Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Credit where credit is due. Agent_Smith and Lolomo began this debate on IRC.

If we could equip standard bearers with musical instruments which would be more effective? Bagpipes or Oboes?

I suggest that Bagpipes are more effective in inspiring the morale of troops. The caterwauling resulting from massed bagpipes is either going to scare the crap out of your opponents or make your own troops cover their ears and cower.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Oboes are easier to mass. You can make 4 Oboes for every Bagpipe you can afford.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Longbows... er... i mean bagpipes might require longer periods of training, but have a higher rate of... music.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

You cannot hear oboes on a battlefield.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Whatever it is, the AI will be sure to hire 100s of them.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Well, I don't like where this is going.
But in battle, Bagpipes are much better. There is a Scottish proverb,
12 highlanders and a Bagpipe make a rebellion

Here's my reference Maerlande;
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/bagpipe/

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

Battle gong.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

I thought that drums were the most common choice.
But in all honesty Im biased.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

I'm with LoloMo on this one, oboes are way more effective. Bagpipes might outmatch oboes in a direct comparison when it comes to volume, but not only can you mass-produce oboes easier, the amount of training in breath control and the time it takes to develop enough lung volume to play a bagpipe is just enormous compared to oboes, which any average Joe can use.

Re: Bagpipes vs. Oboes
 

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Oboes beat bagpipes" that's going on in this thread right now. Bagpipes deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine Bagpipe in Scotland for 4000 Pounds (that's about $9,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even inspire armies running in pure terror with my Bagpipe.

Scottish craftsmen spend years working on a single Bagpipe and tune it up to a million times to produce the finest instruments known to mankind.

Bagpipes are thrice as loud as French instruments and thrice as effective for that matter too. Anything an oboe can play, a Bagpipe can play better. I'm pretty sure a Bagpipe could easily outptlay a full orchestra playing full volume with a simple toot.

Ever wonder why medieval mainland Europe never bothered conquering Scotland? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Highlanders and their Bagpipes of inspiration. Even in World War II, German soldiers targeted the men with the Bagpipes first because their inspirational power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Bagpipes are simply the best instrument that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the Dominions 3 game. Here is the stats I propose for Bagpipes:

Standard 40
Player morale 30
Patrol bonus 30

Now that seems a lot more representative of the inspirational power of Bagpipes in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Bagpipes need to be more effective in Dominions 3, see my new stat block.