Stupid behaviour of certain types of infantry

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Where was I marching? Ummm... I forgot... err... here? You were the guy next to me, couple of minutes ago, right? No, err, you? Or was it you? And where's the foe, anyway?


Please tell me what part of the unit's EDU-entry I have to edit to make them behave like thinking human beings. This behaviour also occurs with Classical Hoplites, and, to a lesser extent, with Thureophoroi and other similar units.

[The General]

It happens with all kinds of units, I usually either re-drag the position for the unit, or hit "," and then "." (or the other way around).

[Pharnakes]

Just hit backspace (stop) and they should tidy up.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

It may have something to do with the fact that you have them grouped together. They seem to loose a few IQ points when grouped.

[The Celtic Viking]

No, it doesn't. It happens to me fairly often and, as a consequence of me rarely grouping units, a vast majority of times it happens to an ungrouped unit.

I know of no way to keep it from happening, but hitting backspace, like Pharnakes suggests, fixes it.

[Palasta]

Something similiar happened when i was laying siege on Gawjam-Skandanavoz (or sth. like that) and the enemy attacked. I ordered the units to go onward and suddenly they swarmed out like enraged bees, towards the enemy of course. Took me some time to restore the order. Never happened in 0.81 or at any other location and settlement in 1.0. Kinda strange experience.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Sorry, backspace doesn't improve it really. I will try "," & "." though. With Phalanxes this is not a problem, after commanding "F" for Phalanx mode and directly "F" again, they regroup properly. Sadly normal infantry does not have such a command, at least "D" doesn't work.

[pezhetairoi]

what does ',' and '.' do?

[iwwtf_az]

what does ',' and '.' do?

adds punctuation.

[LorDBulA]

LOL

Rotates formation.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

OK, "," and "." work in regaining formation, but destroy the line. I used "C" instead, rapidly hitting the key twice. That works quite well. Nevertheless I'd like to know why not all units are affected. Why for example behave Hoplitai Haploi much better in that respect than their more professional counterparts, Hoplitai? They should have almost zero training, after all they are just the scum from the gutter forced to hold a spear and an aspis...

[Pharnakes]

This is not something done by the eb team, this is just stupid RTW AI.

[Moosemanmoo]

I get alot of problems with phalanxes especially during sieges. I one marched my phalanx down the street in formation towards an enemy levy phalanx. As soon as I told my wonderous argyraspidai to attack they suddenly break formation and create another phalanx facing the wrong way and end up slowly walking sideways into a forest of pikes

Always had this issue with Rome, my conclusion is that phalanxes are retarded

[Puupertti Ruma]

OK, "," and "." work in regaining formation, but destroy the line. I used "C" instead, rapidly hitting the key twice. That works quite well. Nevertheless I'd like to know why not all units are affected. Why for example behave Hoplitai Haploi much better in that respect than their more professional counterparts, Hoplitai? They should have almost zero training, after all they are just the scum from the gutter forced to hold a spear and an aspis...

I am quite certain this is a problem with tightly fitted formations. In such a cramped space the guys start bumbing into each other messing the individual soldiers AI routines. That would explain why hoplitai haploi work better than hoplitai.

I guess one thing that could help is make the space individual soldier takes a little tiny bit smaller. On the otherhand that could mess the balance of hoplitais.

[Pharnakes]

All units tend to turn side on in streets, when on the offensive. Very anoying but especialy for phalanxes.

[MiniMe]

If there ever was anything close to realism in TW series and its modifications, that's exactly it - behavior of units that try to line up in formation.
What else would you expect of them, ten minutes ago they were ordered to line in 8*10 formation, five minutes ago - in 4*20 and now you say: "Ok, lads. Change my mind, we have to meet the enemy in my newest 5*16 formation!"
I can imagine them thinking: "Freakin Hannibalwannabe. This is not a ballet!"

I'm a mysantrop not without a reputation. I don't laugh. But sometimes I launch vanilla Medieaval II just to watch how horsies during pursuit scatter through the whole battlefield. And it pleases me greatly. Cause that's what they are supposed to do instead of always keeping a formation like a single supernatural body they do in RTW and its modifications

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I agree with you partially but don't think that's the point. Flanking maneuvers are indeed difficult, especially for cavalry, and this is not depicted correctly in EB / RTW. Funnily, cavalry moves far better in "ballet" than infantry.

Then again, having the army march forward, simply forward without gearing to any side, without change of formation depth, 1/2 mile away from the enemy, should not impose any difficulties and thus not lead to soldiers forgetting the location they had 5 seconds ago.

[Pharnakes]

Well, look at Alexanders phalanx, they were trained to half the depth and double the line, fairly quickly, were they not.

[Perturabo]

Phalanx in towns/cities are a nightmare. Just when it seems they have stopped milling and you can drop the spears, they start milling in the other direction Naturally giving the enemy time to charge with cavalry into them. I suspect the RTW pathfinding in towns is 'imperfect' for want of a better word - if they are too close to walls etc you are stuffed.
I have no such problems in the field with them. A quick jab of the phalanx button usually sorts them there.

I usually end up referring to my phalanx's by name (**** for brains) by the end of a decent city battle. Guess they aren't grunts due to natural intelligence

[Digby Tatham Warter]

Phalanx in towns/cities are a nightmare. Just when it seems they have stopped milling and you can drop the spears, they start milling in the other direction Naturally giving the enemy time to charge with cavalry into them. I suspect the RTW pathfinding in towns is 'imperfect' for want of a better word - if they are too close to walls etc you are stuffed.
I have no such problems in the field with them. A quick jab of the phalanx button usually sorts them there.

In streets I clic into 'phalanx' if not in it already, followed by 'halt' if they are in a mess, this way they settle into phalanx much quicker.