Hello everyone,
From what i see we already have few topics discussing designing units, equipment and its impact on attack and defense stats. However I don't think we've discussed what impact equipment have on units mobility.
OK, from the beginning. My main inspiration is from Fantasy General and its more recent remake Fantasy Wars. In those games, on the strategic map, there are many types of terrain: roads, plains, hills, swamps etc. There are also different types on units: light/heavy infantry, scouts, light/heavy cavalry etc. and every type of unit move and fight differently on each terrain type (bonus for cavalry on plains, light infantry will move faster through swamps than its heavy counterpart). Everything logical and quite simple. The problem is: how choosing equipment for a unit will impact its ability to move/fight in difficult terrain? After all we don't want to have fully armored mounted knight with two handed sword charging unhindered through forests and swamps.
The simplest solution would be to have speed penalties for each armor type. Ex. leather -> no penalty; chain mail -> low penalty for moving through difficult terrain; plate mail -> high penalty for difficult terrain and low penalty for normal terrain.
Other solution (the on I like much more) is to attach weight property to every piece of equipment (armor, weapon, shield) a unit can have and then determine its mobility on total weight of its equipment. Ex. if unit is carrying less than 20% of its max -> no penalty, can move fast through swamps, forests, mountains; 40% -> no penalty, move normally through swamps, etc. 60% -> med penalty; 80-100% -> high penalty, cannot cross swamps, mountains.
Second solution also have interesting consequences. For example a very strong race could wear heavier armor and still move unhindered, or a very weak race could be unable to wear plate armor. We could have a special training options or magic potions to increase strength of a unit so it can carry more equipment but still be very mobile (something like creating a commando unit/spec ops).
What do you think? Maybe you have some better ideas to deal with this issue?
