Back on the grid (somewhat?)

**A Nerd** · 01-21-2011, 01:35

I agree about Samurai Warlords as a great mod. There are too many diplomatic pieces in the beginning of the campaign. But that is a minor detail. Kensai are fun too, as long as you aren't fighting one. An Honor 9 one!

**Gaiseric** · 01-21-2011, 13:58

I modified The Samurai Warlords mod a little bit too,) I reduced all unit costs by 15 and added some more resources to the map. I also added trade goods to each region and gave each region Iron for a resource. I also modified the Heroes and Kings in the names file so that no more units with 5 command and extremely high valor will spawn. The game has a tendency to give bad traits to non-royal generals and the high valor units were too hard to tell apart from the other units on the battlefield. The ashi-xbows is a unit with terrible stats. I might try to mod their reload rate. I havn't played far enough to come across any Kensai yet. Other then that, I think The Samurai Warlords Mod is Great!!!

There is also a multiplayer option that comes with the mod. Does anyone know how to use this? Also, how do I change the reload rate for the ashi-xbows? I dont see anything in the unit_prod that would change it:(

**drone** · 01-21-2011, 16:39

Originally Posted by Gaiseric

There is also a multiplayer option that comes with the mod. Does anyone know how to use this? Also, how do I change the reload rate for the ashi-xbows? I dont see anything in the unit_prod that would change it:(

You have to change the projectile_stats.txt file for that, I believe the column is ReloadTime. This will affect every unit using that missile weapon.

**Gaiseric** · 01-21-2011, 17:18

The crossbow takes 3 times as long to reload as a bow. Also it has a high velocity which means it fires a flat trajectory, so the unit has to be in front of your army. I am going to shorten the reload time from 12 to 8 to see if this makes the ashi-xbow a more useful unit.

**A Nerd** · 01-21-2011, 23:23

I havn't played far enough to come across any Kensai yet

I always hire a merc kensai within the first couple of turns. They always seem to honor up quickly.

**gollum** · 01-21-2011, 23:44

*redundant post, please carry on*

**Brandy Blue** · 01-22-2011, 01:54

Originally Posted by Gaiseric

The crossbow takes 3 times as long to reload as a bow. Also it has a high velocity which means it fires a flat trajectory, so the unit has to be in front of your army. I am going to shorten the reload time from 12 to 8 to see if this makes the ashi-xbow a more useful unit.

Interesting ideas, but I always felt that the real problem with the crossbows is that the AI recruited too many of them and ended up with unbalanced armies. Improving the unit would only partly address that problem.

**Gaiseric** · 01-22-2011, 16:28

I've tried them out with 8 for a reload time and they work a lot better. Now, they are about half as good as archers for around half the cost. Since most factions only start out with two samurai archers, the ashi-xbows can fill the gap until a large castle and famous archery dojo is built. They actually now seem to even be more useful then the yari-ashigaru, since they can shoot back. They are still a poor unit choice for the AI to build if it can build better units. I haven't played very far into the game yet so I dont know how much the AI spams them. If it becomes a problem, what stats would you recommend modifying to better help the AI?

Current Stats for ashi-xbow are: Charge Bonus 0, Melee Bonus -6, Defense Bonus -3, Armour Level 2, Honor Level -4, Ammo 28.
Compared to yari-ashigaru with: Charge Bonus 0, Melee Bonus -1, Defense Bonus -1, Armour Level 2, Honor Level -4.
and samurai archers with: Charge Bonus 2, Melee Bonus 0, Defense Bonus 0, Armour Level 2, Honor Level 0, Ammo 36

**gollum** · 01-23-2011, 22:10

The ashi xbows are ahistorical, and like all flattrajectory/high reload time units usually poorly used by the AI. I would take them out altogether, however if you must have them, increasing the range will give them more time to shoot, which is essentially the same workaround you did from another end. My worry with decreased reload times is that the player will get again the better of it.

The problem is that the player can use xbows to deliver coordinated volleys(all units fire at once) and this can rout AI units all at once when used properly. The AI can't do the same. Making faster reloads will increase the effectiveness of volleys perhaps quite a lot.

Another weakness of Ai flat trajecory units is that they are hampered by the autoskirmish especially when of short range. A common tactic is to scatter them using fast horses on the flanks - they will autoskirmish away - and then engage the enemy melee troops with your own and flank them with the cavalry. Soon they will all be in a huge rout without the xbows having fired a single shot or otherwise participated in any way.

I don't remember what range ashi-xbows are in SWs, but try leaving the reload as was and increase the range and see how the AI performs with that, or try a middle ground between the two. The AI units, automatically are aware of the range their missile weapon has and you need not update anything else, or so at least i have found. In any case hoewver, the AI uses bows much better, especially bows that can melee somewhat. This is because they can fire overhead and so useful while pretected by their melee troops, they have a decent range and if they can melee can be used by the AI for the occasional flank/reinforcement to win the melee engagement. Ashi xbows are too weak in melee and making them stringer would require making them more expensive and that would be again historically unplausible - these guys aren;t samurai or regulars like say the tough Genoese pavise xbows in the medieval period.