Combat system - time management

[SlowThinker]

Current system
In the current system, duration of a turn is quite long, and sides are frozen for a long period (well, except reaction fire). This causes the defending side gets an advantage: it may surprise the attacker (the side that advances) when it depleted its movement and when it is frozen. An example: the attacking soldier ends his turn 15 "distance" from a corner (or from any area the enemy may be hidden). An allien with a kerrblade is hidden there. The allien approaches during his turn. The soldier has no points for RF or his weapon is not effective enough to kill the allien, and so he waits hopeless for his death.
In real situation he would simply escape, or he would cry so that other comrade-in-arms (who may have his back turned on him) reacts and fire.

I would like a combat system that allows stronger and more natural defense against a surprise attack.

Shorter duration of a turn
This may be done if turns are shorter (you get a control more frequently): imagine about 5 TU per turn in place of 30 (I know I should differentiate between "seconds" (time is common for all soldiers) and "time units" (they differ depending on a soldiers), but for simplicity I suppose all soldiers have equal TU per turn).
It is true 5 TU is not enough to fire within a turn for most soldiers/weapons. But actions could pour from one turn into another, so a shot could be performed in more turns.
An example: a soldier has 5 TU per turn, 12 TU is needed for a shot, and the soldier has only 3 TU left and wants to fire. So you order a shot against a target in turn 1, and it is accomplished in turn 3 (3+5+4 TU are used in turns 1, 2, 3). (The target may move out of sight/range, and in this case the shot is stopped.)

Continous Time
The game could also use continuous time, or turns long 1 TU/second only.
Of course a player doesn't want to regain control each TU/second again and again. But he could "plan" his soldiers: in the current system you order only one action for a soldier, but you could order a chain of actions (for example go here, look right, continue here, look left, crouch ...). After you order chains for all soldiers, you click "go" button and time will start to flow. Time will stop once you get a new piece of information (for example new allien is spotted), and you can change your orders.

[BTAxis]

Shorter duration of a turn
This may be done if turns are shorter (you get a control more frequently): imagine about 5 TU per turn in place of 30 (I know I should differentiate between "seconds" (time is common for all soldiers) and "time units" (they differ depending on a soldiers), but for simplicity I suppose all soldiers have equal TU per turn).
It is true 5 TU is not enough to fire within a turn for most soldiers/weapons. But actions could pour from one turn into another, so a shot could be performed in more turns.
An example: a soldier has 5 TU per turn, 12 TU is needed for a shot, and the soldier has only 3 TU left and wants to fire. So you order a shot against a target in turn 1, and it is accomplished in turn 3 (3+5+4 TU are used in turns 1, 2, 3). (The target may move out of sight/range, and in this case the shot is stopped.)

I suppose this is technically possible. It reminds me a lot of the system used in Titans of Steel. Unfortunately, this would be completely impractical in multiplayer.

Continous Time
The game could also use continuous time, or turns long 1 TU/second only.
Of course a player doesn't want to regain control each TU/second again and again. But he could "plan" his soldiers: in the current system you order only one action for a soldier, but you could order a chain of actions (for example go here, look right, continue here, look left, crouch ...). After you order chains for all soldiers, you click "go" button and time will start to flow. Time will stop once you get a new piece of information (for example new allien is spotted), and you can change your orders.

This is quite simply not possible with the current client/server model.

[SlowThinker]

I suppose this is technically possible. It reminds me a lot of the system used in Titans of Steel. Unfortunately, this would be completely impractical in multiplayer.

Why?

[BTAxis]

Because everyone would have to constantly hit the end turn button, and there would aways be a delay somewhere. It's bad enough as it is with the current system.

[SlowThinker]

I never played a MP game, but I think I can imagine the process: a player sets his orders, the opponent sees them (if visible), the end-turn-button is clicked and roles are reversed.

I am not sure which kind of a delay you mean. Do you mean a player must wait until his opponent decides what to do?

a) It is true with easy squad transfer(no opponent nearby, easy terrain) shorter turn brings nothing, and a player has to click the end-turn-button 6 times much frequently. But I hope the player wouldn't have to reset his orders each turn (* see a note later). (also an option "auto" could be implemented for the end-turn-button (if all soldiers have still something to do))
b) During a contact with enemy players would have a lot of interesting work even within a short turn.


* a note (related to a)
I suppose the game system could remember orders that pour from one turn to another (a shot that surpases 5 TU, a longer move ...), so that players don't have to reset them each turn.
But the situation is similar to the continuous turn and it looks this problem would arise:

This is quite simply not possible with the current client/server model.

(I suppose the server is the part that simulates the world and client is the part that arranges squad control?)
I don't know how it is done, but... I can't imagine why the game system couldn't remember more actions (or a "longer" action) and perform them next turns.
Planning:
My idea was that "planning" would run in a special mode, where a player would move (=plan) his units, but all non-visible items would stay hidden (they would be removed from then map). After all units would be planned, the game could go through several turns in real mode, and without player's interaction.

[BTAxis]

Well, if you think you can do it, feel free to make a patch.

[SlowThinker]

At this point I prefer to talk.

BTW how is the game developped? You don't talk about the game system, everybody codes his own engine separately ...