Downloaded. And, as usual, I´m going to throw all my saves to the bin because, as usual, each update it´s different enough to deserve a full run on it´s own.
but before trowing them to the bin I loaded one of my more advanced ones and decided to check this.
- If The Republic is at war (Confederation, Red Tide, Dengi Invasion) or if Aria is Chancellor, you can now donate money at Town Hall to build powerful regiments of up to 1,000 men. Doing this will give you big Standing and Influence boosts as well as permanently increase your Power Value. You can only sponsor the republic this way up to a maximum of 15,000 men and you also need a Power Value that's 25+ or 15,000+ Influence.
Because this can be something very right or very wrong, depending if the numbers are well adjusted and balanced or not.
Let´s go from the bottom to the top. 50 man. A platoon. 2000$ per man.
My first impression it´s that the numbers are right. Or Right-ish. 2000$ per man.
I´m counting the prices of selling item instead of the prices of buying item because the Goverment buy in bulk.
I can sell a Rifle in the market for 420, an automatic Rifle for 920, a sword for 180 and a Heavy leather armor for 320, so, depending of how well equipped the riflemen are the price of the basics range from 920$ to 1320$. If we add a basic load of ammo (lets say 100 rounds of 308/7.62) you go for 1120$/1720$ have still have room for a decent (100-200$?) enlistment bonus and some spare cash for basic gear (uniform, boots, camping and survival equipment and all this things). At a first glance seems good. Or good-ish.
You get in return 2.000 of influence (at 50$ per point) and +2 of power. And the increase of power of the republic would increase slightly your passive income.
Upper levels are a company of 150 men, consisting in 100 riflemen, 20 swordmen ( I suppose for 2nd line or supply duties) and 3 HMG per 300.000$. Influence 10.000 (at 30$ per point) and power +6, so same rate. We don´t have a clue of what it´s the cost of a HMG in Ikaanos, but the company it´s short of 50 rifles/automatic rifles to make for the (expected) higher price of the Heavy Weapons Section. Ok. fine
Next, Batallion. 1.200.000$ or the price of 4 companies. You only have 500 men, but it include 250 Riflemen, 50 dragoons, 50 swordmen and 10 machine guns . Here seems that are 50 man unassigned, (250+50+50+(10HMG*100), but in a battalion level unit you can count for sure with some desk warriors. Here the price seems a bit too high to me, but it´s not out of order if you make room for some train elements (4x4 trucks or tracked vehicles are not the most cheap thing in the world). Influence 50.000 at 24$ per point, Power +12, surprisingly only *2 of raising a company with *4 the expense.
And Last, raising a regiment per 2.400.000$ 700 Riflemen, 100 dragoons, 100 swordmen and 15 machine guns, plus and a battery of artillery. Sorry, Grimdark, But the numbers don´t fit here. 700 Riflemen + 100 dragons +100 sword men + 150(15*10 HMG) = 1050. And someone must man the artillery unit, and what kind of army would be without some pencil grabbers, paper pushers and desk warriors in general???. Power value it´s +25, double of the amount of a battalion for double the expense. Influence +120.000 at 20 per point.
All in all, you can approach to this subject from two points of view. From a gameplay point of view (and I concede that this it´s the most important point of view) , the numbers seems right. But from the point of view of an old grognard, with 35 year of playing tabletop wargames and dealing with army organic and TOA´s and all this thing, the two upper echelons don´t make sense at all. They don´t follow any organic.
Can I suggest some changes?
Batallion. 3 Companies of rifleman (300 riflemen, 9HMG (90 men), 60 Swordman) + 1 troop or Dragons (50 Dragons+ 1 HMG (10 men) + 40 Pencil pushers in the HQ per 550 men. At 1.320.000$ (to keep price per men at the same level) Influence 55.000, power +13
REgiment: 2 Batallions + 1 Art battery (150 men, a battery it´s a company size unit) + 50 paper grabers in the Hq to a total of 1300 men. At 3.120.000$ (to keep price per men at the same level) Influence +156.000 and power +27/+28
I know, I know, 99% of the players of the game don´t care a fig for this concerns, but....
