher A was, move A where B was" (typically exchanging a front line unit with a unit on a village) would be good.

but only if it's a pure UI change. the gameplay effect of such an ability would probably be unbalancing, the surounding by ZOC technique to prevent ennemy units from fleeing wouldn't work anymore....

Circon · Post by **Circon** » April 13th, 2004, 4:25 pm

Handle ZoC as if both units moved into one another's hexes.

I really support this feature. At last I would be able to move my units on a close front without first moving back 3 hexes and forward again. Shuffle healers, etc...

Would be especially nice in the underground levels, where units often only have 3 or 4 movement points and I *really* don't want to spend them shuffling.

and miyo, DON'T come with the argument of units moving through one another. Units can already move past thick lines of allies. A unit with its 6 nearby hexes full of friendly units can still move.
Sorry if you're offended, but I really felt something like that coming.

turin-at-school · Post by **turin-at-school** » April 13th, 2004, 8:27 pm

it would be somewhat illogical for miyo to come with that argument, since he is the one always saying the hex is miles large.

i think this would cause gameplay problems, so i don't support it, but i'm not particularly against it either. i would find it useful in cave scenarios, though.

Christophe33 · Post by **Christophe33** » April 13th, 2004, 10:27 pm

Unit exchanges has been proposed before (but it's not in the forbidden list yet

). Th best solution would be to consider that a unit on your side negated the enemy ZoC in the place it stands. This would allows make bridges through enemies position witch can be fairly powerfull.
An exchange would require both units to spend movement in one time...so a unit that already moved or attack could not be exchange.

lala · Post by **lala** » April 14th, 2004, 11:14 am

If you let the same movement rules apply to switching places (influenced by ZoC, etc.), than it enhances gameplay IMO. possible implementation with a right click menu item 'switch units'.

Be sure to add it to a tutorial or wiki-page.

miyo · Post by **miyo** » April 14th, 2004, 12:30 pm

Don't get your units "blocked" (by ZoC) so that they can't retreat more than 1 hex. It is matter of tactics.

If it gets implemented it should work like this: move your unit next to your other unit, while one of the units is active click your other unit (we can have mouse cursor for switch) -> switch happens, both units most have at least 1 movement to switch, switching uses all remaining movement, switched unit can still attack.

- Miyo

mbabuskov · Post by **mbabuskov** » April 14th, 2004, 3:35 pm

miyo wrote: If it gets implemented it should work like this: move your unit next to your other unit, while one of the units is active click your other unit (we can have mouse cursor for switch) -> switch happens, both units most have at least 1 movement to switch, switching uses all remaining movement, switched unit can still attack.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I just didn't express myself

Post by **Darth Fool** » April 14th, 2004, 4:50 pm

I guess I don't understand why switching should use up all remaining movement points. I would have it so that switching used up the normal number of movement points for moving into the hex that the unit is ending up in. If it has movement points left over, so be it.

miyo · Post by **miyo** » April 14th, 2004, 6:16 pm

Switching would be mostly useful when one of your front line units is blocked by enemy (restricted to move only 1 due ZoC)... if you retreat your units can not take the hex he left. With switching that can be achieved.... but as that involves both units moving in ZoC it should spend all movement.

Still, I kind of a like it that defensive lines break when you retreat. This way we also don't have to teach AI how to use 'switching'

- Miyo

Circon · Post by **Circon** » April 14th, 2004, 6:23 pm

Please DON'T make the "switch" part take all movement. ZoC movement loss, fine, but my main use for this would be shuffling 3- and 4-move units around in the dwarven caverns, notably healers. Doing so would counter my exact purpose.

I say: Calculate it as if both units moved into one another's hexes. Apply ZoC movement loss and so on as normal.

Insinuator · Post by **Insinuator** » April 18th, 2004, 7:16 am

I agree with Circon. It would be pointless to use all movement points; in most instances, you can do better than that now.