Cataphract Maces?

**Andejar** · 10-29-2006, 04:32

I have notice while playing the game with cataphracts if I press alt while engaged in combat they switch to attacking with maces. Does this have any effect on them, good or bad?

**dacdac** · 10-29-2006, 04:34

it is a secondary attack, obviously, and it is more effective against armoured troops than other weapons. They get a slight bonus.

**professorspatula** · 10-29-2006, 15:08

The armour piercing mace effectively halves the armour rating of the enemy I believe, thus making it worthwhile switching to the mace at every opportunity after the initial charge with the spear. It's almost unfair if you use maces on enemy Cataphracts because they're too stupid to use their own ones, so they die fast whilst your cataphracts laugh away as another enemy skull is crushed with ease.

**x-dANGEr** · 10-29-2006, 15:27

Originally Posted by dacdac

it is a secondary attack, obviously, and it is more effective against armoured troops than other weapons. They get a slight bonus.

Oh believe me they get a huge one..

**dacdac** · 10-29-2006, 17:57

how much do other bonuses count for? For example, some descriptions say a unit gets an bonus in forests or deserts etc. How much of a bonus is that?

**professorspatula** · 10-29-2006, 18:38

The stats hidden away in the game's text files suggests the bonus for deserts/forests is typically 2-3. I assume that bonus applies to the attack skill, but possibly extends to the defense too. Eg, a unit with 7 attack and forest bonus, ends up with 10 attack whilst having a fight amongst the trees. Certainly cavalry gets a massive penalty fighting in wooded areas. Whether or not that is exactly how the bonuses work though, I'm not wholly sure.

**Andejar** · 10-30-2006, 22:17

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

**ByzantineKnight** · 11-05-2006, 03:46

Originally Posted by professorspatula

The armour piercing mace effectively halves the armour rating of the enemy I believe

It actually ignores the armour completely, thus the "Armour Piercing" attribute they have.

**professorspatula** · 11-05-2006, 04:51

I beg to differ. The export_descr_unit.txt file that contains all the unit stats says this:
" ap = armour piercing. Only counts half of target's armour"

Heavy armour will still deflect some of the force of a blow, regardless of what you're throwing at it. Just because you have an axe doesn't mean plate metal suddenly has the protection capabilities of a sheet of paper. A 50% reduction in armour effectiveness is a pretty sizeable bonus. A 100% reduction would just mean Head hunting maidens could kill a unit of Cataphracts in about 5 seconds, instead they usually lose (although in certain circumstances they can win).

**Hargrimm** · 11-05-2006, 05:54

Is there any guide to all the properties of the alt attacks of units?

**ByzantineKnight** · 11-06-2006, 05:36

Originally Posted by professorspatula

I beg to differ. The export_descr_unit.txt file that contains all the unit stats says this:
" ap = armour piercing. Only counts half of target's armour"

Heavy armour will still deflect some of the force of a blow, regardless of what you're throwing at it. Just because you have an axe doesn't mean plate metal suddenly has the protection capabilities of a sheet of paper. A 50% reduction in armour effectiveness is a pretty sizeable bonus. A 100% reduction would just mean Head hunting maidens could kill a unit of Cataphracts in about 5 seconds, instead they usually lose (although in certain circumstances they can win).

Ok, sorry. Its been a while since I needed to look at the file.