Guarding thugs

thejeff · #1 January 24th, 2007, 09:05 AM

Pretty useless, if they won't attack even when enemy comes within reach of the commander they're guarding.

If they wait until the mage is wounded to attack, then he's probably dead already. They may draw some attacks, but if they don't respond that's just a short delay.

They should at least attack when the squad is attacked, or preferably when an enemy gets too close.

Jack_Trowell · #2 January 24th, 2007, 09:13 AM

If an ennemy is in melee range they will attack.

Usually bodyguards can protect your mage from a few ennemies that got through your main force (such as a flanking cavalry set to attack rearmost), but it's true that sometimes they don't do this job very well

thejeff · #3 January 24th, 2007, 09:17 AM

That's what I'd assumed they did, but the original question implied they wouldn't.

PaoloZ · #4 January 24th, 2007, 10:01 AM

Some mages are pretty tough on their own: I'm playing EA Atlantis and there are those nice Basalt Kings.
I have seen the guards react to assault only if the enemy is in melee range. i.e.: if there are 10 guards and only one of them has an enemy in range, it will land some timid blow (apparently they don't attack every round... but I could be wrong) while the other keep standing still, leaving their comrade to their fate.
So you have this group of guards getting killed one after another, just beacuse enemies mass on the first unit they encounter while the guards mass on their commander (but I guess that should be the task of a bodyguard troupe anyway).

Actuarian · #5 January 24th, 2007, 01:45 PM

If you have a decent sized group defending, it will act as a buffer between the enemy troops and the commander. This can be a particularly good if you have a HP weak magic user and/or you are fighting flying troops. Otherwise your magic user can be killed before he casts many (or sometimes any) spells.

I have used the random event generated militia for this defense. Even if their morale breaks they still are a temporary distraction for the enemy, and can make the difference between the mage surviving or dying; this in turn can make the difference between winning or losing a battle.

Assuming you place your spell casters near the back of your troops, I think this tactic should also help against enemy archers shooting at the rear by providing some extra targets.

RonD · #6 January 24th, 2007, 02:42 PM

While expanding with EA Agartha I'd send 1 oracle plus 15-20 Ancient Ones set on guard. Everyone was positioned way in the back, and the mage scripted divine bless, summon earthpower, 3x bladewind.

The Ancient Ones held their ground while the bad guys walked through the teeth of the blade winds. Whatever got through was handled by guards.

alexti · #7 January 25th, 2007, 03:12 AM

Guard commander is a great order to keep your troops out of fights. Often you have few elite troops/SC who can handle the enemy, but to siege enemy you need much larger army (which you certainly don't want to lose). So most of troops can be set to guard some commanders who stay in the back. I think they will also cheer for your real troops while on guard