Does infantry/cavalry description mean anything?

[fallen851]

Lets say I change barbarian swordmen from heavy infantry to light infantry, will it make them tire out slower and make them move faster? Or is this completely unrelated, and only effects how they line up in the formations text?

Thanks.

[Atilius]

I doubt this classification has anything to do with the unit's speed. I think speed is linked to the skeleton, but it would be better if someone who knows would weigh in on this.

I assume this would affect where the unit would be placed in formations (as you were speculating), but it would also affect the likelyhood of an AI faction building the unit.

[Watchman]

Far as I know unit movement speed is governed by the skeleton it uses and the relationship between its terrain bonuses and what it's traversing on.

The descriptors "light infantry", "heavy infantry", "heavy cavalry" and so on are AFAIK mainly for the benefit of the AI and the formation files.

[fallen851]

Hmm, it would be great to know this, modding guru's please chime in!

[Watchman]

If you want to make an unit move faster, swap its skeleton to a faster one - say, fs_slow_swordsman to fs_swordsman for Chosen Swordsmen - in descr_model_battle. If you want to make it tire slower, add the hardy or very_hardy "stamina" trait in export_descr_unit.

The unit-type descriptors are just recognition flags.

[Duke John]

The walking/running/charging speed are indeed dictated by the animations.