Sweet Realistic Medieval Combat (Mount and Blade)

[econ21]

Apropos nothing, I just discovered the zoom key. Makes archery so much easier. It makes me wonder how on earth I used to get so many long distance headshots back before 0.8. My character is still pretty useless at archery though - PD2 and a short bow, bleh.

I've also discovered the joys of mounted combat, although again with a very ill designed character - riding 2!

The biggest challenge though is handling the strategic aspects. There's a battle between a lesser Gondorian host of 50 against 200 bad guys, and I just know my band of 29 is not enough to turn it around.

[Xehh II]

I don't have this TLD yet and I won't get it for a while but I was wondering do you have to be a human? Could you play as an Uruk-Hai or an Orc?

[econ21]

I don't have this TLD yet and I won't get it for a while but I was wondering do you have to be a human? Could you play as an Uruk-Hai or an Orc?

Yes, you can be Uruk or Orc. (Also Elf). You can belong to the various major factions - Mordor, Isengard, Gondor, Rohan and Elf.

[Caius]

Will there be a M&B MP version?

[Xehh II]

Will there be a M&B MP version?

No.

[Caius]

No.

That would be a good idea.If they implement it.

[econ21]

The biggest challenge though is handling the strategic aspects. There's a battle between a lesser Gondorian host of 50 against 200 bad guys, and I just know my band of 29 is not enough to turn it around.

I wimped out of that fight, but then stumbled into one with 110 Greater Host of Gondor vs 262 Mordor troops. We wiped them out for the loss of only 15 men! Sadly, my character did virtually nothing but stay alive and give commands. Health was too low to risk exposing her. The Gondorian heavy cavalry is murder against Mordor if used right.

[sapi]

Yeah - I find that even with the battle size set to 100, a smaller yet good group can turn the tide pretty easily.

The only trouble (caused by the AI) in my Gondorian campaign is the Haradrium cavalry - the damn things go through the forces of gondor like a hot chainsaw through butter

In other news, I managed to accidently hit surrender to an inferior force and lost all 50 of my trained men Thank god for automatic save backups

Gondor's finally strong again (although the special legions are giving trouble, I wiped out the great host of Mordor) but Rohan is about to fall so I'm headed there pronto

Not a bad mod

[Oleander Ardens]

The Gondorian heavy cavalry is murder against Mordor if used right.

OA dixit.

Gondorian campaign is the Haradrium cavalry

Try to draw the attention of roughly halve of the enemy riders on you. Use rivers, especially when surrounded with steep slopes. Or at least hilly terrain with trees. Intermix your heavy cavalry with your infantry and your archers. That will stop them for good. Then murder them.

Cheers
OA

[Slyspy]

Yes, the Wall Of Bodies (tm) soon stops those pesky horsemen. I usually play infantry and the mob does the trick nicely. It does have a problem with horse archers (can't catch them) but thankfully in M&B .8 horse archers are utterly ineffective.

[econ21]

Not a bad mod

Understatement of the year; it is absolutely stunning. The level of detail is amazing - e.g. the orcs being stronger at night. At first, I was worried that they had set the difficulty level too high for me (as Gondor). But after eliminating the Great Host of Mordor, I am more relaxed about that - it seems just right.

I've decided knights are the way to go as Gondor, and being a lancer is best for my character. Archery was useful early on, when my force was weak - I could take out threats to my newbie army of squires. But couched damage is just amazing - though you probably need good kit to do it safely. I don't see much point to your character melee fighting on foot - I am not sure you can do much more than two or three of your men mobbing someone.

[Mailman653]

Elves are pretty good too once they are leveled up a bit, I have a few in my army, plus this guy I recurited in some city which name escapes me, I think he is at level 60 and lethal with a bow, its awesome. Although I don't understand why none of the merchants sell the Elven warhorse, I know it's there since my guy rides one in battle so why cant I buy it. =\

[Dave1984]

I don't see much point to your character melee fighting on foot - I am not sure you can do much more than two or three of your men mobbing someone.

In TLD I've actually taken to fighting on horseback until I reduce the enemy to the same size force as my army, then dismounting and advancing with the infantry and it has been very satusfying so far! I know there are issues with fighting on foot and it is something that needs to be worked on but if you're fighting with even forces it really isn't too bad.

[sapi]

Understatement of the year; it is absolutely stunning. The level of detail is amazing - e.g. the orcs being stronger at night. At first, I was worried that they had set the difficulty level too high for me (as Gondor). But after eliminating the Great Host of Mordor, I am more relaxed about that - it seems just right.

I've decided knights are the way to go as Gondor, and being a lancer is best for my character. Archery was useful early on, when my force was weak - I could take out threats to my newbie army of squires. But couched damage is just amazing - though you probably need good kit to do it safely. I don't see much point to your character melee fighting on foot - I am not sure you can do much more than two or three of your men mobbing someone.

I'm enjoying the game much more now that I can recover from a battle in a maximum of one week (for the influence bonus = 14 gondorian knights).

It's also useful to have 60-odd men, who can be decisive in any battle.

I've bitten off more than I can chew quite a few times; but the strategic aspects of the mod make it inevitible if I want Gondor (now wavering despite my actions) to survive.

Still, it is nice to beat 260 men from various enemy forces with only 50 troops, aiding a 60-man lesser host

[Slyspy]

I play the first few levels on horseback until I can afford decent equipment. From then on I fight on foot. The chaos of a closely packed melee is great and you just don't get that when you fight mounted.

In fact most of the time when you are on horseback you need to fight alone because your guys (especially the cavalry) get in the way. If you stop, you die.

Plus the fights are over much quicker and you men gain experience (or, conversely, a grave) far more quickly if you lead them in on foot.

Edit:

Sapi, what do you mean "recover from a battle in a maximum of one week"? Sounds like you need some medical and training skills.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I think he's talking about the strength of his army.

CR

[Vuk]

lmao! lol! What difficulty do you guys play on? I have full AI skills and half damage. I am on day 12 and Mordor is weak. I have defeated 4 great hosts. (two of mordor's and two of Isengard's) I am currently wiping out the Haradrim. I play as a cavalry man with a heavy military hammer. I am a Captain of the Outer Gate. lol Do you know what comes next?

Vuk

[Crazed Rabbit]

Half damage is for sissy-men.

Oh, and I'm the Captain of the Eastern Plains in Rohan. Got a sword of a dead king of Rohan and a mithril huabrek.

CR

[Xiahou]

Wading in late, I know... But, is it just me, or is TLD hella hard compared to vanilla M&B? I can tear up small forces solo in vanilla and I get destroyed trying to do the same in TLD. (Not saying that's a bad thing, mind you- just quite an adjustment.)

[Xehh II]

I have a Q for vinnila M&B, What does ale and wine do? they have 50/50 stat like food buy you can't use them like food.

[sapi]

I have a Q for vinnila M&B, What does ale and wine do? they have 50/50 stat like food buy you can't use them like food.

They're trade items (have a browse of the official forums for more info on trading; I can't remember many of the routes offhand)

Sapi, what do you mean "recover from a battle in a maximum of one week"? Sounds like you need some medical and training skills.

I was referring to going from having no troops to having a full compliment of around 65.

lmao! lol! What difficulty do you guys play on? I have full AI skills and half damage. I am on day 12 and Mordor is weak. I have defeated 4 great hosts. (two of mordor's and two of Isengard's) I am currently wiping out the Haradrim. I play as a cavalry man with a heavy military hammer. I am a Captain of the Outer Gate. lol Do you know what comes next?

Well, we play on full damage and don't start the war early

I think you've got captain of the inner wall and captain of the white tower to go (iirc).

[Crazed Rabbit]

Wading in late, I know... But, is it just me, or is TLD hella hard compared to vanilla M&B? I can tear up small forces solo in vanilla and I get destroyed trying to do the same in TLD. (Not saying that's a bad thing, mind you- just quite an adjustment.)

It is. The easiest party, mountain goblins, will kick your butt in ways river pirates never could. The parties of the warring nations? Fughedaboutit.

I have a Q for vinnila M&B, What does ale and wine do?

Nothing - it's just a trade item.

CR

[econ21]

In fact most of the time when you are on horseback you need to fight alone because your guys (especially the cavalry) get in the way. If you stop, you die.

I find the damage (and slow recovery) are a discipline against fighting alone. One lucky archer and you are at 50% for a few days. It's particularly nasty in round 1 of 12 round combat against a Great Host.

I tend to act quite like I imagine a historical captain would - leading the odd charge, but mainly scouting out the terrain, finding the right place for a cavalry charge, ordering the charge, regrouping men and ordering a second charge etc. Most fights soon become scattered, dispersed affairs and I tend to circle around them, making couched lance charges on the peripherary, while the knights hack through the centre.

The only time I come close to fighting alone is on the "capture X" missions, but even then I bring my heroes and their harad maces with me. I confess I have not pulled off a Mordor agent mission yet. The harad escort is a bit much for even my band of heroes.

Plus the fights are over much quicker and you men gain experience (or, conversely, a grave) far more quickly if you lead them in on foot.

I can't imagine foot battles could be quicker than cavalry ones. My heavy cavalry cut up most things very quickly and deal with the reinforcements promptly. I also don't see why they should gain experience more slowly. I guess both comments apply to fighting mainly alone?

One thing I have noticed is how even when massively outnumbered, I seem able to put a healthy number of men on the ground at the start and these can run over most enemies. I assume it is the effect of tactics=4 kicking in with battlesize=30.

[sapi]

econ, you should give things a try with battlesize=100 - makes it much more interesting

I can tell you, having ~60 knights on that setting, most of which spawn instantly, can make short work of any host of mordor

[Husar]

Hmm, I also installed TLD now, am playing a rohirrim girl on my own PC(battlesize 100 IIRC) and a gondorian guy on my dad's PC here(battlesize 40). I think playing Rohan and Gondor is quite easy and before the war I'm usually searching for enemy parties and think there could be more, having a lot of infantry as Gondor was a bad idea as well wsince all my victims can run away then, switched to cavalry now.
I also tried to make an easterling cataphract but somehow that was very, very hard. First off, none of the cities an evil guy can enter sell horses and in the TLD forum the guy mentions releasing the next patch(which will fix this) in some weeks.
And then there are those evil Ithilien Rangers or what they're called, they usually come in groups of 15-16 men, travel very fast and shoot your infantry to pieces before they kill the rest in melee with their apparently very good melee skills. I'd say they're worse than swadian crossbowmen, but especially without a horse they made me stop trying to develop that easterling. Ok, the veteran rohan riders helped a bit as well after killing my whole party with no losses...let's just say it's hard to get to the start of the war with an "evil" character as it is now.

[Yun Dog]

So I was waiting for this games release - then I thought why wait - bored with M2TW, sick of asshats in BF2.

Yun downlaods mountnblade

O MY GOD - I AM LOVING THIS GAME

I pretty much didnt stop playing it all weekend

Im riding my MC to work and I start hearing this music

Da da da, de de da da dah, de de da da DAAA DUM

Im imagining getting that swwet spot timing as I ride past some peasant - shheeess - aarrggg - Peasand killed by YunDog

and that sound - that sound as you and your knights couched lance a whole mass of hapless bandits

the hoof beats of your charger as you wheel round and slice someone down

I havent felt like this for a long time

like a debutante whos just been laid - IM GUSHING

[Slyspy]

I can't imagine foot battles could be quicker than cavalry ones. My heavy cavalry cut up most things very quickly and deal with the reinforcements promptly. I also don't see why they should gain experience more slowly. I guess both comments apply to fighting mainly alone?

One thing I have noticed is how even when massively outnumbered, I seem able to put a healthy number of men on the ground at the start and these can run over most enemies. I assume it is the effect of tactics=4 kicking in with battlesize=30.

Quite so, on both counts.

Try the Battlesizer to up the number of men on the field - use as many as your PC can handle and enjoy some awsome fights.

Next game I'm going to keep my Tactics skill low because there comes as time (when your character is as hard as nails) when it makes the battles rather easy. If you play Good it stops Evil having the advantage of numbers, while if you play Evil it makes your advantage rather excessive. IMO, of ocurse.

[Vuk]

Well, we play on full damage and don't start the war early

I think you've got captain of the inner wall and captain of the white tower to go (iirc).

Thanks! I didn't start the war early BTW. I didn't talk to Gandalf, it just started when it did.

Vuk

[Bijo]

Have downloaded the thing long ago I think. Haven't played yet. Probably won't, but I will have to remind myself to do so sometime.

[Slyspy]

Thanks! I didn't start the war early BTW. I didn't talk to Gandalf, it just started when it did.

Vuk

Even at half damage your achievements are impressive.

In my current game it was Day 25 before the war started. It would take me two days just to travel between Mordor and Isenguard, let alone track down and destroy their hosts. And to have Mordor weakened already is handy - your own Hosts now have the advantage.