Suggestion: Mapmove & Armor

[HoneyBadger]

You might not be able to improve a unit's mapmove based on the armor it wears, but, you might be able to add elite units which could travel farther simply because they've been trained for speed and stamina over long distances. I'm thinking this would be great for a late-era Machaka (Zulu reference) and middle-era Mictlan (with the superb but narrow paths and system of messengers used by-if I remember correctly-the Inca). One of the reasons it can't be assumed that weight-of-arms will be a major factor in the speed a unit travels is that humans, atleast, can readily carry 70lbs over indeterminate distances starting at 20 miles, and in the military many soldiers regularly do just that, while people who are fat and out of shape like yours truly could probably sprint 30 yards before dropping dead in a suit of high gothic style armor, or nekkid. I'd also like to add that, if we can alter the mapmoves at some point, I'd like an option to make it based on Dominion and based on scales. An orderly kingdom like the Incas would be able to build, maintain, and use the footpaths mentioned in their own dominion, and I could see such units as Jotuns or Late Age Atlantis using dogsleds in the snow. Maybe even a Late Age Abyssia where other Abyssians have followed in the footsteps of the Demonbred and ride the thermals produced in their dominion on hang-gliders. Maybe Death rides on swift wings in a late age Ermor or C'tis. I think a lot of special things could be modified by scales, making nations a little bit more like I understand the concept of "themes" (and while I'm not promoting bringing themes back-I've never had them, so how can I miss them? I do think it's a shame that scales don't have more than just a numerical effect on the game, while having different levels of magic ofcourse gives you cool things like powerful spells to cast and blessings-the coolest thing about scales right now is that they might, possibly, maybe, be linked to the effects of good and bad luck-that and it's visually fun to move them back and forth ), this is just one example of how to bring scales back.

[Wick]

I'm with Edi on this, even, I suppose, to the concession that it's not genuinely important. Still, the intrinsic argument doesn't apply to commanders and any unit can be GOR'd. The alternative methods argument doesn't explain things like a Tribal Chief wearing Black Steel from head to toe and still having a 3 move (the poor pony!). As for why armor should reduce move, how about consistency? The existing correlation between Move and Enc is obvious.

This is a nice to have and belongs on the Dom 4 wishlist more then a lot of things that will be there!

[HoneyBadger]

Yes, but you see, that's not the answer, because that same tribal chief is going to use another "poor pony" to carry his armor, and quite possibly a sword-bearer to carry his weapons. The heavy black steel full plate is only going to be worn when battle is expected, or for the may day parade. The rest of the time, the chief's probably going to be wearing brigandine, or just riding leathers. He might wear heavy armor at home, and he might even wear it when he's sitting around the camp-fire or inspecting the troops, so you can shrug off assassination attempts, but he's not going to wear it on 75 mile rides, because that's how you lose ponies. The only time it MIGHT be worn on long rides is if the chief had 5 or 6 ponies and cound switch them out regularly every couple of miles.

[Endoperez]

Hypaspists of Arcoscephale (MA/LA) are trained to march in heavy armor, and hav mapmove of 2. Their armor is still lighter than that of Hoplites, though.

Machakans already have more endurance than other humans. They have base encumberance of just 2! All other humans and most non-humans have base encumberance of at least 3.

Almost all undead and constructs have mapmove 3 in addition to their encumberance 0. They gonna march all day and night and more (for they are the slaves of dark lord's law). Those carnivore lizards C'tis has enslaved (Slave Warriors and Elite Warriors) both have mapmove 2, besides the latter wearing armor. I guess that explains the Taskmasters' whips... Actually, giving the slave lizards and the taskmaster mapmove 3 would give them a real niche, as only the Taskmasters could utilize the mapmove 3 lizards to their full extent (all other C'tissian commanders have mapmove of 2).