Hey guys, end of November is here. Thank you for your patience as I continue working on the strategy layer. I'm taking my time until I'm really happy with the design, so the playtest will start a bit later than I wanted. I'm sorry about that. I know you are all eager to get going...
Meanwhile, here's an updated look at the strategy layer grid. The big change you'll notice is the world map is now divided into bigger areas called Sectors, and each Sector consists of smaller areas called Zones. In the screenshot you can see that one Sector is divided into nine Zones. To give you a sense of scale, one Zone = one battlefield you played in the prior demo. Overall, the world map has the same level of granularity as before, but creating these bigger Sectors was necessary to deepen the connection between strat and tactical layers. Let me explain.
Most things you do on the world map -- uncover terrain, construct stuff, and position your squads -- all function at the Zone level. However, certain effects and game systems function at the Sector level. The most important of these is territory control. When a squad occupies any Zone in a Sector, it effectively controls the whole Sector. And when an opposing squad enters that Sector (let's call it the Battle Sector), it triggers the pre-battle Deployment phase.
At the start of Deployment, squads already inside the Battle Sector and squads in all neighboring Sectors get "recruited" into that battle from their respective directions. The player and enemy then take turns moving their recruited squads across Zones in the Battle Sector. The more Zones you occupy, the more Strategy Points you earn (more on that soon). And when finally a squad moves into a Zone already occupied by their enemy, the actual tactical battle begins there. At this point, the position of all other squads in neighboring Zones is what determines which direction reinforcements will enter battle from and in how many turns, which direction each side can and cannot escape to, etc. I will explain this in more detail after finishing the Deployment UI.
The key thing is, because it's all connected, you need to be thinking about positioning long before triggering Deployment. You'll want to place squads close to a Battle Sector to ensure they're recruited for battle. The direction you do this from is important. Then when Deployment begins, you can try to keep your forces together (multiple friendly squads can occupy the same Zone) to bullrush the enemy from one direction. Or try to capture a lot of Zones and earn many Strategy Points. Or focus on chokepoints created by mountains or canyons to box in the enemy and cut off escape routes, which will improve flanking effectiveness during combat. Hopefully this system creates a lot of interesting strategic decisions for you to make before the first shot is fired.
I will share more details soon about exactly how Deployment works -- the escape and surrender mechanics, what are Strategy Points and what do you spend them on, and other stuff like air support. But for now I hope this gives you an idea of how I'm trying to connect the strategy and tactical layers. If I can design this part well, the risks you take on the world map will ripple through each decision you make on the battlefield.
