About them dead cows flying around...

I just noticed trebuchets have the option to toss dead cows around the battlefield..

I'm at work now and havent had time to really test this, but it seems like a cool feature from what I've seen.

Does anyone know how they function exactly?

I find them better for defence than for when you attack. Any unit, (including yours) that walks through the cloud of flies gets a green banner showing that they are sick. This presumably lowers the morale and attack of the affected units. That is why they are better for defence, the enemy comes to you.

I concur. However, offence and defence are in essence not much different from each other. The main advantageous point here, which Von Nanega stated, is the foe approaching you instead of you approaching the foe.

In defence, combine rotten cow cadavers with other constant tools such as fiery arrows, plain arrows, artillery, etc., and your approaching foe will suffer much even before the main battle commences.

NOTE: make certain the launched cows are not near your defence line where you will engage in mêlée. Cease your cow-launching if the enemy is too close, otherwise your own troops may be affected thereby.

rotting cows are particularly effective against militia units and peasants, those guys start running quite fast after being infected with it =)

Rotting cows are nice when defending a city against the Mongols or Timurids or during bridge battles. Anyone walking past the carcass will have less stomach to attack you hehehehe :evil: :evil2: :evil3: :evilgrin:

anyone know how big the penalty is?

Penalty is enough to get anyone running after affected and your full cavalry charge to flanks.
EDIT: tried this with silver star peasants and all random units, none at golden stars thou.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bijo

Cease your cow-launching if the enemy is too close

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I love these boards!

Where else can you read a line like that and have it make absolutely perfect sense?

:laugh4:

Just to give an example how to use them in bridge battles (and other choke-point battles)
https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/...weffectwf8.jpg

What I do when fighting mongols, is to bring a trebuchet (just 1) for the cow carcass throwing, and then throw it on the far side of the bridge. All his units will be affected, and they will flee like children.

impressive. talking about a bridge of the dead (pity that the dead bodies don't actually fall into the river in the animation)

mine are not as impressive. the AI usually takes casualties mostly at the end of the bridge - MY end. On the bright side, my empire ALWAYS have employment for young, fresh and bright-eyed spearmen...:idea2:
(keeping the unemployment % low since 1100)

i am not very good with the trebuchet, i found that in siege, sometimes it would missed and hit the MY wall instead (my fault for giving auto-fire), or, in the open, my troops will spend an eternity avoiding the noxious gases, only to waltz into during the fight or pursue anyway. once again - auto-fire and too many (4-5 units) :sweatdrop:

Personally,I think the fringe benefit of killing the enemy general by decapitating him with a flung cow is one of the funnier things you can do...