Hi guys, i have had an idea for a game for quite some time, but i think one aspect of it can get boring fast, so i would like to know your opinion.
The story: (fantasy setting)
The intro relates how the undeads come and conquer most of the country, they are defeated into a big battle but the king dies on it and its heir is betrayed by all of his "loyal" followers. He is saved from certain death on a way, depending of what faction you want to control.
The nobles cant agree on a new ruler due to their greed and so they break down into many provinces ruled by a human factions (knights, church, mages...), but the undead are far from defeated and with the human union shattered the war is at a stalemate.
Gameplay mechanics: (simplified)
The game would put you in charge of one minor faction out of three (humans, undead and goblins), the goal is to conquer the country.
To do so, you are put in control of a capital, where you can recruit units, build different buildings and research.
All your units start as a basic class, and then when they get enougth XP are promoted to higher ones, if you have the related contruccion built at the capital and can affort the upgrade cost (militia->squire->knight \ militia->apprentice->mage). Kind of like "Disciples 2".
The world map would play like "mount and blade", you assemble an army (size depending on your ruler level and units quality) and get to roam freely on real time, killing whatever crosses your ways and running away from stronger foes. The different factions would be at each others throats meanwhile and from time to time agree to throw a holy/dark crusade agaisnt the undeads/humans. Enemy units move in squads that can engage with whatever they consider a menace or run away while patrolling or performing a mission.
When you are strong enought you can start taking provinces from any side until you have conquered everything and win the game.
The combat (PROBLEM HERE), would be played in turns on a hex map, "Battle for wesnoth" being a clear inspiration of what i want it be, BUT maps in battle for wesnoth have an important load of history, while on this game no matter how many unit types, terrain types or whatever i add, by the 100th battle most people would be sick of the grindfest. Possible solutions would be to make it very fast paced and adding an autoresolve.
But since i plan to make your units "inmortal" (they can be resurrected on cities) losing a combat isnt a matter of life and death, its rather a grindy mechanic im inserting, losing will have its penalties of course, you will have to wait until the units you took are healed back and forced to take others (possibly lower level or class) meanwhile, loss of materials....
So, i myself, am conflicted about adding a grindy gameplay mechanic in there, you need the grind to upgrade your units and get a nice rooster troop (heavies, lights, fliers, siege...) ready for each occasion, but it migth be too much grind no matter what i try to lessen it?
Thanks to anyone who wastes his/her time reading this.