Spear units

[mcantu]

Hi!

I've a few questions concerning spear units:

1) From earlier versions of EB to the current one you have changed most (if not all) spears to use the "light_spear" attribute instead of "spear". I suppose you have done it because of the pushing power of the latter, however I'm not sure you've taken into account that while "spear" gives -4 to attack vs. infantry "light_spear" gives -4 to defense. Thus the +4 bonus to attack most EB spear units have (which makes them appear overpowered at first glance) should be probably changed into a defence bonus (though +4 seems too much imo, else what's the point in using swords when spears are better in any situation?). Am I wrong?

2) Is it possible in any way to have hoplite using a correct animation (shorter spears, and no terrain dragging when marching)? If it's not possible to do it officially, is it possible to do it manually (e.g. I've tried Signiferone's animation but EB's spears points the wrong way with that animation). s

Thanks for your time! EB rocks!

1. yes this is true and the EB team has previously been made aware of it (by me )

2. you need 3ds max to rotate the spears back.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

The spear stats have been adjusted to compensate for the hardcoded effects of the spear modifiers with the last EB update.

The hoplites do use the "correct animation". For some reason, the spears do often appear too large on some detail levels, but the spears dragging through the ground should have been fixed (or at least I thought the fix was done before the last release).

[Demivrgvs]

The spear stats have been adjusted to compensate for the hardcoded effects of the spear modifiers with the last EB update.

The hoplites do use the "correct animation". For some reason, the spears do often appear too large on some detail levels, but the spears dragging through the ground should have been fixed (or at least I thought the fix was done before the last release).

Spear stats have been adjusted to compensate for the hardcoded effects but they would compensate the "spear" attribute, not "light_spear". It doesn't change too much in terms of balance, but at the moment spear units kill faster (+4 attack) and suffer casualties faster (-4 defence). By switching the bonus from attack to defence you would have longer fights, which is more in line with EB if I'm not wrong.

Are you suggesting to change "unit detail" to have shorter spear? I'll try it out, though I never noticed any change with different "unit details" settings.

The spears dragging the ground haven't been fixed unfortunately...I do hope they will with 1.2!

Why is that so? Any historical realism in that or just RTW game balance?

The -4 defence bonus of "light_spear" is hardcoded, and it seems EB members would prefer it to be fully compensated. Personally I would prefer it to be left un-compensated, or only partially compensated, as "light_spear" also grants +4 defence against cavalry, and having only the bonus without its drawback seems unfair to me (spear > sword in every situation). Just my 2 cents.

[Celtic_Punk]

um so you can spear someone in a castle staircase? good luck with that mate...

[Olaf The Great]

They actually kill slower, as spears have a lower lethality and other weapons(Especially 2 handers and Longswords) have a much higher lethality.

[Demivrgvs]

They actually kill slower, as spears have a lower lethality and other weapons(Especially 2 handers and Longswords) have a much higher lethality.

Well, actually many swords have 0.13 lethality, and most spears (spearmen and hoplites) have 0.13 too. Phalangite's pikes have 0.17 which is even higher, but high quality swords like celtic's ones have better lethality (e.g. gaesatae's 0.225).

[Aemilius Paulus]

They actually kill slower, as spears have a lower lethality and other weapons(Especially 2 handers and Longswords) have a much higher lethality.

Yeah, but check out the cavalry spears. Their lethality can be as high as .335, which I believe is as high as lethality goes in EB.

[Foot]

Yes or a lance, which is a shock weapon, and is otherwise useless in close-combat (with long delays between each strike). I'm not sure how that is an example against what Olaf said. Spears on the whole have lower lethality, putting forward the example of a specialist weapon doesn't change that fact.

Foot