I'm noticing there doesn't seem to be much difference in unit speeds, or I'm misinterpreting how the different number affect things.
Looks like units can move 6, 8, 10 hexes over normal terrain. Not sure if its always been like that in AoW games and I'm just having a brain-fade. XD
It was 28/32/36 as the standard speeds in AoW 3. Planetfall is just shifting the speed differentials into a broader stretch of 24/32/40, resulting in 'slow' and 'fast' having a bit more impact strategically, but remaining the same tactically.
Strategic speeds:
28/32/36 (tighter spread of movement distances)
= 14/16/18 hexes for 2 cost (Advanced Logistics roads and Improved Mountaineering)
= 9/10/12 hexes for 3 cost (roads and structures, generally, along with Flyers)
= 7/8/9 hexes for 4 cost default terrain without a feature
= 4/5/6 hexes for 6 cost default terrain with forest or wetlands, and Mountaineering
(same as above for combat for walking units without Athletics)
= 2/2/2 hexes for 14 cost default for mountain
24/32/40 (broader spread of movement distances)
= 12/16/20 hexes for 2 cost (if it exists)
= 8/10/13 hexes for 3 cost (likely the same methods)
= 6/8/10 hexes for 4 cost (as above)
= 4/5/6 hexes for 6 cost (as above, but notably the same as the previous movement values, in particular for combat)
= 2/2/3 hexes for 12 cost (notable in that Mountains now cost 12 in Planetfall, relative to before, meaning 'fast' units get a third hex)
(but the Dvar faction, the slower faction on average, also comes with the Expedited Movement: Mountain trait, to lower their cost for movement, similar to Mountaineering, although the exact reduction remains yet unknown)
As can be seen, while Combat movement remains essentially the same, strategic map movement has changed such that slower units/armies will move less distance than in AoW3, and likewise faster ones will move further than before. Even if just by one hex either way, although that third hex of mountain movement for fast units now is a relative increase of 50%.
[EDIT]
@BloodyBattleBrain
For some reason I just assumed they were like the Draconian and dragon hatchlings from before, meaning random evolution but weighted towards lower tiers.
Which gave me an idea just now of a Kir'ko tech that would *direct* the evolution, so you could, conceivably, more easily control it and get a bunch of whatever.
So when it hits gold level (or whatever level triggers evolution) you can pay to have it evolve into what you want.
Could be a game changer, but still requires babysitting the Emergent and costs money, whereas random evolution would be free.
Also makes thematic sense imho.
I had the same assumption about their Evolution mechanic.
As for your idea, do also consider this section of the Dev Diary:
Terratech’s bio engineers genetically lobotomized the hive queens, changing them to mindless breeders. Having taken out the psychic threat of the Kir’Ko gestalt consciousness, they evolved casts of slave workers and hardened warriors through rapid epi-genetics.
To themselves do the same to their own kind could be viewed as reverse engineering methods of the enemy to their own means, a potentially positive outlook. Alternately, it could also be seen as utilizing the same methods as their enemy, and what does that make them? A sort of moral quandary.
Thematically, the Xenoplague Secret Tech is the remnants of Terratech technology, and I could see a player having picked them following the above path, though. Working under the first viewpoint most likely, in that case.
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Anyway, as a reminder, there are no passive 'Empire Upgrade' type technologies(Covert Ops tech possibly excluded, as many of their bonuses have been implied to be passive enhancements to scanning capabilities). So this would have to be a Doctrine. I feel like it would need to be mid-high tier, by virtue of the means of producing spare Emergent units coming online(Operations and Ravenous, possibly the T4). We know the Tier 5 faction Doctrines already, pushing this back all the way to Tier 9. As such, for also being a higher tech tier Doctrine, albeit one which can create T3 units in the field away from your territory(but lacking the bonuses of a city-produced unit, which is a big malus!), I feel like it would need some other benefit added besides the ability to choose the evolution for Emergent units.
Whether it's an increase to Emergent units, such as experience gain(stacking with the Tier 1 Kir'Ko Doctrine), or a boost to their stats so they can survive to evolve more easily, or something else entirely, tied to the concept of a focus on Kir'Ko Evolutionary capabilities as a whole. Such as:
Focused Evolution: Tier IX, Priming Cost 300 Energy/6 Operation Points
Focusing on adaptive genetics has provided Kir'Ko armies the ability to quickly adapt lifeforms to the needs of the moment.
Emergent units may have their Metamorphosis target selected at a cost (perhaps roughly 50-75% of base cost of the unit being changed into, to account for the effort of ranking up an Emergent, into a unit without bonuses from being produced in a colony, and factoring in cost of updating Unit Mods for more expensive units).
In combat, Biological units (for synergy? or simply "Kir'Ko units") gain 2 Resistance against the damage channel of the last received damage.
