Meta-Unit Bugs & Questions

from AshesoftheSingularity Forums

I did not see anyone toss these issues out for discussion yet, so here goes.  One of my favorite features of AoS is the meta-unit, so I've tried to fully embrace the concept.  I have run into some issues with them, though:

  • Lost Units.  I tend to build dreads as early as possible and then queue up all my units through what I'll call the "unit request" interface.  Part of the reason I do this, is so that I can move the dread with whatever units are finished to the front line if necessary while my factories keep churning away.  I also find it easier to ensure that the t1/t2 units I want in a particular meta-unit actually end up in it.  Some units produced this way become "lost"; meaning that they will move somewhere on the map and just sit there, even if they are still associated with a meta-unit that requested them that has moved across the map. 
  • Meta-Unit Association Mechanic.  This remains a mystery to me.  I feel like lower tier units sometimes associate themselves with meta-units at random.  Is there some kind of auto-associate dynamic at play in the game that I'm not accounting for?  
  • Meta-Units with Multiple Dreads.  I tend to create each meta-unit with a single dread to maintain better control over the unit.  I feel compelled to do this because meta-units with multiple dreads seem to auto-assign lower-tiered units to different dreads at random, and often in peculiar ways.  For example, let's say I want to add an arty dread to a meta-unit that has an assault dread and a smattering of t1 and t2 units.  When I add the arty dread to this group by hitting the form army button, a bunch of close-quarters units associate themselves with the arty dread, and a bunch of arty units associate themselves with my assault dread.  There is obviously some rhyme and reason to why this happens -- what is it?   
  • What is the Area Control Dread Good For?  I never produce the area control dread, because I find it relatively useless compared to the arty and assault dreads.  What useful feature about it am I missing?
  • How do Individual Unit Upgrades to Meta-Units Work?  Do I get the speed or whatever bonus for every single unit I associate with a meta-unit, or do the bonuses cap at some point (e.g., 5 units of a particular type).
  • How do bonuses apply within multiple dread meta-units?  Does the whole meta-unit and every unit within it get the bonus, does the bonus only apply to the specific dread that the t1/t2 unit is associated with, or something else?  I ask because sometimes assault dreads in meta-units with arty dreads will far outpace the arty dreads when moving long distances, even though everyone started from the same spot.  I am not talking outpace a little either, I am talking about 1/4 of the map outpacing.  I think it may have to do with only one dread getting the speed bonus in any given meta-unit, but I'm not sure if it's this or something else.
  • Best Use of Meta-Units.  Are meta-units intended to have one or multiple dreads in them?  I've found single dread meta-units much easier to control -- is this intentional?

 

35,319 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Great observations and questions.


What is the Area Control Dread Good For?

I think it has a lot more health than the others? When veterancy comes in with T3 upgradeable abilities perhaps it will become clearer.

How do Individual Unit Upgrades to Meta-Units Work?

This is the question I want to know the answer to most. As you said: Do they stack? What are the actual buffs (the numbers/percentages)? Is there a limit to the buffs?

Reply #2 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

What is the Area Control Dread Good For?

Healing and invulnerability.

How do Individual Unit Upgrades to Meta-Units Work? 

Yes, each squad contributes and the bonuses do stack, but some have diminishing returns.

A metaunit (army) can only have one dreadnought in it.  If you have more than one dreadnought, you have multiple armies.  An army and a control group are completely different animals.

Right-click units on an army causes the army to attempt to include the selected units.

ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Quoting TheRealWarpstorm, reply 2

How do Individual Unit Upgrades to Meta-Units Work? 

Yes, each squad contributes and the bonuses do stack, but some have diminishing returns.

A metaunit (army) can only have one dreadnought in it.  If you have more than one dreadnought, you have multiple armies.  An army and a control group are completely different animals.

Right-click units on an army causes the army to attempt to include the selected units.

Thanks for your answer. At some point I hope all this and the numbers become far more transparent to the player. The game will have to have a tutorial.

Have you considered doing a Civilopedia type thing for the units and buildings? Perhaps a large slow rotating high quality image of the unit, a little blurb/lore written beneath it with its HP, Damage, and the buffs it gives on one side of the unit image. On the Dreadnought page it would tell how the veterancy and buff mechanics work.

In an old TBS game called Battle Isle 3 (loved that game) the units looked simple on the main map but when you brought them up on the factory screen you would get a super cool image, almost like a photo of what it would really look like were it real, rotating on the info screen. That sort of image in the Ashes' "Civilopedia" would be cool. I don't expect it though because of time and budget  :)

Reply #4 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Having made the Civilopedia, I know what that entails.

+1 Loading…
Reply #5 from AshesoftheSingularity Forums Top

Quoting TheRealWarpstorm, reply 4

Having made the Civilopedia, I know what that entails.

Yup, pretty cool. Quite the mammoth undertaking no doubt! The one I am suggesting would be a whole lot simpler though :)

Blizzard has similar things on their website I think but I think it would be better in-game.