Just to put you in context, I am looking for a technology level around 1960-1970, so motorised infantry is not the norm yet, but APC (Armored Personel Carrier) does exists. I have multiple options available, my objective is more about making interesting gameplay than historically accurate combat.
The core mechanic of my game is that you can only move 3 units per turn. That gives player a hard choice on which unit they should move, and long term positionning becomes much more important. The objective is to create a chess like feeling, where moving a unit could have 2 purpose (Threaten/attack and defend and area).
The problem with infantry is that it moves very slowly compared to other vehicles (at least half the speed). And since you only have 3 movements per turn, there will be little reason to move infantry unless that is the only thing you have left. So I am trying to see how I could fix this.
Method A: Remove infantry
Well, if the technology level was 20 years later, maybe yes, but that is currently not the case. Else, I like the idea of having 2 type of target for weapons (vehicle and infantry). This way a tank might be very efficient against vehicle, but that that good vs infantry as it needs to use it's machine gun.
Method B: Remove APC
APC can move as fast as vehicle and capture locations but with 2 actions (move or capture), while infantry move slower but only need 1 action ( move and capture). But still, infantry is too slow to make it a real benefit. So a solution could be to remove APC, so that infantry is the only way to capture location.
But I could still get the syndrome where all vehicle fight first, and when the battle field is almost empty the infantry start moving. Think of it like a chess game, where the pawns started behind the other pieces.
Method C: Free infantry movement
Under this method, every turn, all infantry units can move for free unless they try to attack or capture a location. Now the idea behind this mechanism is that it creates a kind of clock. At some point in the game the infantry will reach it's destination, and the vehicles are there to support the infantry. It will also avoid early all out attack if the infantry is not in range to do something. Players are more likely to follow their troops. Since free movements are on a phase of their own, it will not be very complicated to keep track of movement. I could also remove APC they are still too much advantageous.
What are your thoughts, do you prefer a method over another? Do you have other solutions?
Making infantry more defensive is a solution, but sometimes you'll want to defend other places than your starting position. So you need to be able to move further away. You can also get the all out attack syndrome with only infantry left.
Transportation is a solution, using truck or helicopter. Due to the little number of action, I thought of removing any transportation vehicle. But if an infantry movement could be combined with transport movement or transports are abstracted (they are not on the map).
For example, if an infantry is nearby an airport, it could jump a large distance (using hellicopter, planes, etc). Or an infantry could jump from a city to another within a certain distance if they are under their control (they use truck).
That could incite the control of cities because it clears you a path to send infantry.
That could be an interesting option.