[Freeciv-Dev] (PR#5437) wishlist: new unit, the worker

["Per I. Mathisen" <per@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This has been debated before, so this is mostly to get the question up for
new debate and hopefully eventually a decision:

We should add a worker unit to the default ruleset. This unit has less
build cost, no population cost and no food upkeep, but can improve
terrain. The engineer is changed likewise, and obsoletes the worker
instead of the Settler. When Automobile is researched, Settler movement is
increased to 2.

The introduction of the worker should make largepox strategies easier,
since cities can be grown faster and better (irrigation & road) without
sacrificing increasingly expensive city size (increasing granary size)
and throttling city growth (settler food upkeep).

The AI already supports this feature.

  - Per

PS The attached diff may not apply, but shows the suggested changes.

--- freeciv/data/default/units.ruleset  2003-05-05 15:23:17.000000000 +0200
+++ rulesets/perrin/units.ruleset       2003-04-30 13:08:50.000000000 +0200
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@
 name          = _("Settlers")
 move_type     = "Land"
 tech_req      = "None"
-obsolete_by   = "Engineers"
+obsolete_by   = "None"
 graphic       = "u.settlers"
 graphic_alt   = "-"
 sound_move    = "m_settlers"
@@ -157,22 +157,54 @@
 uk_shield     = 1
 uk_food       = 1
 uk_gold       = 0
-flags         = "Settlers", "NonMil", "Airbase", "AddToCity", "Cities"
+flags         = "Settlers", "NonMil", "AddToCity", "Cities"
 roles         = ""
 helptext      = _("\
-Settlers are one of the key units in the game.  They can be used to\
- found new cities, irrigate land, build roads, railroads,\
- fortresses, airbases and mines, and clean up pollution and nuclear\
- fallout.  Upkeep for Settlers is in food\
- as well as production, and a Settler can die if its supporting city\
- runs out of food.\
+Settlers are one of the key units in the game, as they are used to\
+ found new cities. Upkeep for Settlers is in food as well as\
+ production, and a Settler can die if its supporting city\
+ runs out of food. They can also irrigate land, build roads,\
+ railroads and mines.\
+")
+
+[unit_worker]
+name          = _("Workers")
+move_type     = "Land"
+tech_req      = "Pottery"
+obsolete_by   = "Engineers"
+graphic       = "u.workers"
+graphic_alt   = "u.engineers" ; compatibility
+sound_move    = "m_workers"
+sound_move_alt = "m_generic"
+sound_fight   = "f_workers"
+sound_fight_alt = "f_generic"
+build_cost    = 30
+pop_cost      = 0
+attack        = 0
+defense       = 1  
+hitpoints     = 10
+firepower     = 1
+move_rate     = 1
+vision_range  = 1
+transport_cap = 0
+fuel          = 0
+uk_happy      = 0
+uk_shield     = 1
+uk_food       = 0
+uk_gold       = 0
+flags         = "Settlers", "NonMil", "Airbase"
+roles         = ""
+helptext      = _("\
+Workers are one of the key units in the game.  They can be used to\
+ irrigate land, build roads, railroads,\
+ fortresses, airbases and mines, and clean up pollution and nuclear\
+ fallout.\
 \n\n\
-Settlers and Engineers may work together to decrease the amount of\
- time required for long projects.  If two or more Settlers and/or\
+Workers and Engineers may work together to decrease the amount of\
+ time required for long projects.  If two or more Workers and/or\
  Engineers are both working on the same task in the same square,\
  their efforts will be added together each turn until the task is\
  finished.  Be careful not to dedicate too many workers to one task,\
- though; excess effort can be wasted, and a group of Settlers and/or\
+ though; excess effort can be wasted, and a group of Workers and/or\
  Engineers is highly vulnerable to enemy attacks.\
 ")
 
@@ -201,20 +233,20 @@
 uk_shield     = 1
-uk_food       = 1
+uk_food       = 0
 uk_gold       = 0
-flags         = "Settlers", "NonMil", "Transform", "Airbase", "AddToCity", 
"Cities"
+flags         = "Settlers", "NonMil", "Transform", "Airbase"
 roles         = ""
 helptext      = _("\
-Engineers are similar to Settlers, but they work twice as fast and\
+Engineers are similar to Workers, but they work twice as fast and\
  move twice as fast.  Engineers may also perform major terrain\
  transformations (for example, converting Tundra into Desert) which\
- are beyond the capabilities of Settlers.\
+ are beyond the capabilities of Workers.\
 \n\n\
-TIP 1:  Upgrade Settlers to Engineers when possible, as Engineers\
- require the same resources as ordinary Settlers.\
+TIP 1:  Upgrade Workers to Engineers when possible, as Engineers\
+ require the same resources as ordinary Workers.\
 \n\n\
 TIP 2:  If you manage to build Leonardo's Workshop, research\
  Explosives before the Workshop becomes obsolete.  This way,\
- your Settler units will be upgraded for free.\
+ your Worker units will be upgraded for free.\
 ")
 
 [unit_warriors]