How to: Create Exploding spears?

[Ra-az]

Hi,
I realise this is a bit of a longshot but..........

I'd like to make a cavalry unit with melee spears which create an explosion effect when they hit their foe with it.

It would be nice if it would be a 'functional' explosion with radius an area damage......... But I'll settle gladly for only the visual illusion!

Can anybody tell me if it's possible and/or some suggestions how to accomplish this?

As always oooozing gratitude 4 any feedback!!!

[Publius]

I have never done this and am going out completely on a limb here:

stat_sec 51, 1, javelin, 120, 30, siege_missile, blade, blunt, none, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr ap, bp, area, launching

use those lines to replace the ones in the edu entry for the unit (if the javelin is primary weapons switch accordingly). Worth a shot I suppose

[Publius]

Ok (apparently I dont have th ability to edit posts) A few other things: you are going to want to set the damage (51) way down, unless of course you are trying to create something very, very powerful. Also the ammo (30) can also be adjusted depending on how much ammo you want them to have

[Ra-az]

That's mighty quick, but I think you misunderstood me. Or more to the point I was unclear in my description............

To complicate things:
The unit won't have a thrown spear, but just a normal spear to melee with (with an exploding tip)! So it's NOT a missile unit.

Any more idea's?

[Publius]

hrm, again dont expect this to necessarily work but . . . try this:

stat_sec 12, 7, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, spear, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr ap, bp, area

[Ra-az]

Thx I'll try that.... Stay tuned for results.......

Tried it:
If I put it in as is I get a CTD
If I put it instead of primary weapon, game runs but no visible result.

Anybody else? Or Publius if you have more thoughts let me know.......

NB The visible illusion of an explosion will also do,alltough I'd rather have some guys flying through the air of course and lie on the ground scorched.

[Ciaran]

I have never done this and am going out completely on a limb here:

stat_sec 51, 1, javelin, 120, 30, siege_missile, blade, blunt, none, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr ap, bp, area, launching

use those lines to replace the ones in the edu entry for the unit (if the javelin is primary weapons switch accordingly). Worth a shot I suppose

Sorry, but that wouldn´t help, even if Ra-az was giving the unit a thrown weapon. Siege_missile only gives the morale penalty for siege weapons (you can add it to any missile unit and, for example, simulate the effect gunpowder units had in MTW), it has nothing to do with the weapon that´s used. That would be the Javelin entry, to create an explosive one it would be necessary to add a new projectile in descr_projectile, and possibly a new effect. On that account, effects (any effects, fire, smoke, dust, blood) are, as far as I know, only possible with missile weapons, that´s why there´s no working blood mod, or only a rather bad one from what I´ve heard.

The area and launching attributes might work, so the charge throws a couple of men through the air, but in 1.5 I think there´s also an attribute called power_charge or something, you´ll have to search through EDU.

[Ra-az]

Hi Ciaran,

On that account, effects (any effects, fire, smoke, dust, blood) are, as far as I know, only possible with missile weapons

Could I maybe accomplish it by giving them a missile weapon with a very short range, which I will make to look like a normal spear?

On same note, will missile units fire in melee if I give them only a missile weapon?

Like I said before I'll settle for the visual illusion also. Any idea's anybody? Don't be shy, plse post?

Thx

[Publius]

That might work, although there will be some pretty large drawbacks. Functionally, if you gave the javelin a range of, lets say, 1, then yes you might be able to get a sort of spear effect. However, the unit will still use a missile animation (you could try changing the skeleton I suppose in the dmb), your cursor will be a javelin not a sword, and also you wont be able to charge units. At best you will be able to click on the enemy, your men will charge until within range (in this case a very short distance) and then stop to throw. Unless you give them some very high defense stats, you will most likely lose a lot of these men before they have launched their first "volley."

[Ra-az]

Thx I'll play around with the "missile weapon morph to melee weapon" trick.

But I think it will have too many disadvantages.......
I have a growing fear that this is one idea that won't get realised........

I think that if I am to accomplish this, a brand new approach is needed.

Is there such a thing as scripting in battles?
That's maybe a possibility?

Plse more feedback.. I NEED more feedback.........grgrgroaarrrgrrooowl