This thread focuses on design of a ground combat system with some strategic depth, allowing players to specialize, but without requiring complex animation. Having a cinematic would be neat also. But that is a huge amount of work.



Ground combat will have three phases of resolution:



a. Bombardment

b. Landing

c. Assault



The main side effects of ground combat will be:



a. Reduction in population

b. Destruction of infrastructure (buildings, pop cap)

c. Possible introduction of new anomolies

d. Hatred of remaining population



Each of the three phases and three side effects has ship modules and planetary improvements in the tech tree. Racial advantages and disadvantages will also be a factor.



Bombardment offense



Ship modules for attackers already exist. But these are generic. Specific modules in different parts of the tech tree will be added with different effects:



a. Biological weapons: high damage to population, no destruction of infrastructure, possible introduction of anomalies, high hatred (among any survivors ::-)



b. Conventional weapons: moderate damage to population and infrastructure, no anomolies, no more hatred than usual



c. Nuclear or worse weapons: less expensive, high damage to all types, possible permanent reduction of pop cap (possibly to zero)



d. Propaganda/telepathic weapons: slow, no damage, less remaining hatred



Other combinations may exist.



Bombardment defense



For defenders, there are some buildings today which increase defense, but these will be moved mostly into the assault phase. The bombardment defense buildings will be starbases: immobile units in space with three levels of improvement (Starbase I,II,III). These buildings also prevent blockades, but they do not prevent through movement of ships.



Landing offense



Several tech levels of dropships with improved armor and survivability. Racial traits (Hissho) to improve survivability.



Landing defense



Weapons to shoot down dropships. Beams are more likely to be effective, followed by missiles, with kinetics last due to the gravity well.



Assault offense



Racial traits such as hand to hand combat can come here. Several levels of technology. Troop modules, which are separate from bombardment modules. Troop modules do not cost population, they have normal production cost like any other module. (Possibly we could add a restriction like colony ships that they cannot be built in systems with population of only one, but that is not necessary.)



Assault defense



Several of the existing buildings are relevant here, especially bunkers and camouflage. Several levels of these buildings will exist which can be improved at higher cost. These buildings abstract the use of troops.



Initiating ground combat



The current progress bar (when it appears ... bug :-() represents generic siege in the traditional medieval sense. This can be left the same, with some adjustments to reflect the different bombardment styles mentioned. However, one new button for Ground Assault would be added which is available at any time. Bombardment is optional but since it does damage to ground defenses, it may be adviseable. Ground assault is carried out fleet by fleet, in the same way as space combat. For each ground assault, only the assets in that fleet are used.



When the ground assault button is used, the landing and assault phases are carried out and the results displayed. Troop modules may be lost, buildings may be destroyed, and the assault may succeed or fail.



Aftermath



The effects of population, infrastructure, and hatred are assessed. Troop modules also have a special conversion ability similar to colonization. Normally if a ship has troop modules and they are not destroyed in the landing/assault, the troops may be used in the next assault for that fleet. However, the modules can be converted into occupation troops. These have an effect on reducing the hatred of the population. They have a dust cost per turn and they can be scrapped like any other unit. They cannot be reconverted into troop modules. The occupation buildings have an impact based on the number of troop modules converted. This suppresses hatred rather than actually reducing it; so scrapping the occupation buildings prematurely may result in a spike in the hatred.

Link farm to related threads:

About Ground Combat... (by Functional) *

Ground Combat (by WireWolf)

Ground Combat? (by Rasic)

Planetary Invasion? Ground Combat? (by Jarhead0331) *

Land Battles (by chaz420) **

Planets (by TBK)

Suggestion: Planetary Defenses (by StormX)

[Suggestions] Active Planetary Defence mechanisms (by Eiensakura)



Current defensive structures by tech:

stealth construction +6 defense

impervious bunkers +6 defense, +2 invasion recovery

community defense +8 defense, +4 recovery

dark energy rifle +15 defense

localized apocalypse +20 defense, +6 recovery

Well, it seems the devs have big plans which are not short-term. From Suggestions we are tracking:

spacetroll wrote:
When we'll do it we'll do it nicely. So definitely post release.

Still, a guy can dream. I'll drop the idea of starbases for bombardment defense. There are enough ship design threads on that. I do want to pursue varied bombardment with risk of anomalies, and varied troop modules and buildings for ground attack/defense.

If this was to be impemented a cinematic would be great. I think it's nice to see and appreciate what happens on the ground aswell as in space. Im just wondering if there was a cinematic or an easier way to implement ground combat do you think maybe they should include specific attacks? So that maybe a player could specifically attack say resource sites to reduce resources for a period of time? Maybe even develop planetary raids of resources?. Im thinking though for ground troops their weapons should always be simular to the style of that faction and as for the troops themselves wether it would be done as a dropship must be loaded with certain men. Keeping it simple 2 examples (Soldiers - Guns,Grenades for bunker clearing and rockets.)(Demolishions - Bombs for destruction of defences or strategic assets). Or a dropship just contain adaptable soldiers that do everything. I dont know what would possible but i guess im just trying to ponder the idea of delving deeper into it should it be implemented or just keep it simple.

Ah Davea!



i'm glad someone posted a developed idea on this as i was missing the sensation of invasion in the game so far when you just blockade a system, and it basically changes of hands, as simple as that without any damages either to population or infrastructures.



thanks for linking me your post



my +1 to this suggestion