Got some general questions...

[RollingWave]

Hmmmm I'm still pretty new to MTW (only finished once as almohads early/easy) tried a few faction... think I might want to try to do byzantian high for some reason.... rebuidl the glory of ROME http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Anyway I got some general questions about a few things that I havn't really got clear yet....

1.What exactly determines the success of a spy opening castles in seiges? besides his valor of course... it seems to have a lot to do with how long the seige has lasted but I'm not sure... does the defending general's vice have anythign to do with it? or the type of castle?

2.when I click on a emmisary who is in my home province they always say he is counter spying... but I don't recall ever having him catching any spy/assain.. does it acturally work?

3.speaking of emmisary... why doesn't higher star once seem to get any bonus for bribing?:/....

4.I know a rear or flank attack by melee units do a lot more damage... but does that apply to range units as well? if I have horse archers should I try to reposition to the side or back ? does this apply to high terrain too? besides the obvious that you get a clearer shot at enemy targets (less likely for friendly fire) do they do moer damage as well?

5.Why are naptha throwers seem like such a huge gamble... sometimes they wack the enemy general in one hit and turn the tide totally aroudn... sometime they wack your own King in their first throw DOH.....

That's it for now... any answers would be apprieciated ....

[Kongamato]

I can help on 4 and 5.

#4: At the rear, you can see the enemy units and fire on them easier, but as far as damage goes it depends on whether the shieldbonus(if you are playing MTW) is granted to the rear of the man when he is fighting. I believe I read that when fighting, some units put their shield on their back. If they are not fighting, I would assume that the shield does not factor in to the armor rating of the unit, and the missile will have a better chance of killing the enemy unit.

However, missiles may not be the best idea if you have the enemy's rear during melee. Charging the rear with whatever unit you have will result in massive damage, much more than missiles.

#5: Naptha throwers have a different accuracy/valour ratio. While most missile units have a negligible increase in accuracy with valour, Naptha throwers gain noticeable accuracy from valour increases. Without a good valour base, Naptha throwers are a danger to everything around them

[RollingWave]

Hmmm thanks for the tip ... though I can think of many situation where firing missiles at enemy's rear is a good idea... espically when cavalry archers are in play....

It's quiet easy to find the flank of enemy troops with these type of guys ... but if you charge them 1. they might be in the company of many other troops.. 2. they can probably turn and face you by the time you get there.... but I'm sure I can fire a arrow before they can turn their backs http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif I played a bit more and I'm pretty convinced that in most situation firing in the flank and espically rear of enemy units does do significantly more damage... I was hitting a varagian guard (errr sp) with two calavry archer ... those dudes took 5 full blast in the front from both groups and didn't even flich (stupid loyalist rebellion giving enemy high age units in early BAH....... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

Anyway I decided to have my two group of cav archer turn two different direction and of course the stupid guards turned his back on one of them.... and I fired.... bingo took out 3 in the first burst and 2 more in the second....

[Gregoshi]

Welcome to the Org RollingWave...or could I say Rolling http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Anyway, you ask some good questions about the emissaries, to which I have no answers. I'll await some answers along with you.

[Mega Dux Bob]

Quote[/b] (RollingWave @ July 23 2003,11:24)]5.Why are naptha throwers seem like such a huge gamble... sometimes they wack the enemy general in one hit and turn the tide totally aroudn... sometime they wack your own King in their first throw DOH.....
I find the Naptha Throwers work best behind troops like peasants that you don't care about. They look like a bunch a mad bombers so you've got to treat them that way. I just wacked the King of Sicily and his knights with a unit of peasants and three napatha throwers, of course there were peasant and horse bits everyware.

As for putting your' Emperor in the front rank; are we the Franks here? The Emperor of the Romans does not led from the front (seriously, Byz troops don't care if your' general withdraws like Catholic troops will)

Oh and a sleezy trick with horse archers is to get a unit of them deep in the enemies' rear. Sometimes a AI will panic and run screaming from the field.

[Aelwyn]

I believe do actually do a bit of counterspying, but I don't think they get valour increases for it. I remember a few times having no border fort in a province, but having a v2 or 3 emissary (forget which) and assassins and spies were being caught in that province.

As far as bribing goes, I could be wrong, but I don't think they get a bonus for bribing because the value of the army doesn't depend upon the skill of the emissary, but rather the vices and virtues of the general, and the units in the army.

Not only does a rear attack by range do more damage, but firing on units from an angle/flank/rear kills more as well. Even if you can't get a flank, firing at a unit from a 45 degree angle can help get past their shields for maybe a few more kills in a volley, not always though.

And I think you were asking about a rear attack if its uphill, like if you're being attacked uphill, and you bring units around the rear that attack uphill....I try not to do this unless the unit is by itself (not jumbled up with a few other units). Otherwise they sometimes take too long to route, and your rear-attacking unit takes more casualties than it needs to, fighting uphill. Instead, a flank attack may work better? At least then you're attacking downhill/on level ground. All depends on the situation though.

[fartingbob]

although no expert, i think for q2, that is the default cmmand given when in you own territory. ive never seen them catch spies, but ive only been playing for less than 1 month.

[Gregoshi]

Hello er, um fartingbob. Welcome to the Org - where it always pays to know which way the wind blows... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

Yes, I always wave hello like this...

[fartingbob]

hello Gregoshi. welcome to fartingbob. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
dont ask abuot the name, its a long story, but it's been used on many other boards by me.
i hope you can all accept me into 'the org'.
one word of warning: i type to quick for my ability and often you can count the typo's in one post for hours. i try to check my posts, but alot of mistakes slip through.......

[Gregoshi]

No problem about the typos fb. Typos are the fuel that make these boards run. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Oh and BTW, every 6 months there is a topic started that asks how you came by your name. We'll expect a full explanation on your name at that time. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif