Is it just me... (unit combat)

[atheotes]

I also feel that unit control in RTW is better than M2TW. Dont even talk about the deployment in siege defences and inside cities/castle!!!

[John_Longarrow]

PapaNasty,

I only posted that because no modder has added in fricking sharks with fricking lasers on their heads!

[Husar]

In M2TW units change formation when ordered to march over a long distance.
Usually(and always if you drag at their destination), they will reform at the target position, but especially cavalry tends to keep their marching formation which can be a bit weird, when ordering a charge from a long distance away you can also end up having them charge in their long marching column. I can't decide whether I like that feature or not, it's a bit like Age of Empires 2, where I liked that, but it should at least not be used when an attack order is given.

[atheotes]

Problem is, in the battlefield i consider movement more akin to advancing the battle line than marching from one city/place to another... in short I hate it

[Orda Khan]

If you advance the battle line to or through an area where some ground is impassable or passable with some difficulty, the affected unit will adjust its formation. What else would you expect? A unit that is deployed in a wide formation that comes across marshy ground, for example, will adjust to a narrower formation to avoid being bogged down. I can't see the problem with that, it makes perfect sense

......Orda

[atheotes]

I am ok with example you cited... but even in that case i would prefer they come back to their battle line formation if and when they come to halt in normal/passable ground.
And even in grassy plains - i deploy them in a formation and aske the whole army to advance. There are no visual hinderances in the terrain. i have seen them change formation. i have to redeploy them to get the same battle line.

It probably would help if we are not allowed to drag in unpoisitionable areas... this is most problematic inside the city/castle.

[Orda Khan]

This is very strange. Forget towns and cities, model textures have always been a cause of poor pathfinding, units getting stuck, etc. I am curious about the problems occuring on maps like Grassy Plain. The drag and drop feature was a new introduction to TW when RTW was released, it caused a few problems for those familiar with the old alt/ left or right click commands. I tried many times to replicate the issues that some people were posting but my armies always carried out the commands correctly, even when using multiple groups and alt/left click.
I mentioned play testing my historical battle earlier and first noticed the change of some unit deployment while doing that. At first I thought it was one of the problems I'd read about but I was wrong. The drag and drop command allows you to easily redirect your army, for whatever reason, by simply scrolling out a new destination; I did this and found my original deployment pattern was restored. When I looked into this a little closer I found that my army had altered its formation due to terrain and its current formation showed up with drag and drop, however when it arrived its original deployment was maintained.
I've never witnessed a problem like this on Grassy Plain or any other fairly standard terrain maps (after many MP battles) so please don't take offense when I ask you exactly how do you issue commands?

My method....

Deploy army
Group army
Select group
Drag and drop

Division of army into into sub groups can be done near to engagement.

Another method but slightly more work....

Deploy army
Sub group certain units
Select all
Alt/left click to location
Use < and > change facing

Both methods see my army line up in original deployment at their new destination point unless there is an obstacle

........Orda