I've already stated several times that Gnolls not having a unit that can attack a flying enemy is intentional design.
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Races, Units, Buildings
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After watching this game, I'm now seriously worried we overdid the Catapult buffing.
Quote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E31-Bw2ytXw The unit is meant to be a fragile "glass cannon", similar to magicians, but worse and cheaper - something that's not very reliable, is cheap to produce, but, depending on the amount of losses, might be or might not be worth using over other units. I see two major problems from this video : 1 - Even heavy losses don't matter. The unit is simply cheap enough to no care. Dropping the cost to 50 probably was too much? He is throwing them in groups of 9-18-27 into lairs and not only gets away with it but it seems to be very profitable to do so. 2 - Damage output might be excessive. 9 Catapults seem to be able to kill even very rare creatures in a single turn or at most two. While killing them is acceptable, it shouldn't really happen that quickly - killing a 9 catapult stack does take several turns even for a Great Drake. Considering their base +2 hit, I can't even say it's caused by Guardian in the linked videos. I've looked at our recent change. Basically, catapult damage was set so that it remains unchanged on a catapult at close range (no range penalty), with no levels, but having magic weapons. What this actually means is, catapult damage went up if they do not have magic weapons, are not at close range, or have levels. While some of this was intended, maybe the amount is too much? I'm unsure. The catapults in the video weren't doing all that amazing damage - but outnumbering very rare creatures nine to one (or two), that was more than enough to kill pretty much any of them. (which would normally be ok but as they are easy to produce and even hard lairs typically only have 1-2 very rares, maybe it's not. Similarly it's too easy to ambush a lone AI very rare with them which it's trying to join with a stack.) Catapults, being single figure, are inherently more effective against very rares that have high armor than other, multi-figure normal units. So raising the damage output (at range, their primary use, but also if they have any levels) might have been unnecessary. Overall, I think cost might be better at 55, 60 or 65, and attack strength might be better at 9 (which still puts the unit at equal their old strength at range without levels, and better at range with 1 or more levels.) but I'm not entirely sure. They do require some sort of a transportation to move at the map at an acceptable rate and they ARE vulnerable.
Steam cannons are much worse. If you're going to make any changes to catapults you'll need to change steam cannons as well. (Regardless of other potential dwarf issues, steam cannons do the same as catapults only much better.)
Also, I wouldn't change the spell cost. Only losing 10% of attack does not justify a 16% reduction in cost, and increase in production cost does not affect the spell in any way. And the spell can summon the catapults anywhere (on your half) making it probably undercosted as it is (but since that's in realm, I'd still leave it where it is).
Cannons are dwarf special unit and deserve to be good. Catapults should (in my book) be niche for when you must break walls - not arch angels.
The same seems to apply to warships, only more so. Though you do need wraithform (and holy weapon for much effect, many boost) to be effective at that. Thinking on it, is it possible to change unit figure amounts? All single-figure city units could actually be better balanced as two figures?
That being said, I wouldn't use my game as the reason to nerf cannons. I'm specifically asking to keep them with relative strength to catapults. Yes they should be better, but that better should be based on the cost difference.
They both certainly can destroy neutrals with ease. And I'm finding cannons plus counter magic destroys everything this death/chaos wizard can do. Any units get wrecked, and no spells either work or do much. Things like doom bolt or flanestrike or wave of despair or possession etc, nothing actually works against 9 cannons. Admittedly he doesn't have high defense city units, but with the cannon strength I don't think it would matter. And raise dead on top for the few that do die is just obscene. So without crazy casting skill, the stronger nodes would be fine (similar to the behemoths - web is AMAZING against cannons/catapults).
We didn't change cannons when we changed catapults so in theory their relative strength would be restored to "normal" by fixing Catapults. However I'll look at them and consider if there is a need for changes. I do know cannons cost more than catapults though, but this cost difference isn't really felt because Dwarves produce more than normal.
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