Thalassicus
commented
10 years ago The proximity of techs depends on research cost, not tech column. You can see this just by clicking the techs. I'll write a function to show the cumulative cost difference. It's a lot of work, but people have asked about this many times, so I figure it will be useful to demonstrate how techs are balanced.
In regards to unit paths, I've tried every suggestion everyone's ever had to organize unit roles over the past three years. I've put hundreds of hours of work into it without ever finding a consensus. If I change the roles again, someone will ask for another change, then someone else for another... it never ends! I eventually accepted there's no perfect solution that will make everyone happy. I'm exhausted on the unit roles topic. I want to spend time and energy focusing on things the community can actually agree on.
I think it goes back to the broader Civ community's disagreement over whether modern gun units are "melee" or "ranged." That's been a topic of discussion since Civ 5 released. There's multiple entrenched camps of people on the issue. When I try satisfying one group, another becomes unhappy. It's not something I can solve to everyone's satisfaction.
GrantSP
This Tech is next to useless in the modded game. The only purpose it has is to unlock the Musketman unit but as it becomes obsolete within one tech, Industrialization, it's usefulness is not fully gained. Closely related to this discussion is the re-instating of the Arquebusier -- Gatling Gun upgrade path. (IMO this is one of the biggest causes of complaint on the forum, and was changed in the last release to settle that) If this is the desired upgrade path then having Smokeless Powder unlock the Musketman and then have it redundant at Industrialization seems like a pointless step. Why not just drop both the Tech and the Unit and have Longswords upgrade to either a stronger Arqubusier (strength 30?) or to the Rifleman at Industrialization That way you research to upgrade your Crossbowmen (strength 17) to Gatling Gun (strength 30) and are only a couple of techs from upgrading your Longswords (strength 24) to Riflemen (strength 43), thus maintaining two lines of units, MELEE & RANGED at a similar pace, without the need to have older era units.