Marching Order

[Dhepee]

I have one consistent gripe with the game.

Say I am going into battle with:

5 Pikemen Units
3 Longbomen
4 Dismounted Gothic Knights
4 Mounted Gothic Knights

A pretty basic order of battle and I want to arrange it with the Pikes in the center, flanked on either side by 2 of the dismounted gothic knights, longbows directly behind the pikes and the mounted gothic knights strung out in the rear as a reserve to ride around behind the enemy after we make contact. I give each unit marching orders and get them arranged, it takes forever, and then we start to move forward and it all breaks down. Either that or I can't get them to face all the same way. The arranging process is long and involved and it all breaks down once the march starts. Is there are better way to be doing this becaue if you pick a preset formation you may get a random ordering of units that doesn't help much at all.

[LadyAnn]

Forget preset formation. It is useful in a sense, but not very useful when the going get tough. Ignore the following ranting paragraph, skip to the next.

ranting begin
I hate it when it requires Ctrl-Shift- to number a group of units and Ctrl- to use it. This is very bad for the wrist or having to take hand off mouse to do (something nobody dares to do). Meanwhile, the useless to select preset formation requires simple key strokes. I say pressing 1-9 to select a group you assigned earlier and those preset formation shall be configurable and remembers users' formation
ranting end

Best is to learn to draw (yellow/gold boxing) with mouse. You will be able to quickly place units exactly the way you want them to be. And it also will improve your on-line skill if later you venture online.

Exercise:

1. One Unit
- select a unit by left-click on unit. Unit is highlighted.
- hold down the left-mouse and draw a box. You may see a ghost of men in units. You have exact control of how many men per rank, how large is your front, where exactly the men stand. When you release the left-mouse, the unit will start to resize to the final size and march to the destination.
- hold down and you will see the unit's destination. This is useful to place another unit to a unit you already ordered the march.

2. Group units
- Hold down ctrl-key and left click on banner of several units will highlight them;
- press g key to group them;
- it is usually easiest to select from right-to-left the banners, because it usually corresponding to left-to-right order on the screen. Another quirk of MTW. This minimize confusion of which unit would be where at final destination.
- When do the resize similarly to (1) above, you will see the group of units march to the destination.

3. Click unit(s) to destination
Sometimes lowering the camera elevation (/ key) to the ground will make clicking more accurate. Tilt the angle of the camera (- or + key) would also make it more accurate, especially on hilly grounds. Bring camera up with * key.

4. Set way-points
if hold down shift-key when draw the box, then proceed to draw another one, the unit(s) will first arrive to the first location and then to the next location.
This is very useful to assembles the units at one secure place before redeploy into defensive location. Also, it maximize the decision time. Set way points of units and then pay attention to other units while the first one marches.

5. Very important but often forgotten: cancel orders
Backspace will cancel all orders (waypoints, etc.)for the selected unit.

6. Hire a marching band...
Just kidding...

[edit]
7. There could be ways to keep same formation at destination. Something involve the right-button. I am not familiar with that: I always quickly redraw my battle line as I found unless in steppe, the new location has different defensive features...

Annie

[Dhepee]

Quote[/b] (LadyAnn @ Oct. 30 2003,16:46)]6. Hire a marching band...
Just kidding...

Annie
Thanks Annie, maybe I'll mod a marching band http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[The_Emperor]

If you want your entire army to move in formation select the units you want and Alt-Click on the battlefield... Your units will move in formation and your cav units won't race away.

It comes in handy for moving your army up towards the enemy without getting too disorganised in the process.

[_Hector_]

Question's concerning moving formations

There are times when i select six differents units to change directions i press the alt key and right click. Then suddenly you have all units facing different i have to move mouse forward it the center to the top. What am i doing wrong

Hector http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[Si GeeNa]

An Order of March requires an adequate response to 3 Principles

1. Security
It is always preferable to push light/skirmish cav towards the front to observe and sight for high ground. Though we have a top-down map, i like to play with this screen off. This means that the Light Cav has a definite role of scouting.
Keep Archers to the front so that in case of imminent contact, the Archers can start the Pre-Crisis Engagement.

2. Mobility
If Heavy Stuff should move, they should be either at the flank or to the rear. There are times when my Lite Cav finds a piece of high ground. I would want to rush to that ground with most of my units. The Heavy Fellas will bog down the advance if they are placed at the front. That said, it is not good if you let them straggle too far from the mainbody as well as it violates the above principle of Security.

3. Flexibility
Units that are crucial to effecting the crisis of a battle should be placed near the centre. This allows greater flexibility in employment. I have at times placed VGs to my extreme left, the enemy advanced and attacked my right. The battle developed onto my right. I barely used my VGs to the effect which i was prepared for.

I was rather disappointed with the Preset Formations. Most have Aesthetic Qualities but not too obvious Usages.

[Lord Rom]

Rant on Lady Ann You are Right on When your men are dying trying to find control shift number is a bit much.

[motorhead]

Quote[/b] ]There are times when i select six differents units to change directions i press the alt key and right click. Then suddenly you have all units facing different i have to move mouse forward it the center to the top. What am i doing wrong


If you just select 6 units then try to change facing with alt-right click then they all turn to face the pointer, seperately. If you want them to face the new dirction as a group, group them first, then alt-right click.

[juststeve]

This thread is veeeerryy useful, indeed. One of the things I really stink at is my troop movement control. They often wind up facing the wrong way or at a bizarre angle. I will take notes and practice these tips. Thanks

[adi]

When You want to move your army without any changes in formation you should push alt + C and then click left mouse button on point where you want to move, but when you want to turn your army without any changes in formation you should click alt + C, then G (Group) and hold dawn right mouse button, move (turn) a mouse and when you see ghost of your units in right place you may release a button.
In SP campaign it's really helpful.

Sorry for my english.

[King John II]

Very helpful stuff.

Thanks to all who have posted. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Imperial Buffoon]

Hello all
I'm a real noob as I haven't even finished my first campaign yet but happy to be here
There's one very useful feature if you want to move your formations by hand (ie: not Alt-clicking but one by one or in small groups).
If you press SHIFT when clicking on the ground the cursor will ignore all friendly units.
I've found this extremely useful when changes in terrain mean that I need to readjust the back lines of the battle order, as they may end up being where the front is at the time or the order, or for getting replacement archers moving before the previous unit has actually ran out of ammo. (I know, this sounds confusing, just try it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif )
Oh, and combine it with SPACE to get ultimate control

the B

[Gregoshi]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif Greetings and welcome aboard Imperial Buffoon.

I don't believe I've ever heard of that SHIFT trick before. I'll have to try it (if I ever get time to play the game http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif ).

[adi]

Sorry, in my previous post should be ctrl + A instead alt + C, obviously.