The ground battles seem the same as what your brother disliked. However, I'm not sure what he expects.

This is a 4x game - and like any 4x game, this is about strategy, not tactics. Its about the macro, not the micro. Battles are nice, but this game isn't about battles, its about building a good economy, it's about managing diplomatic relations with an enemy that could easily wipe you out, and it's about finding a long-term strategic solution that turns the tables and allows you to eventually pacify that enemy, be it through war, influence, or diplomacy.

Asking Galciv II to have good ground battles is silly. It's like asking why, in an RTS, you can't jump into your tank and shoot at the enemy. After all, the AI is undoubtedly less capable, and many RTS games these days have an underlying randomness which add or detracts bonuses, such as the Dawn of War series. If the player could take matters into their own hands, the outcome would rely more on skill. But it's not a shooter, it's a RTS - to jump into the tank would violate the structure of the gameplay. The skill of pointing and shooting is not the point. In Galciv 2, the skill of commanding troops or ships in battle is not the point. Battles are exciting and stuff, I understand, but the point of Galciv2 is not the skill of battle, it's the skill of guiding and managing an empire - that means the factories and the population much more so than it means the ships.

You know what? That makes sence and I understand. I do like the game very much, and in fact it is the *only* game I play, well except for chess against chessmaster; because of there being to may cheaters online playing chess that run a chess program in the background and then paste its moves in for theres.

Tell your brother to get a small piece of paper and some tape out when a ground battle begins. Tape the paper over the advantage factor, then attack! If the paper is too see-through, try whiteout. However, the way it sounds, your brother would simply want to reload any ground battle he loses until he wins. No amount of hiding the advantage factor will change that compulsion.

It's not so much that as that we're discussing it amongst oursleves. Your question was already answered but in doing so they attached their own opinion and that's what's being dicussed. So while you did initiate the exchange you did not direct it's flow.

As stated above by other players, this is a game of overall Empire strategy not ship or ground tactics.

Size is relevant. The size of your ship determines two very key things in the game itself and does reflect within each and every battle. First size determines hit points. The larger the ship, the more damage it can take to its hull before destroyed. Second, the larger the vessel, the more weaponry, defenses, item specific modules, and engines it will be able to carry. Both of which can give you a decisive edge in combat.

Some people do share your opinion here. It is just a game, and where the numbers come from does not really concern me. I like the game and these are the numbers given to me to work with.


It is, of course, an analogy, so why would you replace the barn with a ship but not the rock with an appropriate weapon type?

I feel that the most effective weapon in the game deals with range. Take planets and you win, do not, and you lose. The range of my Troop transports are represented rather well in this area. With speed and range, I can attack any key planet on a gigantic galaxy I so choose. As a side note, I was not suggesting that the game mechanics deal with speed and range during any type of combat. What I was trying to suggest is that range and speed, in my opinion, could be considered a reason for the 0 roll during an attack. Nothing more.

Heh. Maybe not in the game, but try saying that about real life. Trust me, if someone is shooting at you, I would think that you would want to relate the two. The faster you move, and the further away you are, the better chance of survival you have in most cases.


Actually, it does. Technology definitely does increase your attack and your defense. The better the weapons the higher the potential roll. Same goes for the defense. The difference determines whether you hit or if the shot is "deflected". As for the rest of what I said, you are quite correct, they do not contribute at all to the overall attack roll. However, if you read my statement carefully, I did mention that this was my opinion as to why you could have a roll of a 0 on an attack roll.

That is a huge statement, and if that were the case, then I would not be playing this game. If anyone is interested, here are how the game mechanics actually determine if your ship is hit, or "deflects" the attack. Ship Combat

In the end luck is a factor in both ground and fleet combat. Just as it is when randomly generating a new solar system to play in. Any random selection made during set up is luck. In my own mind I can contribute it to anything I want. I rolled a 0 during space combat.... was it because I had poor luck? Of course... but In the end I will say it was because the enemy ship had made drastic combat maneuvers... it is a luxury I am afforded because I have an imagination. In my opinion, when it comes to this game, you can stack the luck in your favor most of the time, through ones playing style. ( Like Evil said)

I personally do not mind pushing the mouse button to get the advantage numbers. It is my opportunity to stand on top of the troop carrier and scream.... "Destroy them all!"

**** click ****

Well, if you read my post, I said it isn't really relevant anywhere, with "except combat" implied, since that's what was being discussed. The fact is size is relevant outside combat, but marginally, and not where you mentioned. Size determines the base Range of ships too, but the variance is hardly very influential.



They don't help in creating a believable setting, that's all.



Efficient target tracking?



Hmm, it was about weapon ranges, not life support related Range.



If you're running with your back to the shooter...   



Of course, but not always though. Generally only when you finish researching a certain weapon/defense type and begin a new one.



Odd, since you've just agreed to that, except for tech.