1D 4X Test Games: CH vs Cornflakes

[Cheater Hater]

As of this moment my answers are:
1. Correct
2. Correct
3. Correct
4. Correct, just treat them like their strength was 0.5/1.5/etc. each
5. There's no combining units at the moment--that (and/or upgrading) will probably be one of the things I try when this combat system crashes and burns
6. Right now I'm biasing towards mounted units being destroyed first (under the heuristic where mounted units are more offensive while infantry are more defensive), but I have no idea how this should work--it probably needs a more-complicated combat system, as much as I want to avoid that :/
7. I think I want improvements to be destroyed.

Turn:
Build L4 Infantry
Move L4 I 4 times (1-8)
Improve 7

Yield Allocation:
Grow once (6-7)
Research Rifles
Finish researching Animal Husbandry
Put remaining 2 into growth

[Cornflakes]

Turn:
Build L3 Mounted
Move 2 times (15-9)
Build L3 Mounted
Move 2 times (15-9)
Build L3 Mounted

Yields:
Finish research of Cavalry
Remaining to Growth for +1

6. I think mounted getting destroyed first is OK for now.
7. I agree with improvement being destroyed.

A couple more combat questions:

8. If a tile is blocked by an enemy unit, is the yield blocked? I.e. if I kill your stack on 8 and occupy the tile without expanding, would you get the yield if you don't kill the occupying unit on your turn?
9. Is pillaging allowed? E.g. I kill your stack, advance, but don't yet want to permanently spend an action to expand. Can I advance and pillage to destroy the improvement? If so, I assume the improvement could not get rebuilt while the tile is occupied?
10. What is the result of offensive attack of L3 Mounted vs a stack of Infantry? 2.5 attack vs. sufficient defense ... do the Infantry lose 2 levels? Do they lose 3? If defender lose only 2, then mounted units are much worse offensively than Infantry. Maybe allow Mounted to do full damage offensively, but -0.5 on defense?
11. Clarifying movement rules ... Roads give mounted 3 movement in my territory ... If I move 2 tiles in my territory, can they still attack into enemy territory?

[Cornflakes]

Maybe allow Mounted to do full damage offensively, but -0.5 on defense?

Following up on this, I think Mounted dealing full damage offensively and -0.5 defensively, combined with the fact that Infantry have a higher initial cap from research capabilities, preserves their identity as offensive units without making them overpowered. 

For our current situation I can build L4 Mounted while you can build L5 Infantry. My cavalry can move quicker, but they are more costly on a strength/action basis than your infantry. Giving Mounted a -0.5 on offense makes them effectively -2 compared to your Infantry (3.5 vs 5, dealing only 3 damage), rendering them essentially useless on offense. With full strength attack they become OK at offense. Even though base strength is less, given further distance I think they are still more efficient offensively on a per-action basis than Infantry.

[Cornflakes]

Another combat question:
12. On defense, what order do units of like type die? I think death from weakest to strongest makes the most sense (since there is no way to upgrade/heal/combine). E.g L4 I attacks (3) L1 I, L3 I. Total is 4 vs 6. The (3) L1 I die first, then L3 I survived as L2 I.

In case where stack is mixed, Mounted still die first. E.g L3 I attacks L2 I, L3 M. 3 vs 4.5. L3 M dies, L2 I survives as L1 I.
In a case where 2 mounted are stacked... L3 I attacks L2 M, L3 M. 3 vs 4. mounted lose a total of 3, L2 M survives?

Does this make sense?

[Cheater Hater]

So many questions, and I'm glad they're being asked

8+9. Yes, yield is blocked, and I think I want pillaging to happen automatically when you move onto a tile an enemy owns.  Is this a bad idea?
10.  This is where my current combat rules get weird.  The way I currently envision it, combat happens with the whole stack at once (1 action for all units to attack).  Then the totals are added up, and whoever has the most strength wins.  This makes the mounted penalty less than it seems if you're stacking them, though I want mounted to be weaker in combat to try to balance the movement bonuses (though Roads (and eventually Railroads, if I add them) lessen the advantage).
11.  No, movement is different than attacking.
12. Yeah, that's right.

We were on together, so here's another chatlog:

Vincent Borchardt: hello
Cornflakes: Hi
Vincent Borchardt: When did you get mining?
Cornflakes: Good question ... I don't think I have mining
Vincent Borchardt: according to the blue tech stats you do
if you did get it it doesn't look like you've been benefiting from it (+2 science on improved science resources)
Cornflakes: Not sure why that was there, I don't ever remember researching Mining. I have deleted it
Vincent Borchardt: How many more tiers of military techs should we go?
I have a feeling with the inflated yields of this game we could go forever
Cornflakes: I think what we have is sufficient for military tech. The tweaks to growth that were suggested in the RB forum should slow down research somewhat on the next game.
Vincent Borchardt: yeah, I was going to make a response on that in a bit
Cornflakes: I think that in the next turn or two we will see some tiles change hands. I'm interested to see how the military side works out
Vincent Borchardt: go
and the answer is "not very well" most likely
did you see my military response?
Cornflakes: Not yet, I was just checking on the forum
Vincent Borchardt: the main thing is that the current way I've envisioned attacks working is that attacking with the whole stack takes only 1 action
Cornflakes: Ok, let's give it a try
Move my units down to the proper row first
Vincent Borchardt:
Cornflakes: My stack currently has 13.5 vs your stack with 13. I attack and win, L1 M survive?
Vincent Borchardt: Yeah, that sounds right
Cornflakes: i've used 2 actions for movement, 1 to attack, 1 to build L4M, 4 left
Now I expand to conquer the tile?
Vincent Borchardt: correct
Cornflakes: What is the base yield of a food resource tile?
Vincent Borchardt: we've been saying it's 1 for this game
I think it should be 1+1, but that isn't important
(especially since you're probably going to improve it)
did you add your new yield?
ok
Cornflakes: Yes, I added it on the bottom line first
Vincent Borchardt: and you did consume an action for expanding
?
Cornflakes: Yes, started at 8, dropped to 7, grew +2
Vincent Borchardt: ok
my turn?
Cornflakes: yes
Vincent Borchardt: how long are you going to be around?
Cornflakes: I can probably get one more turn in and then will be busy for an hour or so and then able to get another in
Vincent Borchardt: Your turn
Cornflakes: Build L4 M and move to 9, total of 3 actions
Attack, 7 v 5, L2 M survive
Vincent Borchardt: correct
yeah, I probably should have expanded, to make you spend the multiple expand penalty if you wanted to get 7
are you immediately improving?
Cornflakes: Wrong tile
Vincent Borchardt: so, can I win at this point?
it seems like we will stalemate at some point
Cornflakes: Is that correct on the next growth cost?
Vincent Borchardt: I think so
but it'll be on like 5-6 at best
so you'll eventually overwhelm me
Cornflakes: You are up
Vincent Borchardt: I think I'm ready to call it
do you see a way I could fight back the stalemate on my side of the board at this point?
that's part of the problem with this system
Cornflakes: The problem for me is that your supply lines get shorter as mine get longer, plus I have to keep spending actions if I want to take territory
Vincent Borchardt: yeah, but you get more resources
which means you get more actions, which makes that up
Cornflakes: True, I think you are right I would be about to grind it out in a few more turns
Vincent Borchardt: so should we call this game and start another one with the rules tweaks?
Cornflakes: Yep
Vincent Borchardt: (not necessarily starting right this second )
gg
Cornflakes: gg, I like the concept that you have going here! It will get more refined with each play through.

[Cheater Hater]

Game 1 Ended, Game 2 Starts Here:

[Cornflakes]

As I understand, the only think I can do on the first turn is build L1I. I did this, and put my first yield into growth. You are up. EDIT I took Blue again to avoid confusion.

[Cheater Hater]

Built the L1I myself

[Cornflakes]

Advance L1i, grow to size 2

[Cheater Hater]

Same (and you forgot to update the current turn )