Investigation of unit attributes

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The file Data\export_descr_unit.txt contains details about units. In there you can also edit the attributes of units and this post is meant to gather the game effects of these attributes.

command
This attributes gives surrounding units an increase in the morale level. The possible morale levels are:

Berserk (only when the unit's stat_mental is set to berserker)
Impeteous (only when the unit's stat_mental is set to impeteous)
Eager
Steady
Shaken
Wavering
Broken (no increase)

As soon as a friendly unit comes within a certain radius then the morale level of that unit is increased by one. For example from wavering to shaken. Once the unit moves out of the radius (or the command unit moves) then the morale level drops down again.

I do not know wether the command attribute also increases combat stats.


...uhm that was all I discovered up to now :grin:

therother
If this thread is out of place, then please feel free to merge/move/close it. You handled my other threads well too, thank you for that.

JeromeGrasdyke gave a fairly detailed answer on what command does in this thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JeromeGrasdyke

It currently affects both morale and combat ability - we tried it for a while with just morale, but it ended up being not enough of a bonus. The combat calculations have changed so much from Rome to Medieval as to be unrecogniseable, so it's no longer easy to equate stars to experience.

As a rule of thumb it's one point of attack per command rank, up to a maximum of 10, and this can become negative for very bad generals. This combat bonus is applied to all troops under his command on the battlefield. Experience is one point of attack and one point of defense per chevron, plus a morale bonus as well.

The general's command also controls his radius-of-effect, which is set to 30 m + 5 m * command + 2 m * influence. This is used to award morale bonusses to nearby units (in addition to the combat bonus), and when testing which units are affected it tests the distance between the actual general's position and the centre-point of the unit being considered.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duke John

If this thread is out of place, then please feel free to merge/move/close it. You handled my other threads well too, thank you for that.

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I'm happy with it here. And no problem. ~D

I think what Jerome is refering to there is the Command ability of generals, whereas I believe that Duke John is referring to the command attribute posessed by First Cohorts.

My best guesses/deductions regarding the other possible unit attributes are as follows:

can_run_amok: If unit suffers enough casualties and fatigue then it can become uncontrollable, potentially attacking even friendly units
can_sap: Unit can sap during sieges (Probably only available to foot units)
cantabrian_circle: Unit can use Cantabrian Circle manoeuver (Mounted only)
command: Unit inspires nearby friendly troops, giving them a morale bonus (Note that simple proximity is all that's required, no other action need be taken)
druid: Unit can inspire nearby friendly troops by chanting, giving them a morale bonus
frighten_foot: Unit frightens nearby enemy infantry, giving them a morale penalty (Note that simple proximity is all that's required, no other action need be taken)
frighten_mounted: Unit frightens nearby enemy cavalry, giving them a morale penalty (Note that simple proximity is all that's required, no other action need be taken)
general_unit: Unit is a general's bodyguard
hardy: Unit suffers reduced fatigue effects
hide_anywhere: Unit can hide in any territory (This might just cover non-forest/non-long grass territory since it always seems to be assigned in addition to those hiding attributes)
hide_forest: Unit can hide in forest
hide_improved_forest: Unit has superior ability to hide in forest (Not sure if this means that they need fewer trees to be able to hide or if they're harder to spot instead)
hide_long_grass: Unit can hide in long grass
no_custom: Unit cannot be selected for custom battles
screeching_women: Unit can frighten nearby enemy troops by screeching, giving them a morale penalty
sea_faring: Unit can board ships (The crew of ships have this attribute, so it's the ship itself that has the ability to move on water, not the naval units themselves)
very hardy: Superior version of hardy attribute

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinner

I think what Jerome is refering to there is the Command ability of generals, whereas I believe that Duke John is referring to the command attribute posessed by First Cohorts.

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You are right, but I suspect (although I have no evidence as yet) that the two are related, i.e. that First Cohorts will give a melee as well as a morale bonus. At what level, I do not know, although it should be testable.

Well, I did a few quick tests. As Duke John points out, there is definitely a morale bonus from units with the "command" attribute. Working out if there is a bonus to attack is a little more complicated.

One way to test at what level of bonus, in comparison to the General command stars, the "command" attribution gives would be to measure the radius-of-effect of the unit. But that would require the ability to measure distances accurately on the battlefield.

Does anyone know of a reliable way to measure distances on the battle map? There is a RomeShell command -- output_unit_positions -- but AFAIK that is not activated in 1.2.

Anyway, for comparison, I setup a test battle between two groups of peasants, with either a command unit or a general. To be honest, I didn't see much improvement in combat ability with the general on the field. From Jerome's rules of thumb, my 10 star general should have given my peasants +10 to attack. With that advantage, I would have expected them to mow through their counterparts. But the test battles were usually close, although my peasants usually won (although not always) with 75-80% losses, or thereabouts.

So I modded my peasant's attack to 11, and retested. The battles now went more as expected. The opposing peasants were all killed for the loss of only ~20-25% of my men, and there never seemed to be any doubt on the outcome. So there may be a problem with the General's melee bonus. Either that, or they've changed it for 1.2.

There's also the mercenary_unit attribute. As well as making the unit able to be used in mercenary recruitment pools, is there any other impact? Don't mercenaries disband in a different way to regular units?

Also, Monkwarrior has discovered that this attribute is what the game uses to refer to the Mercenary folder for unit cards. Not very interesting for you game researchers, but maybe useful for us modders!
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There is also

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

power_charge

which allowsa unit extra benefits during the initial inpact of a charge, usually cavalry only

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

shield_wall

units get and extra protection bonus in formation. These are in 1.5, 1.6

diBorgia

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cesare diBorja

There is also power_charge which allowsa unit extra benefits during the initial inpact of a charge, usually cavalry only

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What is the exact nature of these benefits? Because AFAIK several cavalry units lack this attribute despite being good chargers. So perhaps it does something other than increasing charge bonus.

power_charge seems to add extra shock value to charging units. Probably only meant for cavalry, medium to heavy, at that. At least thats what I use it for.

diBorgia

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cesare diBorja

power_charge seems to add extra shock value to charging units...

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That , or it is to recharge the batteries in those new-fangled cordless horses .

what on earth is the purpose of sea_faring? i load all sorts of troops onto ships and send them here and there.

well never mind. i was just confused because i remember seeing druids as explicitly sea faring while other units weren't, but looking through EDU i see that most units have this trait.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lottrbacchus

what on earth is the purpose of sea_faring? i load all sorts of troops onto ships and send them here and there.

well never mind. i was just confused because i remember seeing druids as explicitly sea faring while other units weren't, but looking through EDU i see that most units have this trait.

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sea_faring is an attribute that allows your units to board ships...

You cannot transport them without the attribute...