Are you putting you leader in front line ?

[liga]

One topic, two question:

1) are you used to put your leader in front line ?

Usaully leader are better fighter than other unit but loosing them mean loosong also all the units they command, so I'm used to give them the 'stay behind troops' order

2) How does it work if I give a leader the order to 'attack the closest' and the unit he commands the order to 'guard the commander' ? dose it means that the leader try to get fighting but his troops prevent him protecting and attacking ?

thk
Liga

[General Tacticus]

1) AT the very start, I often put my (infantry) leaders in the front lines (if they are good enough to have a reasonable chance of surviving) and try to get them into the hall of fame.

After the first 10 turns however, I put them on stay behind or hold, no sense in losing the battle because your leaders got unlucky. If I can, I give them a bow, and let them shoot from the back lines...

By the way :
-As long as there is one leader on the field, your troops will keep fighting, even those that were not under that leader to start with.
-If your leader dies but his troops survive the fight, they don't die, and you can reassign them to another leader.
-Exception : you better not lose your mercenaries leaders, or you do lose the troops they came with.

2)It works rather well, provided the troops have the same speed as the commander. He will go fight, they will try to stay around him and protect him, which means attacking the enemies that he closes with. Sometimes they even prevent him from actually fighting by getting in his way, sometimes not, but in any case your troops are following his lead and attacking what he attacks.

[Wauthan]

General Tacticus is a bit more daring than meself. I try not to risk my commanders lifes or atleast freedom of afflictions as long as I have a choice. If you really want to get the most out of your nonspellcaster commanders then put some research into construction and get them a nice spellcasting item or missileweapon.

[Gandalf Parker]

Learn this early, there is no best. There is only pros and cons.

Having commanders at the back is good because you arent in such danger of routing.

But then some of them dont do much so I give them things like dragon helms or summoning items.

If you have sacred troops then a priest should start near them (for bless spell)

Having cheap commander-types such as priests or scouts near the front help to draw attacks that are aimed at commander-types

Using scripted commanders and troops set to guard-commander can give good control of the battle field. Just dont put so many guards that they keep the commander form moving. Examples are things like 1 attack then cast in order to close range. Or attack for a couple of rounds then stay-behind-troops, to draw enemy up to your stand-and-attack-closest gauntlet.

And of course, there are equipment items which need to be near your frontlines such as moral builders or things that summon slow troops.

[PrinzMegaherz]

It also depends on the race you are playing.

If you get a few people much power army like Ulm or Jotunheim, then let your commanders attack. If you got lots of cheap troops, send them in first, your commander would make no a difference anyway.

Especially Ulm is capable of forging lots of cheap equipment for your commanders that will give them some chance of survival.

[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by Zen:
Giants and other 'good' units are usually above this; as I will use them for combatants, but if I'm going to go through the point of using one to attack i usually equip them, if they are suited to the job.

I always attack with my Herses which I recruit en masse, until they die - those are granted Valhalla access - or gain heroic abilities - those are granted new equipment, depending on what they got:

- melee abilities: wraith sword, pendant of luck, ring of regen optional (depending on nature gem income, or nature-9 blessing).

- endurance: I use them as tramplers, if possible with a vine shield.

- valor: herald lance or banner of the NS if astral mages present, stay behind troops.

- precision: bows (usually Botulf's, but thunder bow is great if a giant's hands) or bolas (very effective).

- quickness: depends, if I can I use them as tramplers with vine shield and amulet of resilience, and rainbow armor if available. Otherwise as meleers if the ad hoc equipment is available, otherwise they do a good job as bola throwers.

- iron will: I give them an amulet of AM and everything I can to make sure they kill more things than their comrades (boots of quickness, lightning helm, sword of swiftness and damage shield, whatever). No wraith sword, I want them to be targeted if I'm subject to a Vengeance of the Dead attack, and if they fail the MR check, a wraith sword won't help them vs undead.

Depending on the Leader and if he has any troops.

If I have a leader who leads troops I keep him at the back of the fighting, as if he is injured or comes up against a morale check he can't make he retreats and his whole army does as well.

If I have leaders who don't lead troops more often than not they are used as ferriers and not combat troops, but if they are I put them on a flank if they're equipped, otherwise it's like throwing money away for no noticable benefit.

Giants and other 'good' units are usually above this; as I will use them for combatants, but if I'm going to go through the point of using one to attack i usually equip them, if they are suited to the job.