Just some thoughts from a Noob

llamabeast · #1 March 14th, 2007, 10:44 AM

Well like I say, if you advertise it on the MP forum you're much much more likely to get players.

The little monkeys are a bit rubbish. I started an MP with the cunning plan of massing so many markatas that I'd overwhelm all opposition. It backfired hideously unfortunately, and I was annihilated with a peak empire size of two provinces. I still think it could work if done correctly though. If those markatas were given Strength of Giants, I reckon they'd chew through anything.

Oh, Gandalf if you read this - how does it work with non-demo people playing the demo game? Can they play races other than the 5 in the demo? Can they research higher? And do they have to be using version 3.0? Just out of interest.

Gandalf Parker · #2 March 14th, 2007, 12:55 PM

No they end up with the same limits. Its built into the client on their side. The host side does affect some things so it can make a difference if the game is run by a demo version or a full version (the demo game on my server is being run by a demo version)

There might be a problem with "not high enough version" though. To be truthful I havent tested the demo/full crossover with each patch.

jimkehn · #3 March 15th, 2007, 12:10 PM

The Markatas are a mystery to me. It seems some unit types they are afraid of and will run after taking a few losses and some they will stand and fight forever (almost). In both of these scenarios the squad numbers were comparable, so I am aware of the Morale consequences of small squad numbers. In neither case were there any magicians casting Sermon of Courage. What I didn't pay attention to was Dominion. I am not sure if they were in enemy dominion when they left. Also....Doesa province with say...6 white candles have a stronger effect on morale than a province with one white candle?

The Guhyana and Yavana won't attach to Monkey Leaders. Is this because they are "Sacred" or because they are "Magical" beings. And does this hold for human leaders as well?

jimkehn · #4 March 15th, 2007, 12:21 PM

Also....Abyssa just entered my home province. My armies weren't there for the initial battle....just the PDs. However, they ARE there in the besieged castle. Is this how they are supposed to act? If they woulda stayed and fought on the battlefield I would have dispatched the enemy army with ease...I think.

Now then....I DID move them into the province the same turn, so maybe they are assumed to have moved in after the field battle occured and found their way into the castle thru secret passages?

FaceLess · #5 March 15th, 2007, 12:37 PM

By default, movement to your own province with a castle will always result in having the troops inside the castle. You can change the move order to move and patrol to have the troops directly help in defending the province. Note that the option "move and patrol" only becomes available after you first give the move order and only if the target province contains a castle you own.
In provinces with a castle, only commanders (and the troops they lead) with the patrol order will defend the province(together with pd). Thus troops on defend, preach, research, forging, casting, etc will never help to defend the province.

jimkehn · #6 March 15th, 2007, 12:53 PM

OK....the game gets deeper and deeper.

SelfishGene · #7 March 15th, 2007, 02:19 PM

Those early Divata summons, the blue dancing girls, come with the morale flag, so you can use them mixed with Markatas to really raise their morale.

The fun little secret of Kailasa is the normal Bandar Warrior; while they seem much weaker then their armored counterpart, they can throw 15 (or 13?) damage Sticks and Stones, with 2 attacks, nearly at the range of a sling. And they'll never run out of ammo.

Gandalf Parker · #8 March 15th, 2007, 12:53 PM

Dominion does affect morale and Markata cant really afford morale hits. To avoid routing so much you might try breaing units into smaller groups. If you have a commander with one big square of units, then break them into 5 units. It seems to help

Loren · #9 March 15th, 2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

jimkehn said:
Also....Abyssa just entered my home province. My armies weren't there for the initial battle....just the PDs. However, they ARE there in the besieged castle. Is this how they are supposed to act? If they woulda stayed and fought on the battlefield I would have dispatched the enemy army with ease...I think.

Now then....I DID move them into the province the same turn, so maybe they are assumed to have moved in after the field battle occured and found their way into the castle thru secret passages?

Unfortunately, this is how the game was designed. If there's a castle your choices are "Defend castle" and "patrol". There's no "defend province". A big oversight as far as I'm concerned.

Nick_K · #10 March 15th, 2007, 05:35 PM

Once you've given the move order to a province with a castle, select the orders menu again and you'll see a new one: "Move and Patrol". Selecting it makes the unit move to that province and immediately be tasked with 'patrol' orders. This means that they will fight attackers with the PD on the same turn that they arrive.

I'm not sure a 'defend province' command is that big a deal... patrol basically does this and I can't see many situations where the other effects of patrolling (reduces unrest, detects stealthy troops) are actually disadvantages