EVERY unit should have a special ability!

[Zephyx]

EVERY unit should have a special ability!

For example:

Infantry can throw grenades (smoke, frag, emp, etc) once every 30 seconds.

Tanks can deploy a smoke screen which makes all incoming fire 80% less accurate once every 30 seconds.

Aircraft, can auto-deploy flares once every 30 seconds

Helicopters can fire a Thermobaric Hellfire missle once every 30 seconds.

GLA AT infantry can deploy mines once every 30 seconds

Infantry mortar teams can deploy smoke rounds and/or thermobaric rounds once every 30 seconds.

Just a few examples... There should NEVER be a unit that can't do something "special" once in a while.

[Commander32]

Maybe not, Im fine as it is in Generals in CnC3.

[Zephyx]

I think special abilities not only give the game more tactical depth, but it is also a way to expand upon each factions unique style. For example, if 2 factions both have standard infantry units, you want to make them unique as possible to give them their own distinct flavor, so you would make the GLA infantry squads have almost twice as many men per squad, but give them inferior firepower per man (ak's and rpk's etc).

Compared to the EU factions infantry who would have a smaller 5-6 man squad of elite infantry with superior firepower.

So both squads now have a faction flavor unique to each side. But why stop there?!? Now we can give the GLA infantry a special ability which is also unique like suicide charge, or bundled grenade, or some other low tech scavanger type ability.

While on the other hand, the EU special ability could be something higher tech like EMP grenades, or call in an airstrike off-map, etc.

More unique flavor per faction and more tactical diversity = win win!

[Alias]

I agree in a way. I really liked it in RA3 that every unit has a secondary ability and I really think they should add this to Generals. But it doesn’t have to be EVERY unit. Secondary abilities must stay realistic and may vary from a smoke screen that you mention or just simply stepping of a bike like in ZH.

I also like the flare idea for the planes but I think they must be activate manually. Auto flares would be to easy.

[wadprime]

I sorta agree. I don't so much think that every unit needs a special unique ability (though most having one would be nice), as much as I think that most units should have an upgrade that makes them viable at all stages of the game. Hell, in Gen 1, the majority of my armies consisted of humvees/quad-cannons/battlemasters because while mid-game units, they all had features that made them viable late game.

[dantes12]

It doesn't make any sense. You have to micro every single unit. This is not a fps. This is a strategy game. Units with special abilities should be very limited.

[bombspy]

Nope... doesn't fit into Generals

[Commander32]

I find it unnecessary here.

[Wh87]

good idea, i liked the way red alert 3 implemented it, unlike other rts games, it also stayed simple so anybody could use it with that 1 same key for any unit, rather than having to figure which button does what on which unit

[stephanovich]

Nah. I like it if some units have special abilities, but not all. It makes them feel more special and if it is like in RA3...it just felt like so many was tacked on just for the sake of every unit having one. They should only have on if it makes sense...upgrades could add some abilities to units though.

[stickyicky7911]

can sombody help me get online on tiberium wars? i dont know what the ea account name is supposed to be or the online id. please help

[stephanovich]

can sombody help me get online on tiberium wars? i dont know what the ea account name is supposed to be or the online id. please help

Make a thread here (http://www.commandandconquer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?27-Support) instead of asking in this thread.

[Nerdfish]

Special abilities add a lot of unnecessary micromanagement unless they can all be set to autocast.

[CyborgBanana]

No, I thought every unit having a special ability in RA 3 was really cumbersome especially when in the heat of battle and some were completely pointless. Keep it simple.

[Lonely_guy]

nope,not every unit need a special ability.
i didn't like it in RA3 when every unit had one,make it moe like gen or cnc3(?,don't remember really)
only some units should have special abilitie(s)

[Victimizer]

Not special abilities, but unit relevant abilities. For example, almost all heavy armored vehicles, apcs, tanks, etc, should be able to deploy smoke screens for example: this would make the unit and infantry around it harder to hit. Almost all combat airplanes and helos should be able to deploy countermeasures. I don't like transformer units: airplanes that transform into ground combat vehicles are an engineering nightmare because land vehicles and airplanes have often completely different material requirements.

[goldenhorde44]

I agree, no transformers please. just completely breaks the realism

[AgentOrange]

It would increase micro about a gazillion percent... so no.