Turtle machines need a method for long distance transportation

[phoenixffyrnig]

Now that turtle machines do not go into wagons (which I agree with) they have become almost impossible to use effectively because there is no way of speeding up land transportation.

Yes, OK, they go into naval transports, but what about other situations? Almost necessarily they are recruited way behind lines (who would start an 8 turn production on a front line factory in danger of destruction at any time?), and then have to make their ponderous way up to the front lines 2 squares at a time.

Could we have a packed version of these that would either increase speed or go into a wagon? (or any other solution please).

[b2198]

I second this, since all other siege weaponry except for hwachas and cannons (which both can be carried by wagons) have a dismounted version, it feels weird having turtle machines costing that much just to spend double that time moving its way to the frontlines, but maybe 4 speed dismounted would be too strong? I think 3 speed would already improve it a lot.

[phoenixffyrnig]

Tbh b, I'd say more than 3. Or.... give a massive speed boost to these units on roads. ie, you really have to invest in infrastructure to gain their benefits.

[b2198]

If the speed modifiers for their dismounted modes are set like the battering ram's ones, it'll go from 3 movespeed to 5.1(170%) on normal roads, and 5.70(190%) on stone roads, which would make them as fast as a knight given that you built roads for them and they are unpacked, which seems balanced to me.

If they instead get from 4 to 6.8(170%) and 7.6(190%) like the dismounted battering rams, dismounted catapults, dismounted siege towers and dismounted trebuchets do, I feel like giving them that much speed would be unhealthy, as they would most likely be mass spammed later on in the game, due to the how quick it would be to cross the entire map with them on roads.

Also they are about as tanky as a fully upgraded ram (20 -> 10 piercing armor doesn't make any difference in most cases, except against something like a ballista tower), but have WAY more damage to most things (except fortified buildings, against which they have slightly less damage, and mega buildings, against which the damage is almost equal) plus 5 range and 2 actions, so I really think they should not be as fast as them, even when dismounted.

[Endru1241]

It is possible to give them speed boost ability like elephants to avoid the need to create packed image (I can't really imagine how could such machine be packed), but there is no real need.
Turtle machine with buffed aura is a monster on defence, so their slow advancement to front lines have at least some reason.

[phoenixffyrnig]

True enough, it would take several weeks to disassemble and reassemble that bugger!

[L4cus]

for fast transportation i think cannal with trasport ships +astronomy +navigation should be effective enough, and yes the purpose of the unit is deffensive role, so just like shielder, its ok to be slow...