Any chance of improving tactical engine?

[Shovah32]

If you would prefer your troops not to advance at all, consider setting some on guard commander with the commander scripted to holdx5(or fire x, if he has a weapon with a good range) and then stay behind/fire. Make sure he has good armour/shield/air shield/appropriate resistances depending on what you're going to fight.

And the chances of the engine getting updated are low. There are alot of things you can't do in it, and that can get annoying at the start, but you really do get used to it.

[ArkhanTheBlack]

Hmm, isn't there a post of leaked patch 3.16 info that they want to replace the current combat system? If it isn't a joke then that's definitely a huge change.

[moderation]

Ehh, I'm not sure if real time combat would reduce the need to micromanage units on the battlefield, but it would be... different.

[capnq]

ArkhanTheBlack said:
Hmm, isn't there a post of leaked patch 3.16 info that they want to replace the current combat system? If it isn't a joke then that's definitely a huge change.

The replies to that thread expose the "leak" as a poorly written hoax.

[vfb]

Shovah32 said:
If you would prefer your troops not to advance at all, consider setting some on guard commander with the commander scripted to holdx5(or fire x, if he has a weapon with a good range) and then stay behind/fire. Make sure he has good armour/shield/air shield/appropriate resistances depending on what you're going to fight.

Guard Commander is great! It's perfect for your light infantry with javelins. They will throw them when they have the opportunity. You can have your commanders behind a line of heavy infantry and set on Hold/Attack/Hold/Attack/Hold/Attack or something similar.

You can also use Guard Commander to move your troops backwards and sideways, to pull enemy arrow fire where you want it (if the enemy is using Fire Closest), or even to get enemy flankers pulled into the middle of your army.

The one thing you need to be careful of is that commanders move first. So using this on flankers or frontline troops is dangerous because your commander will charge out ahead of the troops and will most likely get whacked first when the enemy moves.

[moderation]

"You can also use Guard Commander to move your troops backwards and sideways, to pull enemy arrow fire where you want it (if the enemy is using Fire Closest), or even to get enemy flankers pulled into the middle of your army."

Hey, thanks for the idea, this seems really useful. I can see how the Hold/Attack pattern would be good for keeping a rein on your overeager troops.

However can you explain how to get your commander to move backwards and sideways using this technique? I would think retreat might work for moving backwards, but I am guessing that this would pull the troops off the field with you.

[vfb]

The commander normally does not move backwards or sideways Well, he can move sideways and forwards together. He can also move backwards or sideways when chasing enemies, but it's difficult to base any real plan on that kind of movement.

You place your troops in one spot, and tell them to Guard Commander. They will march to whatever the location of the commander is.

So troops at the top of the formation will march down to the bottom if that's where the commander is.

Troops at the front will move to the back, if that's where the commander is.

If you place the commander at the very back and Hold x 1-5, attack rear, then your Guard Commander units will chase from wherever they are to the commander and join him in his charge forwards.

If you place the commander at the very back and Hold x 1-5, Stay Behind Troops, then your Guard Commander units will chase from wherever they are to the commander and join him as he moves forward to behind your main army group.

Here's an example:

RR are squads on attack rear, GG is smaller infantry on Guard Commander, C is a few commanders on Hold x 5, Attack Closest; or Hold x 5, Stay Behind.

Code:

---

........RR................

..........................

..........................

.........GG.......II..AA..

.........GG.......II..AA..

..........................

..........................

C.......RR................

---

Enemy infantry II will chase your GG, allowing RR to attack enemy archers AA. The archers AA locks fire on GG, possibly even advancing without firing as GG moves out of range. GG turns around and engages II at the same time RR reaches the Archers.

And this is not even theoretical, I really have used this in MP games, and it worked. Some of the time .

Admittedly, it's also early game tactics. As AdmiralZhao notes, pretty soon the right Battle magic is much more important.

[Endoperez]

Wow, that's REALLY clever. I've never used it like that.

[vfb]

Thanks . But if you do it too often in MP, it's easy to counter by placing more infantry on the wings, with Attack Cavalry orders, and/or by telling the archers to Fire Cavalry or Fire Monsters.

Still, Guard Commander can pretty much give your troops the movement flexibility of commanders. And pulling archer decoy targets to the rear will always work against indies. Just don't pull them into your mages!