UnZOCable terrain

[LienRag]

I'm reading Cackfiend's Strategy Guide for the first time and it made me think how terrain type that removes Zone Of Control would add strategic interest to the game, especially if used parsimoniously by map-makers and scenario/campaign designers.

Actually, there should be two :
- one that removes ZOC for units passing through it (i.e. all units behave like skirmishers while they're in that terrain type, so if you put a line to ZOC block enemy attacks you still have holes in that line where that terrain is); let's call it "safe lane" (exact name and in-game explanation to be devised later).
- one that removes ZOC of units inside that terrain (i.e. if a unit is in that terrain, it doesn't exert any ZOC); let's call it "vine jungle" for example.

That would allow also for new traits :
- One negative, that prevents a unit from using the first type (i.e. they're always blocked by ZOC, even in "safe lane")
- One positive, that allows a unit to exert ZOC even on terrain that prevents it (either limited to the "vine jungle" or exerting ZOC even on "safe lanes"; or use two different traits for these two abilities)

More traits that allow to pass through ZOC in specific terrains would be nice too (i.e. the Elvish Ranger instead of being Skirmisher could ignore ZOC only in forests - or if it's bad balance, give that ability to level 2 Elvish scouts).

Either the new terrains or a "cave-dweller" trait that allows its units to ignore ZOC in caves would make very interesting Cave scenarios, notably.
Is the later already possible in WML ? How ?

[Toranks]

I can't tell you the exact code, because it would be quite elaborate and based on events, but what you propose is perfectly possible.

[LienRag]

Well, I thought about that, but it would be way better if these two new terrain types were mainlined.
Notably, two new terrains would mean that all units would need both defense percentages and movement costs on these two terrains...

But yes, if I ever actually finish the scenarios I've been working on, I'll make "cave-dwelling" ability for some units in one of them at least. Probably "mountain-dwelling" also, BTW.

The redundancy between Dwarven Scouts and Thunderers could be resolved that way, too : nerf the scout's combat ability and make it mountain-dweller.

[Ravana]

It does not need to be event based, just [skirmisher] with filter.

[LienRag]

It does not need to be event based, just [skirmisher] with filter.

I was surprised also by the "event-based" requirement (which would be very clunky imho), but since it's been a while (version 1.14) that I dabbled with WML, would you have an example of this "skirmisher with filter" thing ?
Thanks in advance !

Also, is there a way to have "leveled" skirmishing abilities ? I mean, "skirmisher 1" would allow to escape one ZOC per turn (meaning, if you escape a ZOCed hexagon, the next one you enter reduces your MP to zero) while "skirmisher 2" would allow to escape two ZOC per turns.
It would allow to create more diverse units (a relatively strong unit with "skirmisher 1" would not be unbalanced, for example) and as such would be good strategically imho.
I guess that it would need a different name than "skirmisher" in order to not confuse players, but I don't have one in mind.

[Ravana]

https://github.com/ProditorMagnus/Agele ... w_veil.cfg https://github.com/ProditorMagnus/Agele ... stract.cfg

[LienRag]

Thanks !

While we're talking terrains, we already have terrain that helps Chaotic units (during daytime, I mean), that is caves. And terrain features that help Lawful units (during night), that is lighthouses and the sort.
We certainly could have "Dense forests" that helps liminal units during daytime, and maybe "fluorescent mushrooms" that helps liminal units during nighttime.

Would there be a point to have terrain that improves damage for units standing on them ?
Like "Mirkwood" that could improve arcane attacks ?
"Towers" that would improve ranged attacks' damage ?
Maybe "Pentacles" that would improve undead units' damage ?

Or on the reverse, "holy ground" that would reduce undead damage to zero ? Of course this type of terrain need to not be abused in order to make the game more interesting tactically rather than less interesting...

[Lord-Knightmare]

You can do this by making customized terrainWML code and/or eventWML and/or ability/specialWML. Nothing complex.