Battle scripts

[CharonJr]

Originally posted by Amiller:
Thanks for the inital responses. A follow up question to better clairfy my weakness. Can some of you experts give me some examples of what five commands you give to your spell casters in battle. I have seen clues in the various forums for specific strategies against Ermor. I havn't really gotten the hand of what orders to give say an astrial mage and the like.

Again thanks for the help.

I my R'lyeh AAR all my 4S astral mage are set to cast "Quickness" (needs 1 water skill which all of my squiddies do posses) in order to enable them to cast 2 spells each turn, followed by "4x Enslave Mind" to make the enemies fight among themself (well, vs my mind slaves actually ) followed up by "Cast Spells".

This is neting me some decent units sometimes while slowing the enemies advance to give my mages/mindbLasting squids (ranged troops in general) more time to do some harm before the enemy (or at least all of them) get into close combat range.

Often they will route before being able to engage any of my troops.

3S astral mages could use 4x Soul Slay instead of the Enslaves.

Just 2 examples, depending on your mages/researched paths there a TONS of possible strategies.

One more - Fighters who are able to cast spells:

I got me a nice Cyclops form a Tartarian Gate in my AAR and Gift of Reasoned him (turning him into a commander). Due to his 200+ HPs and decent skills he can be easily turned into a SC (super combatant) by giving him some items. But even without items due his his 4E magic skill he would be a very good fighter. He is scripted to cast "Invulnerability" (raises protection to 30) and "Summon Earth Power" (+1E, and more importantly reduces fatigue by 4 each turn IIRC) followed by the order to "attack closest".

CharonJr

[Endoperez]

Why not Summon Earthpower, Invulnerability? He would get less fatique from casting Invulnerability, and would be suspectible for only one round. In that time, no troops would have time to attack him unless they could fly, and if they could they would attack on the first turn. Same with Crossbows, they shoot their bolts the first round, the second they are loading those things.

[CharonJr]

Originally posted by Endoperez:
Why not Summon Earthpower, Invulnerability? He would get less fatique from casting Invulnerability, and would be suspectible for only one round. In that time, no troops would have time to attack him unless they could fly, and if they could they would attack on the first turn. Same with Crossbows, they shoot their bolts the first round, the second they are loading those things.

Mainly you are right, but since I AM afraid of flyers (well underwater flyers to be more precise) and mostly of amassed Ulmish crossbows attacking him I prefered to do it this way.

Hmm, I actually never looked for it this hard, but the defenders first spell IS cast before attacks from ranged attackers, right ?

CharonJr

[Arryn]

Originally posted by CharonJr:
Hmm, I actually never looked for it this hard, but the defenders first spell IS cast before attacks from ranged attackers, right?

Yes.

[Endoperez]

Oh, I didn't notice that you were defending... Then Invulnerability is better cast first. I thought that you were attacking. You know, I haven't much thought using SCs for defending.

[Mardagg]

Another example:
Since the new order(Hold and fire),one can make very good use of the Dragon Breath attack now AND of melee.

I am currently testing out Caelum for the first time and have chosen a Water Dragon to get a heavy hitter early on.
On turn 2 I am already able to attack most independent provinces(Strength 7),as long as my dominion in my home province raised proberly to give the dragon good HP.

I attack with around 25 Archers and the dragon.
Dragon is placed quite a bit ahead of the archers,who are placed exactly in the middle.
Archers:"Fire Closest",no real worry,that they harm my dragon,because of good protection.
Dragon:"Hold&Fire,Hold&Fire,Hold&Fire,Attack closest".

Due to the high precision Archer Fire and the mighty Breath Attack most independents are already routed before reaching the dragon.
Now,if there are archers(especially crossbowmen),the Dragon flies to them after the third round and does melee.
Before the patch,it wasnt possible to make good use of both breath and melee.
If you set the dragon to fire closest(the only order,where he would use Breath Attack),he would move on his claws to reach the archers and thus getting a lot more bowfire + if he had ammunition left would fire at the archers(maybe missing).

[CharonJr]

Originally posted by Endoperez:
Oh, I didn't notice that you were defending... Then Invulnerability is better cast first. I thought that you were attacking. You know, I haven't much thought using SCs for defending.

Nah, actually I DO attack, but since this happens fairly often vs. indie provinces which might be attacked on the same turn by AI troops, I often end up as both the attacker and the defender

CharonJr