Pls explain how early summoning spells are useful

[danm]

Fire Drakes would be great if they were just willing to let someone else do the melee fighting for them. (same problem as Giant and Agarthan Rock Throwers)

As Abyssia, a nice mass of fire drakes is wonderful right up to the point where it charges into melee and gets cut to ribbons. Would be totally worthwhile if you could script them to stay behind another group of troops and snipe.

[Shovah32]

How about just setting them to fire closest with a fire resistant unit infront set to attack closest?

[danm]

Shovah32 said:
How about just setting them to fire closest with a fire resistant unit infront set to attack closest?

My experience with that(EA Abyssia and Agartha) is that they gleefully outrun their supposed blockers in their excitement to get into firing range -- usually ending up just far enough ahead to be finished off just before their "protectors" catch up.

I'm sure there's a way to tweak starting positions/etc to get it to work, but it seems trickier than it should be. And any mistake means they are toast.

An AI tweak to force short-ranged artillery set to "fire closest" to try to stay [range] squares behind the "front" would potentially "fix" a lot of units that are only marginally useful now.

Failing that -- adding a "hold and fire ___" command would probably accomplish the same thing with less dev effort -- give the lines a chance to form, and then step in and throw your fireballs/boulders/etc.

[Shovah32]

Just place the drakes a little further back or the blockers a little further forward(and with fire resistant blockers make sure they are attacking rather than holding and attacking)

[danm]

yeah, I've probably been too excited about making sure they don't "loose rounds" getting to the fight.

Next time I play Abyssia, I'll try starting them even further back and see how that works for improving longevity

[Teraswaerto]

If you have enough melee troops in front the drakes will never get a chance to engage the enemy even if they are close to the front line.

[Shovah32]

True, a wide line of melee troops should prevent the drakes passing them.