Funny thing I found out about Desert Axemen

**player1** · 05-14-2005, 22:27

Well, the story goes like this.
My PC recently crashed, so I needed to reinstall RTW from scratch.
That gave me great opportunity to look for a differences between vanilla and 1.2

One one very interessting thing is that 1.0 Desert Axemen has armor value of 11.

Yes, ELEVEN!

Anyway, it is kinda funny when players today complain how Axemen has "virtual armor of 5", when compared to 1.0 is was drasticly reduced. Not to mention that most barbarian "almost naked" units have armor of 3.

**professorspatula** · 05-14-2005, 22:44

Everyone found the 11 armour rating crazy. They were like iron-skinned. Five is still high for the default 'bare-chested' skin that ships with the game.

The barbarian armour issue is a bit weird. Most have 3 armour, but some have none. Armour is probably the most important of all defensive values, so I suppose CA decided they needed to have at least some protection. Missile troops and aggressive barbarians like Chosen axemen have to rely on their attack instead. It must be the trousers. They don't have the special anti-sharp-instrument protection that other barbarians' trousers have.

**player1** · 05-15-2005, 00:35

Or maybe CA planned at one point to have all barbarians, exept those that have 0 armor, to have clothing similar to those used by barbarian peasents or mercenary barbarians.

EDIT:
It does make sense for all those units with armor of 3, to still have some armor, although it isn't represented in their skins.

On the other hand, units with 0 armor even in their descriptions have something like "fearless - don't wear armor".

**runes** · 05-15-2005, 07:18

im thinking it's like a thac0/ac thing, they're suppose to represent "skilled" troops, so "the ability to not get hit/get out of the way/block/parry" is counted. at least thats what i assumed.

although how one parries a cataphract charge or blocks a boulder from an onager is a mystery to me...

**sapi** · 05-15-2005, 08:01

must have bullet time...

**Craterus** · 05-15-2005, 12:28

Their ability at blocking and dodging is shown in their defence skill.

**tibilicus** · 05-15-2005, 13:52

desert axemen........... My most hated unit ever.......

**Es Arkajae** · 05-15-2005, 17:02

Originally Posted by tibilicus

desert axemen........... My most hated unit ever.......

I just hate the entire Egyptian faction.

Its bad enough stretching out the game over any length of time and keeping it interesting.

Its even worse when one is in a race against time to try and reach the east before bloody Egypt with its stupid units and looks takes over all of of it and wipes out all the other factions there.

**The Stranger** · 05-15-2005, 18:30

Originally Posted by player1

Well, the story goes like this.
My PC recently crashed, so I needed to reinstall RTW from scratch.
That gave me great opportunity to look for a differences between vanilla and 1.2

One one very interessting thing is that 1.0 Desert Axemen has armor value of 11.

Yes, ELEVEN!

Anyway, it is kinda funny when players today complain how Axemen has "virtual armor of 5", when compared to 1.0 is was drasticly reduced. Not to mention that most barbarian "almost naked" units have armor of 3.

here's my armour layout i use

no armour = 0
leather = 3
light metal = 5-6
linnen = 5-6
chainmail = 7
metal plate = 9
heavy metal = 11
fully armoured = 16

**pezhetairoi** · 05-16-2005, 04:03

Well, I modded the desert axemen in my game down to armour 5, so they are much more manageable now. Only thing is, I've never faced Egypt in the imperial campaign (always burnt out or bribed rather than fought) so I'll never know for sure until my Greeks face them.

**runes** · 05-16-2005, 05:39

i can dig the idea of deser axemen, fast fast unit, but very good vs armour.

i played egypt first when i got rome, and got a liking for them, its indeed too bad they are cheap/overpowered. i like the style of their army- pure lighting speed. with range to back them up. nothing in the way of duke it out medium or heavy infantry, but i like the speed. (i've never been much of a spear/hoplite/phalanx guy, so i didnt use spearmen too much) they need another faction that is built up of more fast strike units.