As the year comes to a close, Empire Eternal developer EPO Games has provided some insight into how naval combat works in its modern RTS while highlighting the importance of carefully planning any attempts at boarding and disembarking units.
As noted in the title’s first developer blog, “naval combat in Empire Eternal will be very different from what you are used to in other strategy games.” Rather than make ships independent actors during battles, their naval combat capabilities depend on the types of units boarding them.
Empire Eternal Naval Combat
For example, telling archers to board your ships allows them to engage foes at range. Vessels boarded by melee warriors “fight if the enemy approaches or if they collide with the ship.”
Ships that transport cavalry or villagers are, however, completely vulnerable while at sea, so you’ll want to ensure they have adequate protection before setting off.
As you progress through the ages, “firearms come into play, drastically changing combat.”
Empire Eternal handles units boarding your ship in a fairly traditional manner, having them automatically follow your order to do so as long as that vessel’s unit transport limit hasn’t been reached.
Disembarking, however, is a bit more nuanced, since some units reach the shore faster than others. While it might be tempting to send your cavalry out first, these units take longer to leave the ships, rendering them and their peers vulnerable.
As the developer explains, “our idea is to make each unit have a clear role and that their tactical decisions during boarding and disembarking directly influence the outcome of battles.”
This first developer blog, tackling Empire Eternal’s naval combat, boarding, and disembarking, will likely not be the last, with more details about the RTS coming over the coming months.
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