axes/polearms vs spears/pikes/cavalry

[CBR]

IIRC the +1 melee bonus vs spears was quite unpopular in MP circles. It resulted in spear units being used seldom if at all in MP battles.

Well it was not really that bonus that caused the problem in MP. There was a fine balance between the two unit types with spears being slightly stronger. But as spears cost more it meant it was cheaper to upgrade swords and just one valor in difference means swords have a clear advantage. Upgrading valor to 2-3 on FMAA and CMAA meant swords were strong enough to equal heavy cavalry so less need for spears.

So unit costs and the ability to screw up the balance between units with upgrades were the real culprits.


CBR

[Brandy Blue]

Thanks, everyone. It looks like there isn't a concensus about whether or not there are any bonuses for attacking swords attacking spears in the first place, never mind axes and polearms attacking spears.

My best guess is that swords do differ from axes somewhere at the hard coded level, otherwise there would be no point in distinguishing swords from axes. After all, polearms are classified as axes and only differ because of added on anti-cavlary bonuses. Swords and axes could have been lumped together the same way, if the game designers felt like it, unless there is some distinction above and beyond the added on anti-armor bonus for axes. Therefore, a hard coded distinction between swords and axes is implied.

But that's just guesswork, isn't it?

[CBR]

That is as official as it can get: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...6&postcount=21

Polearms might be classed as axe in the unit file but the comment in the spreadsheet, that CA used to produce the unitstats, states that the weapon class entry is mainly used for sound and if it is a spear unit or not. That does not mean there could be other stuff added later or simply not commented on of course.


CBR