this is one way (which i think is best, but that's not exactly the same as th ebest way):

you could make an abstract base class for units (let's say CUnit), which has data members for things that every unit has (i.e. health, speed, whatever), and all the member functions that will be necessary to make the units do what they must do (i.e. goToPosition(), attack(), etc). make the member functions virtual.

then, you derive unit types from that base class, and override the virtual functions. for example, the infantry attack() function might shoot a machine gun at a target, the grenadeer (sp?) unit throws grenades; all this goes in the overridden virtual functions.

then, you create your units when you need them and add them to your list/array/whatever where you store all the units with pointers to the base class; because the member functions are virtual, the computer decides which to use when you call the function from the base pointer:

// psuedocodeCUnit* UnitArray[NumUnits];for(loop through all units, using int t as the index)  {  CUnitPointer[t]->attack(); // have all units attack                             //   in their own special way  // if this pointer points to an   //   infantry, the computer calls the infantry attack() method.  // if this pointer points to a grenadeer (sp?),   //    it calls the grenadeer attack().  // etc...  };  

or something to that effect. sorry if that doesn't make sense, i am quite overtired at the moment. read up on virtual functions in classes and inheritance.

HTH

[edited by - krez on December 26, 2002 8:55:50 PM]