Annoying: Units decide to move around on their own.

[Biggus Diccus]

I recently did a straightforward bridge defense with a few archers, arquebusiers and naginata. I placed my ranged troops perfectly and waited for the slaughter to begin

The problem was that many of my units started to move about on their own, even though they were set to 'hold position' and skirmish mode turned off. Anybody know what is going on and perhaps a way to avoid this?

[Drisos]

The problem was that many of my units started to move about on their own, even though they were set to 'hold position' and skirmish mode turned off. Anybody know what is going on and perhaps a way to avoid this?

have this very often too, and have never found any way to avoid it. . .

this indeed is really annoying, everytime my good position is ruined.. .

mostly i just send them back right away, but i would love to hear a better idea.

[Ludens]

I experienced this during my first bridge battles too. It happens when you cram your units together in a small area. Every unit needs a certain amount of space or else they will suffer a penalty for being crammed together. Just make your formation somewhat more spacious and leave your troops a little space to move in.

[KyodaiSteeleye]

In STW and MTW units rearrange themselves if they are overlapping with another - therefore make sure that none of your units overlap, even slightly, when setting up your formation, or they'll start wondering off.

[Biggus Diccus]

That worked wonders! Thanks!

[Irinami]

I do know why the units do this. It rests in the method used to program group movement.

Think of each man in a unit as the X of a bullseye, with 2 rings around it. The outer ring is a Zone of Attraction. He is attracted to all the other men in his unit. ( don't ask don't tell!!) So he will merrily skip and run to the other burly hairy man under the same mon banner.

But wait! Suddenly he's so close to the other samurai that the other man is within the inner ring: the Zone of Repulsion. (Probably because he's now so close that he can tell the other man hasn't bathed in a few weeks. ) The Zone of Repulsion works on everything, not just his fellow mon-mates like the Zone of Attraction. The Zone of Repulsion is also stronger than the Zone of Attraction.

So that's how they end up all nicely spaced-out within the ranks. There's a balance between the Zone of Repulsion and Zone of Attraction. When something else gets in the way--a tree, a cliff, or another man from a different unit--they are repelled. There is probably an additional Zone of Repulsion for friendly units in STW and some code to handle "mass repulsion"--if enough men in each unit are having to shift around enough, then just move the whole damn unit.

I have seen, though, units which weren't mingled, moving around on their own. So apparently the Unit Zone of Repulsion extends beyond its own ranks a bit for some Liebensraum.

[Wilbo]

Irinami, how did you find that out!?

[Adrian II]

I believe the 'voluntary' movement also occurs with units standing on slopes, particularly Cavalry units. Maybe the horsies are attracted by the green grass at the bottom of the valley. Maybe the horsemen are impetuous for the naked girls bathing in the river below. Maybe they're all just into Yoga and they enjoy, like, going with the flow of gravity which is cool by me.

[Irinami]

Irinami, how did you find that out!?

LOL

I dropped out of college to prepare for Basic training. I was studying IT. My fiancee is studying "Digital Media Internet Interactive," or IOW Game Design. So to help her understand some of the concepts, I had to learn them too. Once you know the pattern, you can see it all over the place. :)

[Drisos]

That worked wonders! Thanks!

as shogun isn't working i haven't tried it yet, but i'll problably work, thank you guys!