Fighting Commanders and Equipment.

[Endoperez]

Niefel Giants are good combatants, but so are the lesser ones. Jotun Jarls are all sacred, have better skills and equipment than Jotun soldiers, and aren't much more expensive when you factor the halved upkeep in.

[spirokeat]

Oh aye, I use varying forms of SC when I play. But I can't help but feel that maybe the lower commanders should be able to interact with items against other normal troops with a little bit of survivability. Its not just their base stats I don't think.

Its the way the troops move about, they invariably either never reach the combat as the opponent has routed or they stand out too far and get overwhelmed. I would love to be able to tell my commander (or troops) To allow him to fight in the ranks to allow him his superior attacks on the enemy and be protected on his sides by his own men. As is I am restricted to setting him to attack and his troops to guard him which I'm still trying to figure out if it works.

Im about to try some werewolf commanders with flesh eaters, penadants of luck, lycantropos amulets, shroud of the battle saint and horned helms. See how they work out. Obviously I will be aiming them at normal armies or PD stuff, but it wasnt too hard to kit em out.

Spirokeat

[quantum_mechani]

spirokeat said:
lycantropos amulets

Werewolf commanders already have regeneration, so this is a bit redundant (unless of course this is this reason they are werewolf commanders ).

[Molog]

The regeneration of the amulets stacks with the native regeneration.

There is a chance for the werewolves to be transformed into skinshifters. Rather weird.

[quantum_mechani]

Molog said:
The regeneration of the amulets stacks with the native regeneration.

There is a chance for the werewolves to be transformed into skinshifters. Rather weird.

I thought perhaps he was referring to the skinshifters as werewolves (there are so many units in the game it can take a while to learn the terminology ).

Anyway, the amulets do stack, but if you already have regeneration there are better options for your misc slot (and your gems).

[Oversway]

But I can't help but feel that maybe the lower commanders should be able to interact with items against other normal troops with a little bit of survivability. Its not just their base stats I don't think.

Yeah, I agree. Part of the problem is that groups (much less a commander) don't stay together if they have differing moves. This can be helpful sometimes (elephants, etc.) but other times its a problem. It can be difficult to use units and commanders with the Standard ability (the one that helps morale) because of this.

The other half would be you usually have a lot more normal units than commanders, and they get overwhelmed, even with some ok equipment.

[Edi]

The Van and Tuatha commanders can get pretty impressive with the right equipment, and any mounted commmander can make for a decent thug as long as you're fighting regular units. Slapping both fear and awe on them (horror helmet and gold shield) really ruins the average grunt's day, especially if the unit also has luck.

Most infantry commanders however are not good for combat, they die too easily. I like putting lightning bow, black bow or longbow of accuracy on them.

Edi

[sushiboat]

You get what you pay for. Basic commanders are cheap and frail, so they aren't good candidates for expensive equipment or hand-to-hand combat.

A non-mage commander can be good for holding a spell-casting item. He can't cast any other spells, so if you set him to Cast Spells, you can be 100% sure of what he will cast. Item spells cause only 5 fatigue, so he will be fully active for the first 20 turns.

I am not sure I understand the problem. Any particular unit can't do everything well. There are commanders who can fight well (e.g., Bane Lord, summoned uniques). Basic commanders can't. So it goes.