Dont think they're adding Naval but it would be beyond sweet with this upgraded graphical engine would be a sin to never add it. I would expect it in DLC at some point.
Ambush scenes would be great -the game sorely needs that sort of strategy encounter.
Thanks for the reply!
Yes wouldnt it be amazing with ships? They already have the ports on the campaign map.
What they need to add is income from the port and trade routes.
For the ships, it would just be one tree with 3 different ship types, first one would be a trade ship ( would work like a caravan ) , second one transport ship and third one could be a"war" ship that you buy empty and with a fixed amount of room ( so you can mix the troops you want in it apart from the rowers).
They could adapt it by culture like Sturgia would have some kind of viking style vessel which is manoeuverable and fast for their size, Empire could have some scorpion/ballista or corvus mounted, Aserai could have a ramming vessels type with archer towers etc .
Naval would not be large scale, just to allow more diversity because the player who would be able to afford an expensive boat could work as mercenary blocking ports, raiding villages of the enemy on the other side of the coast by disembarking warriors and attacking shipping and defending your own from pirates (sea raiders) and enemy ships.
The maps would be quite simple cause it would be 95% sea... then the ship boarding mechanics can work like siege towers when they attach to walls.
I would really love to see this eventually, I cannot wait as it would really make this game more interesting.
For ambushes i was thinking a system where you can place your army in ambush mode in a suitable location like a forest for instance. Then if the enemy runs into your area of control, it would initiate a battle where you can place your troops on the battlefield before the battle and the enemy starts with his troops in marching mode in the middle of the map and with a slight morale penalty ( similar to total war basically).
I think it would not be hard to implement because we have a skill already that ( when it will work ) lets you place your troops before the battle.
Also as it is now, since armies are never surprised or ambushed and there are no real choke points on the map that provide an advantage to the defender both in terms of the battlemap and autocalculation , it means that generally speaking between AI factions, the faction with the most men always win... but with ambushes and chokepoints like mountain passes, large bridge battle, narrow river crossings among others, it would allow the underdog to put up more of a fight by using the geography and autocalculation of battles that takes the terrain into account.