[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Artillery and sea units (PR#1476)

["Ross W. Wetmore" <rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:32 AM 02/05/22 +0300, Martins Untals wrote:
>> 
>> Another effect that would be nice is for faster ships to backoff when 
>> they get to a certain hitpoint level. Thus the smaller ships would 
>> not necessarily die, but just be crippled by the slower battleship in
>> the main battle. 
>
>i am not keen with sea strategy, but i thought about inventing
'reatreatchance' option as oposit to current 'occupychance'
>i hate sending my units to die without chance of surviving. i would like
em to retreat if they have mp and free hex where to retreet.
>this could be modified by order flag and/or if they are in cities (u dont
want guards to retreet from cities :)  and so.
>when retreeting and having to avaiable hex to retreet to, unit would
choose one with friendly unit or city if there is one.
>
>just an idea.

It is not bad, but there are some limitations needed, maybe.

Generally retreat == rout, and survival chances went way down unless you
were faster than your opponent. This is the basis of the CivIII retreat
option for fast units. Infantry units almost always are decimated.

A very few units were organized enough to pull off strategic retreats,
Roman Legions being the only real example in the Ancient world.

Partisans or Alpine troops might use stealth and training to evaporate
and reassemble at a remote location. There might be special aboriginal
Warriors with similar abilities (IGTER co-ability?). Retreating
partizans would be a *real* pain to eradicate.

With boats, it is pure speed. The ocean doesn't provide much cover to
evaporate into, and there isn't much difference between running and 
fighting if the enemy can sail rings around you.

The effect should be triggered by something like a >50% single damage 
hit or when you fall below 20% of your hit points. If you are the 
attacker, you just stop fighting and stay put. If the defender, it 
would be simple enough to try a weighted move and if it fails (ZOC 
or whatever) you keep on fighting another round. It shouldn't be tied 
to available move points. Basically, you expend a move to fight and 
running is the flip side of this. 

It might actually be useful for units to *never* run. Fortified units
or units in towns, or certain do-or-die types (Kamakazi fighters). 

This would make for interesting tactics, where you plant fortified units
around your town to take the first attack. They weaken the attacker,
and retreat inside the city to heal in the barracks. Meanwhile a 
mobile counterattacking force moves out to hit the weakened attacker.
If you stay in the city, you die and your city may take collateral 
damage. Plus next turn you have nothing left to defend with vs the
healthy veterans of the previous strategy.

Cheers,
RossW
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