RTW Formations

[Stormer]

what kinda formations do you expect in RTW and would like to see im hopeing they are goin gto do tactics like the roman turtle man id love too see that when attacking a castle and boiling water comeing down would break it up hehehe can imagine it now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Cardinal]

I would expect line, column and turtle, but there is more to the roman army than legionairs.
Then there is the time aspect of the game. 200BC to 400AD, not to mention if they include the Campaign of Justinian in 500AD and the Bysantines (lots more units).

I will tell you what would be fun, and that is if the siege/castle assult part got slightly more interesting. I will admitt that the MTW siege/assult part is far superior to STW, but where are the moats, the breeches with fighting on the ramparts, the ability to ascend castle walls with ladders, and the boiling oil http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif . Now that would be fun, or what?

[solypsist]

interesting subject but I'm sure this can be added to some of the existing "What if..." threads about RTW.

[Hakonarson]

Cantabrian circle - a shooting formation for javelin armed cavalry. As the name suggests a nose-to-tail circle with shields on the outside. Teh cavalry gallop around throwing their javelin at the closest approach. Only useful vs stationary foe such as infantry

A skirmish formation for bow armed light cavalry - teh bulk of the unit well to the rear while small groups charge in, discharge a couple of arrows at point blank range and then retire to the main body to rest. Repeat ad infinitum.

Rhomboid and Wedge - Greek cavalry formations allowing rapid changes of frontage towards any of the "points".

Square - for infantry the age-old formation for marching in teh presence of superior cavalry with baggage & other vulnerable troops on the inside.

Tortoise - only in seiges

Otherwise I'd expect to see much LESS flexibility in formation than there is in MTW - "blocks" always formed with an even number of men and in multiples of the basic depth - usually 3 or 4, so formations basically 3 deep (such as Roman Triarii) would be 3,6 or 9 deep (etc), and those 4 deep (such as Hastati, Princepes, Hoplites) would be 4, 8, 12 or 16, etc.

[Juan Madsen]

Quote[/b] (Hakonarson @ Mar. 06 2003,21:50)]A skirmish formation for bow armed light cavalry - teh bulk of the unit well to the rear while small groups charge in, discharge a couple of arrows at point blank range and then retire to the main body to rest. Repeat ad infinitum.
Strongly support this idea.

[Dionysus9]

me too-- good ideas, all of them.

[spmetla]

And there should be something for the lower valour troops where they don't really maintain their formations. It would start out like a wedge and then kinda just turn into a mop.

[Juan Madsen]

I think it would be very nice if we are given the chance to properly move the rectangular or square formation lateraly.

Now, if you want to move one unit on your second line to one flank, and order it to do so, it will turn completely to that side, get perpendicular to the main engagement, if it is a unit of 166 men it will most probably have one of it sides intermigled in the battle while trying to go to where you have said, and probably never get there.

A unit should be able to make every men rotate 90 degrees on their feet, march and rotate to face again in the initial direction. The roman army was a frequent user of this sort of lateral movement.

It will add more tactival depth to the game.

[Baron von Beer]

You can make a lateral movement. Hold Alt when you click to move a unit, and it will keep its facing. (well, sometimes.. sometimes they get confused and turn into an unruly mob. I've noticed a strong connection between this occuring precisely at pivotal points in the battle. I suspect traitors in the rank, or some sort of mind control ray in the enemy hands.....)