Moving Units with skill

[Poison Arrow]

I am trying to relearn the functions of the different uses of ctrl, alt, and shift. I have found alt right click for change facing. Alt left click moves your unit to new position and returns them to original facing. I can't see any difference of ctrl, or shift left click from simply clicking the ground to move, as the unit moves and changes facing with both.

Two things I would really like to do are have a unit slide left or right to new position. Not changing facing and moving to new location as they move. Alt left click now makes them turn towards new location as they move then reform to original facing when they get there, making them vulnerable.

Secondly, for entire armies, how would you make them move enmass to a new location and retain their facing and proper spacing? It seems that you can get them to not change facing, but when they arrive at new location their formation always seems a bit jumbled compared to their original prebattle lines.

If I am unaware of any other uses of these buttons for unit movement, please inform me. Are there combos, ctrl-alt, shift-alt, ctrl and letters or numbers, etc.?

[Aelwyn]

alt-left click should keep the army together in their origional position. As far as sliding, it was in Shogun, but its not in MTW. Many people miss it. As far as I know, there is no way to simply 'slide' sideways a short distance.

[Poison Arrow]

I knew I remembered it, I wanted to do it and finally learned how in STW, not to retain that function was a bad call. But ok thanks, I can stop trying to figure that one out.

[son of spam]

alt left click must be the b*tchiest battle command ever in MTW. Several times I alt left click, then change my mind and alt left click somewhere else. The first time, I press spacebar and the army is nice and visible, just where I want it. The second time, the army is cluttered and far, far away. Sometimes, when I try the command a third time, my army dissapears when I press spacebar, and I have no idea where they are going to party http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif
lol http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

End Rant

[Poison Arrow]

I just retried it in STW and it really only works over short distances, the slide that is. It works best if you place your cursor right next to the left or right most fron man. Otherwise the unit wants to turn just like in MTW. So, I guess we didn't lose a whole lot.

I tried the same thing in MTW, thinking I was just placing my cursor too far away, but they turned, so.....

So, does ctrl left click do anything special that I am not seeing? Also, can someone link me to a guide about the hotkeys and their uses. I'll keep looking for that myself as well and post here if I find one.

[Yushal]

Im not enamored of the movement system either. ALT movement does work, but it could be alot better. The retain formation function only seems to work when your entire army is grouped in one of the pre-defined formations.

I mean, I cannot drag out my men to the formation/shapes I want them in and then rely upon ALT movement for it simply wont work properly. ALT-LEFT will, but the facing command will not retain the formation.

That means that as soon as I send out a flanker, the system is lost to me...

MAybe Im just not doing it right, but I cant seem to get it to work.

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (Poison Arrow @ April 08 2004,19:40)]Also, can someone link me to a guide about the hotkeys and their uses. I'll keep looking for that myself as well and post here if I find one.
Go to assign hotkeys in your game's control menu and you'll at least be able to see a complete list of all the commands. No details, though.

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I don't have any complaints. Medieval armies were badly trained, as a rule. Even simple maneuvers were usually beyond them. Turks and Mongols were an exception.

[PseRamesses]

I for one shure miss the slide-command from STW. It was perfect in protecting a flank when marching to a goal like a hill etc.