[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#15582) airlifting bug

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

<URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=15582 >

On Fri, 17 Feb 2006, Jason Short wrote:
> Guest wrote:
> > During war the number of airlifts into target city is only limited by
> > the amount of airplanes available and the size of the airport. Size
> > limit would have to be something between 10-20 airlifts into the same
> > city per turn otherwise airlifts would become almost useless.
>
> Obviously it should be limited to the size of the city!
>
> However the problem is not just with the AI, the problem is how to
> display this information to the human.It is already complex enough to
> remember which of your cities have airlifted; if you have to remember
> how many times each one has airlifted it will be too much.

If there is a limit, it should be displayed on the city in the map and in
the city and cities dialogs. A binary limit can be displayed simply as an
icon, while a bigger-than-one limit needs a number.

The airlift feature is, however, somewhat of an add-on kludge, and not
quite well integrated into the rest of the rules.

I was inspired to rethink the movement rules one day, and this is what I
came up with:

  Roads do not give movement bonus. Instead give most units +1 move, and
  most units with wheels get F_WHEELS which gives them 2x movement penalty
  outside roads.

  Rail does not give free movement. Airlift is removed. Instead a general
  "transport" order is added which allows you to transport units around
  the map up to a limit for the receiving city. This limit is set by
  effects, and increased by Mass Transit, Airport, Port and the Railroad
  tech. Two cities with Airport can transport to each other if there is a
  possible air path between them. Likewise for Port and water path. Rail
  transport must have a city in one end and rail in the other, and if
  there is no city on the receiving end, the originating city's transport
  limit is reduced instead. Rail transport also requires a possible ground
  path to its target (paying attention to enemy ZoC and borders).

It is inspired by how long range transportation was done in World in
Flames, and solves a few problems. Fractional movement and attack can be
removed. This was always a confusing factor, and may have created a number
of the "how the #$! could that happen" combat result frustrations we have
seen on the forums over the years. Rail no longer opens your civ
completely to enemies unless you manage to protect your entire continent
from the single city with all the howitzers, which makes first strike,
double moves, fast keypresses and existence of safe beaches
(hill/mountain) insanely important. And makes some of those late game
buildings really useful, as well as reducing the drudgery of ferrying
units between friendly cities.

  - Per