On this topic, would it be possible to divorce Probe Morale from the MORALE SE, and instead tie it into the PROBE SE entirely?
I hit this problem when working on my faction set. It's hard to have a faction with weak Morale specialize in sapping, because that Morale weakens their Probe teams just as much as their infantry and other offensive units.
Wait, MORALE affects probe teams?As I understand it, that's how it works. I haven't played the game in several months though, so anyone with more information, feel free to correct me.
So then yes, I think when I do the creche effect on morale I'll also have an option to make probe teams use the same mechanic as everything else, but replacing the MORALE with a simple +1 per PROBE (or -1 per negative PROBE), and covert ops center instead of command center/naval yard/aerospace complex. (Unless Dio gets to it first.)
Nexii, to mod out the morale boost from techs, just look at the techs section in alphax. There's a list of flags for techs, and one of them is for that morale boost.
Wait, MORALE affects probe teams?
So then yes, I think when I do the creche effect on morale I'll also have an option to make probe teams use the same mechanic as everything else, but replacing the MORALE with a simple +1 per PROBE (or -1 per negative PROBE), and covert ops center instead of command center/naval yard/aerospace complex. (Unless Dio gets to it first.)
Nexii, to mod out the morale boost from techs, just look at the techs section in alphax. There's a list of flags for techs, and one of them is for that morale boost.
Here is the question though: does having -2 MORALE or lower halve the Morale Modifier during Probe combat, or at any other point during the course of the Probe's activity?
Of course I should add, putting negative probe morale on probe se should probably be an alphax.txt variable somewhere. Also thanks Yitzi. It was a bit extreme that so many techs boosted PROBE morale.
So we have just Covert Ops Center as a probe enhancing facility (+2), and PROBE SE (up to +3) - aside from techs?
Actually I kind of feel that with +probe team morale taken off all techs, and -1/-2 applied to negative PROBE, Disciplined by default might be about right.
Though it would mean Elite would only be obtainable at Covert Ops. (+4 would be needed for Elite, so +2 PROBE and +2 from facility). Green might be a more sensible default since other troops start there.
So in that case, perhaps -1 morale for -1/-2 probe, and maybe give a probe morale for 1 tech only. Something earlier than Covert Ops center, perhaps Polymorphic Software. Or move Covert ops earlier and put the free morale from probe later in the game...1 or 2 techs instead of 5. Would help a bit to make PROBE a more useful SE, right now it's by far the least important in the game
I think the techs just give more success rate or some other benefit - not morale levels. Tried with just Polymorphic flagged and it wasn't giving any morale levels.I don't see why it shouldn't. Bioenhancement would be able to make better spies just the same as it does better soldiers and pilots.
Seems that bioenhancement and covert ops both apply (+2 levels each). Should it? Hard to say really. The helpx.txt says 2 to military units, but probes aren't military. It also gives +1 to native life.
I think the techs just give more success rate or some other benefit - not morale levels. Tried with just Polymorphic flagged and it wasn't giving any morale levels.
Disregard the above, it is indeed +1 MORALE level for probe teams for each tech flagged
I think Probes should probably start at Green to be consistent with MORALE SE. This would mean +5 MORALE to start as Elite. So given that Bioenhance and Covert are +2 each, with Polymorphic at +1 this would mean +5 for Elite without having to run Fund/TC (defaulted). Gives quite few options in addition to both facilities - one of the two SEs, plus Bio or Covert Ops also works.
I actually think Data Angels would get better. Their free Covert ops isn't until they get the tech. Also with +2 PROBE by default they get +2 morale levels without having to take Fund/TC. So pretty much at that point they have Elite probes for free.
Until this can be modded I think I will opt to not have Polymorphic give +1.
@Yitzi, is this project worth the time and effort to implement properly?
It appears as though the calculations for probe team action survival and success percentages at the lowest use a green morale. This simply adds to the growing mound of evidence that probe teams starting at Disciplined was not originally intended.