Splitting units and square formation..

[Beelzebub]

Two things I experienced playing last night I feel could use imrpovement..

1) Splitting up units, it kinda sucks the way it's impossible to split up units. I had a province with about 250 men. 2 arbalaster units, 100 italian infantry and a handful of halbs and mounted sargeants. I knew a french attack was coming, and they sent about 400, a lot of them were severly depleted units. I had a great defensive position at the back of the map, a hill with a cliff facing the enemy, but because I had to keep all 100 italian spearmen together I could only defend one side of the cliff (the 4 halbs and 20 cavalry couldn't hold it every well against a determined attack). There should be a way to split off units, in battle would be nice.

2) Squad formation. It also sucks when you have a large unit of spearmen or something, and you see they are going to get hit in reared, but there's nothing you can do about it since say they are engaged with another enemy. It is so easy to rip up a big unit, especially spears, by engaging them with one unit, then sending another behind (even a small 10 man or less unit will tear through them). There should be some sort of formation where the back ranks can defend the rear, or of you have a long line, the side ranks who are not engaged.

[Cronopio]

What? You didn't keep your light infantry behind your spearmen to intercept any flankers? It's call "strategy" for a reason.

I totally agree with the splitting of units in half.

[DrNo]

Yes splitting of units, or rather smaller produced units would be better.
The control system would need an update to allow you to field more than 16 units at a time though, and construction could do with a mod to allow you to build say 4 different units(not from same dojo though) in a turn in 1 province. Would give a good reason for building all the building types in 1 province.

[Beelzebub]

Cronopio in a full battle it isn't as much of a problem since I do have reserve units to cover flanks. But in a smaller one, especially if I have big 100 man spear/pike units and the enemy has a lot of smaller depleted units, they can decimate the 100 man unit with rear attacks by small units while he is fighting another one (like a 20-30 man spear unit). Most of the guys in the 100 man unit wouldn't even be fighting, they would just be standing there watching with 20 fought the enemy, then a 10 man unit of chiv footknights hits the rear and they don't do anything. A square formation would be much appreciated.

[Kraxis]

The best you can do, and it is not that good, is to put the men on Engage (so they will engage the smaller unit in front more aggressively and get rid of the -2 to attack), and something I do at times, when the other unit is close at hand charging in, doubleclick on them as well. If your men are in Engage some of them will move to intercept, while most stay put.

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[Grifman]

Splitting units makes no sense:

1) So you split a unit - now you have two. Then you'll just say why can't I split one of these units. Where does it end for heaven's sake? At the individual soldier level?

2) Units are programmed as units, not two units. Imagine the programming mess to allow one unit to become two . . . o four . . . or eight . . . where does it end?

3) Want to split a unit to deal with another threat. Well, that's what a reserve is for http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

Grifman

[Alrowan]

16 units dummy

[Kalt]

Splitting units would be a HUGE help in overall army management.

The possibilities are endless....... really, they are!

[Magraev]

Eh I think I did see an automatic split once.

I was the Byzantines and the mongol horde appeared in Ryazan. My 100 inf and 60 archers wisely decided to retreat to the citadel. When the mongols assaulted I had 3 units 2x50 inf and 60 archers. I'm pretty sure there was only one inf-unit originally.

[spmetla]

Agree with both. The splitting would also be nice when you want even sized forces on each side of a cliff.

And be able to quickly put your units into a square formation or split them to do pincers and such is strategy. Don't get all sassy for someone suggesting good ideas.

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"samishika wa nai shitte irukara saigo wa itsumo hitori to"

"I'm not lonely Because I know I'll be Alone at the end"

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[Hirosito]

well of course you would have to split them before battle but that's ok. for splits to occur durimg battle the whole system would have to be changed (16 units max etc.)

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Hirosito Mori

Hirosito the Baptist of the Babbiest Babe Thread.

Gentile or Jew
O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you.

[ltj]

seriously, the lack of depth in the formations is a little disappointing. i had hoped they'd upgrade the 3-formation system found in shogun. it's too limiting.

a square formation would really rock, but i don't know if the engine is capable. besides, theres an endless amount of things they could add to better the game - but this isn't a bunch of dudes with nothing better to do. you've already bought the game, after all. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

[theNiceOne]

Being able to split a unit in two would be a valuable additon, an pretty simple to implement as well.

It would probably have to be done in the strategic map before you end your turn, and it would create a completely independent unit with a new general. There would have to be some code to ensure that the new genral was mediocre, and less good/worse than the original to remove the possibility of splitting to get a better general before combining again...