Investigation of unit build costs

[MajorFreak]

that'll help thanks. hmmmmmm...as for the testing right/left defensive, didn't you think of archers? would they turn to face the archers even when controlled by another multiplayer human?

[katank]

Yes, they indeed will. There is a nice horse archer tactics which involves constantly threatening the enemy's shieldless side with arrows. The infantry will turn even without human orders. This reflex maneuver can be very annoying.

What you often end up with is a circle of horse archers surrounding a dense clump of enemy infantry constantly turning and scared.

[Kraxis]

Because the infantry do turn and face the charging enemy you have no chance of proving if the defensive value is indeed only effective on one side (and the front of course).
But they only began to turn relatively late, and I'm not talking about the AI turning the unit, I'm talking about me controlling the infantry and the individual soldiers turning (not all of them of course only the first line or so).

[MajorFreak]

okay, thanks. looks like i'll need a VERY patient playtester then. (a) fire one volley (b) opponent turns the reacting infantry unit back to where we want them (c) repeat

[Kraxis]

You can't use archery in the same way. Only armour and shield (left and front) affects ranged attacks, defensive ability gives you nothing (or at least that is what we think, no tests have been performed on it). So it is rather simple to work out, it is the melee that is hard to understand.
Also, the men turn on their own, but the unit stays in place, and since we can't control the individual men then it becomes hard to control them like this.

[MajorFreak]

fascinating info, thanks