Feature suggestion: Army collection helper?

[IBBoard]

Another new idea (I'm thinking around things at the moment to make sure that I don't get into any problems by making the first release not capable of handling stuff we want in later releases without major re-works).

The idea this time is an "army collection helper". Basically, if a race definition is suitably annotated with additional data then the collection helper should be able to tell you how many models you need. In many cases it is easy enough to tell anyway (20 spearmen = 20 models with spears), but some situations are a bit more flexible (mixed units like the Lothern Sea Guard for the High Elves mix bows and spears, so 20 spearmen and 20 Lothern Guard-like troops generally requires 30 models with spears).

The main problem I can see at the moment with the current data files is that we treat a unit as a thing with a stat line. While that is true most of the time, it isn't always the case. The down-side is that I think I'm going to need to break the initial schema before we release v0.1. The up-side is that my planned "sub-units" idea for Apocalypse-like games and other multi-type units (e.g. goblinoids surrounding an ogre) should actually work without it having the odd situation of a pure container unit that has to have a stat line!

[snowblizz]

Another interesting concept.
I'd like to point out though that Lothern Seaguard are not a mixed unit and that 20 LSG requires 20 LGS models (Elfs with bows AND spears), though they can conveniently be made with the current plastic spearman box set.
What you'd need to look at is equipment as well. A 10 man Tactical squad contains 1 sergeant (technically a sub unit with a different profile), 1 special weapons trooper and 1 heavy weapons trooper plus 7 "regular" marines.

[IBBoard]

Maybe that was just my lazy way of approximating it. Either that or I'm getting it mixed up with one of the DE units that had a front rank of crossbowmen and a back rank of spearmen. I agree that we'd have to handle the special weapons (which would require some careful consideration, or approximation based on the equipment slots) but it should be possible to handle things like Space Marine squads as well.

[snowblizz]

Either that or I'm getting it mixed up with one of the DE units that had a front rank of crossbowmen and a back rank of spearmen.

2 editions ago there was such a unit. Dark Elf Cityguard. Most such units are all armed the same way now though.

I agree that we'd have to handle the special weapons (which would require some careful consideration, or approximation based on the equipment slots) but it should be possible to handle things like Space Marine squads as well.

There are three types of situations you need to take into account. At least that I can think of now.
Multiple-statlines representing 1 model. Cavalry, and a character on mount/monster/chariot.
Multiple-statlines representing different models. E.g. the combined Skink-Kroxigor unit.
Mixed equipment units. The aforementioned Space Marines, and pretty much everything else in 40k. Most mass-combat games tend to run units where the equipment is the same luckily. The skirmish games do not.
Of course the really fun one is the "all of the above" version combining all of those.

[IBBoard]

In the case of the mixed-equipment squads then you're looking slightly less at different stat lines (which are more the cavalry or mixed units) and more at the equipment options. The equipment slots should help it be more focused, and getting it perfect for everything may be difficult, but I think that model requirements based on equipment should be able to use the equipment taken rather than the stat line.

[Dreadaxe]

Open R-Community have a inventory (miniatures/proxy/to buy) that make color on unit (green for have, pink for proxy, red for to buy)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/openrcomtools/