Strongly considered skipping this update and moving straight to prepping for steam.
Will be there any other update before going EA?
The AP trigger mechanism is interesting - wasn't aware of that system - it definitely adds more depth.
Timing is powerful tool, fun to gamble with. Not the best, but comes to mind as simple to use, no other stat checks. Loosely relates to what ArchAngel mentioned on when to act.
As you pointed out on dex, having LOS to most enemies and no FOW reduces the usefulness of overwatch
By its definition - maybe, but can merely fulfill slightly different purpose here. As you said it has already some situational benefits. Apart that, in both AOO and Overwatch we undergo some risks, the former gives attacks for free, would it make sense for the latter if targets can't benefit from evasion? Or what if successful overwatch hit distracts the target (Distracted: -50% AP for 1 turn)? If works right away the unit's turn was practically disturbed.
In the event there's enemy overwatch (unclear at the moment) it will probably trigger easily. The reason being that I think it will be difficult to make the AI use OW effectively, without the player being able to game the AI. If the AI just holds fire on overwatch, it will make it less impactful.
Oh, but we always game it, resistance is gallant but futile.
I dunno. There is potential in side effects. Not all spells are damaging, some makes you unable to act, other run in fear.
Looking at large, the sides aren't equal, different strengths, different weaknesses. So still the same mechanic can include stuff impacting players more. Our units are more precious, so yeah easy to trigger helps, anything making the target's life miserable (eg. see above), etc.
We are very, like really very, susceptible to surprise. Even when easy to game, at least the first several times seems challenging just from the adaptation pov. You have variety in factions/ranks/traits going on, which is great.
On the AI in general I'm curious about tricks on the illusion of AI adaptation. Not sure how could go, probably just stupid, but perhaps some variables may vary in time, eg. that repellency of overwatch danger zones, etc. So at the beginning of the battle they fall for traps and are easy to game, lulling us into comfort, but later they gradually change behavior, favoring different approaches, more cautious, looking as if the consequence.
You can also observe and collect info on the player's play. Then use it against him within the battle or across the campaign. This can work as misleading too (not to be used often, of course). For example, a timely placed new bark. So even when the AI doesn't change at all, we would think it did somehow, even random outcomes attributing to that.
I would argue that their use be determined by the selected difficulty level.
Having the rate of selected tactics or even the use itself adjusted by difficulty sounds interesting!
Sigh, more work on balancing, isn't it?
Didn't mean to pull the rug out from under your feet with the enemy overwatch part of your reasoning - this was something I only started to realise last night ![Smiley :)](http://timeslipsoftworks.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
Don't worry, one's strategy does not fall apart by circumstances. In fact, already recuperated forces. Stay tuned!