Pedal faster men!

[gridlore]

Found an amusing bug, or oversight, in Civ IV yesterday.

Building units is dependent on having the correct technology and resources. For example, to build Swordsmen you need to both know Iron Working and have built a mine on a source of iron (or have traded for iron, but you get my point.) Late in a game yesterday, I had reached the point where I could build tanks, but lacked access to any oil. I was making a run at either a Space Race or Cultural victory, so I was still researching technologies as fast as possible. When you master Robotics you can build Mechanized Infantry (or convert older infantry units to the new standard.)

It was at this point in the game that the Mongolians attacked me over my refusal to pay tribute. I converted whole stacks of my infantry to mechanized troops, and sent them off to merrily conquer his cities. That's when I realized the oversight. I still couldn't build tanks because i still lacked oil, so what where my mechanized troops using to power their little yellow IFVs?

Obviously, each vehicle came with stationary bicycle stations attached to the drive train.

Double time... pedal!

Comments

[seawasp]

Silly boy, obviously they're using solar power!

[capplor.livejournal.com]

There are other sources for oil if you need it for lubrication. People used to put lard in machinery, for one example. & nut oils have a high smoking point which make them good for other mechanical uses. (& both Lard & nut oil make a great diesel fuel, should you need one.)

So things may be poorly thought out, but not yet too improbable.

[kengr]

Thing is "mechanized infantry" needs *fuel*. And in amounts only a bit less than what tanks need. :-)

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Ahem => (& both Lard & nut oil make a great diesel fuel, should you need one.) <=

Have you never heard of "bio-diesel"?

[seawasp]

You need ENERGY, not FUEL! Your civilization has obviously found the True Green Route to Technology and skipped over the Terrible Burning Fossil Fuels development stage.

Thus we now need to invade your world and steal their oil.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

You can have it. My Russians left in 2048 for another solar system.

[seawasp]

We'll need THAT solar system too.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

I am reminded of the blitzkreig. A narrow front of tanks backed up by a precious handful of trucks and trailers with enormous amounts of rear-area logistics handled by railcars (some with locomotives, some without) and bicycles.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

You'll have to pry it from my pedal-powered mechanized infantry! And that one Cossack who managed to live through everything and was just about the most experienced combat unit ever!

[seawasp]

Hmmm... Come to think of it, the original Daleks WERE pedal powered (cut-down tricycles under the pepper-pot exterior)!

[kengr]

Yeah. I've heard of it. Like Ethanol fuel, it's a dead end. Diverting *food* resources to *fuel* is an inherently bad idea as long as you have the sort of fuel usage we have. Though making biodiesel from "used" food type oils and fats makes somewhat more sense.

The point being that the amounts needed for mechanized infantry or for tanks are *not* going to come from food sources.

[kengr]

Liquid hydrocarbons are one of the best known means of *portable* energy storage. Batteries that come close are way more expensive and use more resources. :-)

[capplor.livejournal.com]

He's going against the Mongols. They're probably on horses. How many & at what power does he need?

[capplor.livejournal.com]

BTW; Doug, why are you not at work today?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Posted this before I left for work. I get up, get dressed, put my teeth in then spend about twenty minutes drinking a Coke and checking my net stuff while my teeth set in place.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

At that point the Mongols were using riflemen (mid-19th Century infantry) and organized cavalry and cannon.