my compilation of useful to know stuff

[predaturd]

thanks for the corrections sharp ill edit them in later

yes heidrik with enough morale and a rear charge peasents can be formidible hence the reason i include a few of those cheap upkeep units in my army (peasents first few turns militia after)

[Heidrek]

Another question:

Do certain types of units get bonuses against other specific types? I hear somewhere that Swordsmen units get +1 Atk/Def against Spears, and that Cavalry get a bonus on open ground (I assume this means not uphill or in trees?)

[Puzz3D]

Swords do get a +1 attack against spearmen. As I recall, this was one of the changes made in the MTW v1.1 patch.

Cavalry get penalized -4 points in trees, so they are better on open ground. I'm not aware of any bonus for cavalry on open ground.

[Peasant Phill]

Camels get a bonus in the desert and another against horses, but you probably knew that one already.

[r johnson]

Very interesting, just to add I think going from Denmark to Saxony/Hanover produces a bridge battle. I luv bridge battles

[predaturd]

ok will check that some time then edit it in if true

im not aware of any sword bonuses you got any links to where its proven?

anyway there is a combat modifiers section there

Combat modifiers:

Formations

+3 atk, -3 def for wedge formation
-2 atk, +2 def for hold formation

Spear/pikes

+1 def per rank (up to 2 for spear, 4 for pike)
+1 atk per 2 ranks when not charging
+1 atk per rank when charging
No rank bonuses in trees

Terrain

+1 atk for camels in sandy desert
-1 atk for camels in lush or temperate
-2 atk, -2 def for cavalry or camel in trees
Bonus to atk for being uphill (amount depends on height difference)
Penalty to atk for being downhill (amount depends on height difference)

read it all and make sure you dont skip any before commenting please :)

[Puzz3D]

im not aware of any sword bonuses you got any links to where its proven?

Spear changes in v1.1 patch

Longjohn2 Nov-09-2002

In general I made it much easier to push spearmen back in combat. They were a bit too much of a brick wall before. They now depend on having rear rank support to have good stopping power. Keeping them well formed, and avoiding turning just before going into combat is important now, especially for pikes.

Secondly I gave a 1 factor bonus to non spear infantry fighting spears/pikes with supporting ranks, unless they were charging. ie you get the bonus after the initial impact.

Thirdly I made some changes to make pikes better against spears, and to make them better at pushing back when they have supporting ranks.

I make some changes to how men form up in combat, which ought to help spears/pike keep closed up and supporting each other.

I made spear units more expensive.
I made all the expensive units cheaper.

[Martok]

Puzz, don't spearmen & pikemen suffer a mild penalty when fighting in woods as well (albeit not as severe a penalty as cavalry)? I seem to recall this penalty is applied due to trees breaking up their ranks somewhat.

In fact (come to think of it), I've long been under the impression that sword/polearm infantry are pretty much the only units that *don't* suffer some sort of penalty when fighting in & amongst trees. I seem to recall that just about all other unit types -- cavalry, missiles, gunpowder, etc. -- suffer from at least partially reduced effectiveness in woods for one reason or another.

[Peasant Phill]

Well you're right.
Axes/swords/polearms don't suffer penalties in the woods because these units can fight individually.
Cav suffers a severe penalty because supposedly horses can't move as good in the woods.
Spears and pikes lose some of there rank bonuses because trees disrupt the formation. If you ask me, pike should've got the same penalty as cav because I imagine pikes not being very handy to maneuver in the woods.
Lastly missiles and firearms suffer a penalty when firing from or into woods. It is assumed that at least some of the missiles or balls are absorbed by the trees. These units don't suffer a penalty in the woods when it comes to melee fighting.

[Puzz3D]

Puzz, don't spearmen & pikemen suffer a mild penalty when fighting in woods as well (albeit not as severe a penalty as cavalry)? I seem to recall this penalty is applied due to trees breaking up their ranks somewhat.

The rationale is that the trees break up the formation which they actually do, but I think the rank bonus is completely eliminated in trees regardless of that. There is no additional combat penalty as far as I know.

In fact (come to think of it), I've long been under the impression that sword/polearm infantry are pretty much the only units that *don't* suffer some sort of penalty when fighting in & amongst trees. I seem to recall that just about all other unit types -- cavalry, missiles, gunpowder, etc. -- suffer from at least partially reduced effectiveness in woods for one reason or another.

Trees hamper maneuver and disrupt units when moving (-2 morale), so in that sense all units are adversely affected by trees. Cavalry and camels, in addition to the combat penalty, are hampered the most when trying to maneuver in trees because they are physically larger objects and therefore collide with the trees more often.