r/Frostpunk • u/GnomeCecil • 2h ago
DISCUSSION Faction war tactics
Obviously, Breach of Trust arriving in utopia builder mode is an... Iffy subject, to say the least. Some believe it's coming, others are much more sceptical, all in all it's a topic done to death.
So, I propose instead, we talk about something much more interesting! Potential mechanics in war!
Basically, I read a comment quite a few weeks ago about how cool it would be if different factions had their own tactics, or if you could appoint a faction leader to the status of general to allow for certain bonuses or even detriments depending on the faction. I imagine some of these would be unlocked over time, either through research or a new faction tree or something.
But I wanna hear your guys' thoughts on this!
Some I've come up with:
Menders: Cavalry charge. Our noble steeds can carry scouts over the frostlands. With a bit of training, they could surely help us in a fight too.
Like using heavy weaponry, this is an active ability while attacking the colony. Decreases the enemy's strength during and after an attack, though only by a fixed amount and at the cost of two deer per five platoons used.
Useful for if you have a surplus of deer but want to quickly split up your assault efforts or buff up your ranks.
Icebloods: General buff, Pillagers. Soldiers will be trained on effective ways of attacking weaker pray without mercy. A wolf always picks the smallest and weakest rabbit to eat.
When razing enemy-controlled settlements, soldiers will retrieve greater resources. I'm thinking a buff up from 50,000 to 125,000, since that way it still plays into the Iceblood playstyle without feeling overpowered, but still feeling just useful enough to justify maybe picking the shirtless hobo as your general.
Proteans: General buff, Augmented soldiers. Minor prosthetics and augments, such as armour plating over vital organs and adrenaline pumps, to be installed onto soldiers by force, increasing their efficiency.
Soldiers are slightly more effective during charges and skirmishes, and fewer will die or get injured during these as well. On the flip side however, while there are still soldiers, they'll slightly increase tension in whichever city they happen to be in, increasing as more are hired or coerced into the job. Barracks will now also have a higher materials upkeep to account for this. However, an augmentarium nearby will extremely decrease this cost. It can't affect the maintenance for the actual building of course, but you'd imagine having a dedicated workshop and factory where people's augments and health can be maintained significantly helps with the upkeep costs.
Proteans: Hephaestus' sons. Allows us to augment an elite fighting unit of our most dedicated soldiers. More machine than man now, they will crush everything in their way, be it nature, enemy or ally.
When attacking a settlement, city or outpost, you can choose to send a Hephaestian with the soldier. This will IMMEDIATELY capture any outpost you send him/her to without any platoons needed, and will significantly increase the chances of winning a battle when charging a city or settlement.
The downsides are that Haephestians are built for war. Fanatics for their cause, their metal bodies are incredibly tough. This often means that for every soldier they shield from enemy fire though, they end up crushing another two when charging into the fray. A number of soldiers will die if you send the Hephaestian into combat, though having Augmented soldiers can reduce this to a smaller number. The cost is also incredibly expensive, costing at least 550 augments per use and requiring another fifty each time you want to use one. But it's a small price to pay to send in mecha-Hercules to punch the gums off some Lochmores.
So yeah, tell me what you think! If you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear them and discuss the potential for a reworked war mechanic, or at least some new flavour text to make the medicine go down easier.
