Proposed Modding Cost Guidelines

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

Scattered Thoughts On Modding Costs

Official Unit Guidelines are sparse, especially wrt playbalancing and costs. Here follow some random definitions, theories, equations, and examples. I'm not married to them, I just want to start discussion and get some acceptable standards set by the community.


Definitions
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Two separate things: Gold, Resources.
-Gold determines how good the meat is.
-Resources determines how good the equipment is.

Three types of units: Soldiers, Monsters, Commanders.

-Soldiers are members of the Nation's race; e.g. humans, lizardmen, etc.
-Monsters are greater than the acceptable norms of the Nation's race. E.g. vampires are stronger than humanly possible, and steal life.
-Commanders are charismatic units, capable of leading.

For discussion purposes I will use Humans as the example National race, and Light Infantry as the unit to base unit for comparison. Statistics follow.

Lt Inf Militia HV Inf
hp---10------8------10
st---10------8------10
att--10------8------10
def--12------8------12
mor--10------8------10
mr---10------8------10
pre--10-----10------10
arm--09------8------13
dge--03-----03------06
gold-10-----07------10
res--10-----07------16
------
Militia stats run 20% less on the skill side, except precision. They are cost 30% less gold. Their armor provides ~10% less protection, and their weapon is the same for dge and both have the useful repel ability. They do not have javelins. They cost 30% less resources (metal, leather, production time and skill).

-2hp -2st -2att -2def -2mor -2mr = -3gold
-1prot -javelin = -3res

Heavy Infantry stats are the same on the skill side, and they cost the same gold wise. Resource-wise, HI have 35% better armor, and much better weapons, but no repel and no javelins. Resource cost is 60% higher.

+4 pnts armor; +3 pnts weapon -javelin = +6res. That seems to make sense. A javelin is worth 1res. 1pnt armor is 1res. 1pt wep dge is 1res.


Conclusion is that we have light, normal, and heavy units. Light units cost disproportionately less. Normal units cost normal amounts. Heavy units cost disproportionately more. So far we have:

Light------militia
normal-----lt infantry, hv infantry
heavy------none yet, let's examine one

Black Knight
hp------15
st------13
att-----12
def-----09
mor-----15
mr------09
pre-----10
arm-----24
dge-----20/8/6
gold----60
res-----70
+5hp +3st +2att -1def +5mor -1mr = +50 gold
+14arm +11dge +lance = +60res

Ok, here's my theory for unit stat cost in gold.
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7-9 pnts skill = 0.5X cost
10-12 pnts skill = 1X cost
13-15 pnts skill = 1.5X cost
16-19 pnts skill = 2X cost
20-30 pnts skill = 4X cost (not normally possible for humans?)
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E.g. New Unit Elite HV Infantry. All stats the same except ST 12 and ATT 12 would cost 10 +2 +2
= 14gold.
E.g. New Unit Super Elite HV Infantry. St 15, Att 15, HP 15; 10 + 5X1.5 +5X1.5 +5X1.5 = 33gold.

Resources should behave similarly, but on a different metric. Here's my theory for unit resource cost:
====================
0-8 light X0.75
9-11 average X1
12-20 heavy X1.5
21-30 super X2
====================

We'll test it on Black Knights:
10res +14armX2 +11dgeX2 +lance = 70res
10res +28+22+X=70res A Lance seems to be worth 10res. Which makes sense.

New Unit Example--The fabled Steel Battalion. An incredibly elite Super Heavy Infantry, full of weight lifting 7 foot tall supermen who push the envelope of humanity. Here are this proud group's stats:
hp 18
st 18
att 18
def 18
mor 18
mr 18
pre 10
arm 26
dge 20

This looks like standard stats for the people who used to bring pre-rolled characters and try to get into my DnD games. Anyways, let's add Conan here up and estimate the unit cost.
10gold +8stX2 +8hpX2 +8attX2 +8defX2 +8morX2 +8mrX2 = 106gold
10res +16armorX2 +17dgeX2 = 76res

That sounds about right. Any comments?

This does not count in special powers like repel, lance, regenerate, ethereal, magic dge, poison dge, fire aura, fear, awe, etc. I imagine these could work similarly:

Fear Costs
1-4 2gold/pnt
5-9 3gold/pnt
10-14 4gold/pnt
15-19 5gold/pnt
E.g. If we give Conan above a Fear aura of 15, we would add 4X2+4X3+4X4+1X5=41gold

Ethereal units are special. They know it. They charge extra gold for their abilities. 10% more.

The same for Regeneration. Regen 10 = 10% more. Regen 20 = 20% more. Etc.

I'll write more later on commanders and monsters. I'm interested in others' thoughts.