View Full Version : Yeah...
Raging Road Rodent
08-27-2001, 14:15
Tell me, does anyone use the army formations that are given? Do they have any use?
R.R.R.
Anssi Hakkinen
08-27-2001, 15:31
As a basis for more useful "custom" formations, sometimes yes. For example, if you have lots of spear units, it pays to first set a defensive formation (with the spears forming a wall in front), wait for it to form (using accelerated time as necessary), and *then* start tweaking the other units into place. They're useful as a basis for your own formations, but rarely by themselves.
As for the "historical" formations you get when deploying to attack, I always use Arrowhead and then lug additional missile units to the front and pull the melee stuff together in order to make a workable battle formation. Not much opportunity for variation there.
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"Sincere diplomacy is no more possible than dry water or wooden iron."
- Josef Stalin
MajorFreak
08-27-2001, 15:52
you mean those stupid group orders? lol! hmmmmmmm...Lemmie go play with them and see if they make sense.
hmmm...i would never use them. It puts troops it too rigid a formation and doesn't account for the need of archers to spread to 3 lines. (i've heard their accuracy increases the less ranks they have; NOT TO MENTION MUSKETEERS!)
If i could code in my own custom formation... Seen here (http://www.guidestone.com/files/temp/tmp/Harima2.gif), and from the other side here (http://www.guidestone.com/files/temp/tmp/Harima3.gif)...If i could do that, then i'd use that hunk of junk buttons. heh.
They're cute, but i seriously doubt their usefulness on a fluid battlefield.
Not to mention one uses a highly different deployment on every map, because of terrain. (though it always comes down to me putting archers in 3 rank blocks {{tactical mode shown in linked image is usually constant}} Usually grouping by pairs as shown in the images linked above...not to mention having pincushion spear troops as a screening force)
A custom setting would really be helpful. Or else the dev's sitting down with players and seeing if there's a common deployment typology they could use to modify those stupid "defensive/skirmish/offensive" group buttons.
[This message has been edited by MajorFreak (edited 08-27-2001).]
they COULD be useful if only the units lined up properly. as in left-to-right order compared to the icons, that is driving me absolutely insane, hence i don't/can't use them (i would really like to get my hands on whoever is responsible for this http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif)
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''I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe—I believe what I believe is right." geowge W —Rome, July 22, 2001
If you mean Arrowhead, Birds in Flight and such, they may be useful, but I doubt it. The group formations have some utility, but I always have to adjust the deployments unless I want a bunch of blocks for some reason. Straight line was always good for setting up a throwaway rush army against hordes but click and drag will set that up also. The most annoying thing about them is the left to right, right to left, front to back, back to front marching as the army changes formation, especially when the initial deployment includes a wide skirmish line of missile units.
The army formations are never conducive to marching toward the enemy so I never use them. I prefer the men to be in compact columns when advancing not strung out in long lines. You always need to redeploy for the actual assault anyway.
I do use the preset formations. Actually, make that "formation". Almost every time I start a battle, I'd change formation to YOKE, because with this formation my archers & guns will be in front, infantry (yari samurai, yari ashigaru) middle, shock troops (monks, cavalry) behind. Saves me some trouble arranging them. This is in SP.
Magyar Khan
08-28-2001, 00:56
no they are unusefull
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