More water units

[magian]

So, playing the high seas map multiple times (during the tournament) made me realize that we really don't have many options when it comes to water units. It is a chocolate or vanilla situation at the moment... kraken or serpent. A few more unit types would really help to make watery maps more interesting.

Here are a few of my ideas:

Lvl 1 unit - Deep One/Triton
This guy is your basic fishman. 10 strength (+10 in water), 16 movement, can't carry heroes.

Lvl 4 unit - Dragon Turtle
Huge, fire breathing turtle. 4 wounds, movement 8-10 (but can walk on land), very strong, heavy warding.

Lvl 3 unit - Storm Elemental
Tornado with lightning bolt eyes. flyer, stack anti-flyer bonus, moves 1 in water, big movement bonus (in water). This guy can help speed up your boats (fair winds) and help you dominate the skies. Might have to re-name the current elemental "Magma Elemental" or some such thing.

[Chazar]

I actually think now that the absence of a 1 turn water unit is a good thing, since it makes water unique. Too much symmetry is boring. Besides, dwarves or pikemen are already good 1T water units.

[magian]

I disagree. Dwarves and pikemen require a port, so they function quite differently than a 1-turn water unit would. This unit would also not be stepping on the serpent's (non-existent) toes, since it is slower and can't carry heroes.

[Moonknight]

I thought we were going to go with the 1 turn 'piranha' with some swarm action...

1 HP, 5 STR, +5(8) swarm, 12 speed (cost 1 sea, 3 swamp).

[magian]

Yeah, the piranha is a cooler idea. But, it doesn't work in the swamp that well. Maybe a mutated piranha with legs? Or. perhaps a killer mudskipper? I do like the swarm idea though, much more interesting than a vanilla fin soldier.

[Zaque]

Why not have the movement cost be 2 sea, 1 river/cost, and 4 swamp so that there is some differentiation in the units and where they are fast. I do like the idea of making them not able to carry heroes as well.

[magian]

Heroes should not be able to ride piranhas. I agree that messing with movement costs would be interesting for the old players, but it might just be another thing to confuse people learning the game.

[magian]

What about the dragon turtle acting as a boat? units could climb on it's back and use it to traverse water at very slow speed. A number of people have asked for the old warlords 1 style boats, this would be a way of having both boating options.

[FatsXL]

Not a fan of simple +water battle units because we already have that, it isn't interesting. However a while ago someone suggested a 1 turn viking unit that could move between land and sea anywhere with no or reduced movement cost and has a high pillage %. It could make sense for it to have swarm also, but maybe only applicable on sea?

I do like the turtle suggestion though, a water based fortress unit would be cool.