[BALANCE] Serious balance issue with Altar's rush ability + Horse & Spear units + The ability to act first in battle

from Elemental Forums

Three ingredients:

- Altar race
- Horse & Boar spear
- Level 3 stronghold with upgrade that gives all trained units the ability to act first in battle

The combination of these three features makes units that are vastly overpowered to anything else in the game. With a full group of these units, you get 9 double attacks that bypass 50% of defense at a range of 8 before your opponent has a chance to act. Because spears make the units immune to counterattack, you can even strip the units of all armor if you're on a budget.

5,832 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

nice I didnt think about using them this way. Totally abusive though

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

I love rush.  }:)

SD, Please don't nerf it.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Easiest thing to do is to remove the ability that automatically lets the units act first in battle. It's not that interesting an ability and opens the door for all sorts of abuse. Removing it would be good because other abilities could then be left untouched.

 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Mancers can accomplish this fairly easily as well thanks to their +1 Move, so it's not uniquely Altar. Hell, any custom unit that has the Charge ability can do this.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah I run an Altar cavalry army with Charge and Horses, no Boar spear yet. It's not as overpowered as you think because Charge only applies for their first turn. Letting them act first with Impulsive just guarantees they go first. Although it is pretty stupid to build a game around initiative and then throw in an ability that bypasses it. But then again every faction has the ability to make use of it.

Rush is nice though, it definitely favors cavalry. I run axes with my cavalrymen tho because cleave just seems so devastating. I might try a boarspear unit or two tho as I'm researching Blacksmithing now (went Civic)

Edit: Oh wait a minute you didn't even figure in charge, how could you not it's an extra 3 tiles plus 3 attack. On a horse with Rush you can pretty much go from one end of the battlefield to the other in a single turn. I think I just improved upon your strat ;)