Goal: To take the humble hopper (probably the worst unit in the game), and make them the most fun to fight and play with. Like the Colonial Guard they will be using alot of stereotype features to roleplay all your favorite movies and games.
This is a very early overview of the mod that will keep me busy no doubt for the next few months, this is just some initial concepts (partly for my gold fish memory) but also for those who may be interested.
Note: The hoppers although are another insectoid type race, should only share some kirko cosmetics, the rest should be completely overhauled.
Key features:
- Ultimate Swarm race, building a single core unit will count as x2 on the tactical map. So a stack of 6 will deply 12 units on the battlefield. In a later doctrine this will be increased by +1.
This will be using the voidtech clone feature as well as the colonial guard spawn at the start of combat feature.
- Negative start relations to other races -400 (not your own). The Hopper race will have a massive advantage over other races with superior numbers making site clearing a breeze, they are fast and cheap being able to (zerg rush) overwhelm less prepared races, and the more at war they gain, will bring more benefits. Players opposing the Hoppers should use the diplomacy disadvantage against them, uniting to purge the hoppers before resuming their own agendas.
- Powerful heroes, think hive tyrants from DOW2, the Hopper heroes will stand a foot taller on the battlefield, with the inherit trait of large target, juggernaut and of course being able to leap decent distances on the battlefield, Making them devastating in close combat.
-Use of 'markers and objects' terrain on both strategic and tactical map. Hoppers will have a climate they fight better and gain defensive advantages in, being able to spread it in combat though units and operations.
- Climates - Hoppers prefer hot and jungle type terrains and dislikes cold or volcanic.
- Passive abilities, certain units will be able to have a second ability that activates every turn (without player input), eg tier 3 general type unit will have a radial pulse, extending their aura that speeds up nearby hoppers, a bombard type unit will fire a weak mortar at a random nearby each round.
- Weapon types, to avoid any overlap with kirko they wont be using physonic or biochemical weapon groups. They may just have a mono channel of kinetic and extend their racial tech tree.
- Designed to have a bit of dark humor, while writing unit descriptions is a drag, at this stage it is intended. But this could quickly change.
- Use of wild local hoppers and dwelling, alternate city operations (will see if this is possible)
That about covers it, here is some early hero designs (a bit will change from the final)
Male version
Alt male head sporting hair style.
Female - Has mandibles, head has a solid plate rather than spikes, looks more bad ass in general. Ideally id like the fems bigger with alt abilities but i dont think its possible,
Thats about it for now!
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