4X Economics and Unit Customisation

I think that might fall more under the hero system... on the other hand from the sounds of things such a unit could be modded in or added quite easily.  It would just take quite a while to build. 

I am very curious about how the sea will be handled.  If it is there at all (I very much hope it is... the sea is very important to societies at the tech level this game will be at), will you just build ships and put troops on it?  Or will the crew be inherant to the ship?  Or will the ship automatically have a crew, but you can put additional soldiers on it to increase its archery and boarding capabilities?

I think that you can give them magic items that should be able to bestow a variety of benefits, but I'm not sure if you can give active magic to units and not heroes. I'd love an answer to that, but I think that only the beta will tell, and that's not even all that good an indicator.

Upon re-reading the latest development diary it appears that you can indeed give them magic items.

yes, but I really wonder what the magic items do. Also, I've been known to say I think when I mean I know, it helps keep my foot out of my mouth . I wonder if a unit's magic gear can give them an active ability they can cast like magical healing or if that kind of thing will be reserved for heroes you give magical abilities to.

I would love to be able to develop a cadre of elite guard that follows me around with magic weapons and armor.

Taking into account the fact that there will be a way to design units, to design towns, there is a good chance that there will have some way to design items.

Maybe so but I'm of the opinion that all enchanted items should come directly from the leader. The only exception to this would lore relics and captured items from another faction leader - which would of course be from his mana pool.

All enchanted? MoM had some buildings that would give basic magic swords to units. And that was good. If everything magic is only on the hands of hero and avatr.. it would a bit sad, no?

And why couldn't you recruit a wizard to do the same sort of stuff?  Or purchase items from a local wizardry shop?

Yeah, can't we have subordinate wizards?

Yes, we can!

But we probably would have to give the wizard some of our magic power which she then uses to enchant the weapons.

You misunderstand my position. Only the avatar could create magic items. And they take something from his mana pool - permanently. He can give them to whatever unit he wants. I think the mana system has to be looked at like a self contained economy. I believe it would add a great deal of strategy to the game play. For example a player could be a caster whore and horde all his power for those finger-of-death moments if they chose or conversely one may distribute his power via enchanted objects to his units to create an immensely powerful can-o-whoopass army but the avatar remains relatively weak.

Exactly. This is the trade off the devs have been mentioning in the early previews; do you want a strong avatar who can step on to the battlefield and deal untold amounts of destruction, or do you want a weaker one that's used his/her power to buff up their army?

This entire 'trade-off' is made all the more juicier by the promise of having fully customized units. That way, you can specialize your entire faction to your own liking. Methinks this will be in the running for one of the grandest 4x games ever.

I do as well if it is done right and with enough depth of play and micro options for the most jaded players that can be easily turned on and off for the most simplest of players.

Bah, what kind of wizards are these that don't have their own power.  

My wizard I want to be represented as a statue!

He will be when he is turned into a rock where he stands by my wizard.

Yep. You could equip them with magic swords, armor, etc.  It would be expensive but yea, the player can decide just how nasty they want their troops to be.

Channeler imbues some of his essence in having an enchanted armory. The enchanted armory produces +2 plate. The plate is then shipped to your various cities (players can control priority).  Player can create a unit and equip them with this magic plate.

It sounds more complicated than it is.  

So if I wanted to focus on an army consisting of a smaller number of elite units, I can?

Woot woot!

How silly. There's only one priority.

Carry it to the capital, men! Let the forges of Ul'rathan burn brightly for our lord's grace!
The stem, flow and wave of row after row after row of the Mithril Knights will never cease, marching ever outwards towards glory or death, from the gates of heaven; our Ul'rathan! Our Salvation! Our Reich Empire!

Awesome. I wonder how powerful you can make these "enchanted armories". I'm feeling some +10 plate mail!!

-also I was wondering if you can enchant an armory of other building in a different way...as in, could you enchant it and make it produce faster or something like that?

If specific spells can be imbued into armory production lines, I'll need a frontal lobotomy to survive the wait.

Thanks for the clarity here, Brad.

Makes more sense the way you explain it and goes with the concept of the channeler either distributing his essence or keeping it for himself.

Before I forget, on the subject of Unit Customisation, did I mention bears in this thread? Because if I didnt...

BEAR CAVALRY!

Bears? Who wants bears? I say Pegasus Knights!

What? Bear Cavalry, Pegasus Knights - panzies next to my Driders!