Not much talk about one of my most favorite new features: Cover!

**Graphic** · 03-06-2009, 05:44

The cover system is so awesome and really different from anything in previous total wars,

I've been having a blast on a lot of defensive battles, setting up extremely tight defensive zones based around stone walls. It's really effective but challenging, since you need to seriously guard the flanks of the guys in cover.

This one was lots of fun as Russia against the Crimean Khanate:

**pevergreen** · 03-06-2009, 05:47

I like it, but not being able (AFAIK) to stretch out a unit along cover is annoying.

**quadalpha** · 03-06-2009, 05:53

Those massive infantry earthwork things you can build are great too, but only (I think) if you're defending.

**knoddy** · 03-06-2009, 08:21

cover is cool as is the defences u can build, the problem is that the ai reacts so poorly to it, ive seen my housemate slaughter armies which just stand there and do nothing cept die.

EDIT : i think they just need to adjust the AI's priorities

no 1. should be flank them
no 2. if they cant be flanked or a flanking attack is beaten off, try and draw them out, longer range infantry or even cannons or some form of horse gunner skirmishing (of course this depends on army makeup)
3. melee - no point having a shooting battle with someone sitting behind a wall. u will lose every time.

basically the ai just seems to get confused about which course of action to take when faced with units using cover.

**Ardri** · 03-06-2009, 09:06

I've noticed that one more than one occasion I've been behind a stone wall and only 1 troop in the unit will actually be firing. Other than the 1 the unit just sits there ducked behind the stone wall not firing. I haven't quite figured exactly why it behaves that way as of now.

**Necceh** · 03-06-2009, 14:58

Yeah, flank or get into melee asap if flanking is not an option.

**pevergreen** · 03-06-2009, 15:16

Originally Posted by Ardri

I've noticed that one more than one occasion I've been behind a stone wall and only 1 troop in the unit will actually be firing. Other than the 1 the unit just sits there ducked behind the stone wall not firing. I haven't quite figured exactly why it behaves that way as of now.

Have you researched advanced shooting drills?

If not, then even if they are standing up, only the front rank will fire.

**Daevyll** · 03-22-2009, 11:34

Originally Posted by knoddy

cover is cool as is the defences u can build, the problem is that the ai reacts so poorly to it, ive seen my housemate slaughter armies which just stand there and do nothing cept die.

EDIT : i think they just need to adjust the AI's priorities

no 1. should be flank them
no 2. if they cant be flanked or a flanking attack is beaten off, try and draw them out, longer range infantry or even cannons or some form of horse gunner skirmishing (of course this depends on army makeup)
3. melee - no point having a shooting battle with someone sitting behind a wall. u will lose every time.

basically the ai just seems to get confused about which course of action to take when faced with units using cover.

In my games (VH/VH) the AI does 1 and 3 quite consistently, never saw it just stand there and die tbh.
As for 2, I dont ythink the AI has been in a position to do so yet; my armies are typically quite artillery heavy, so trying to outshoot me would be a bad choice. Which it didnt make.

**loony** · 03-23-2009, 09:24

The way I do it is position my units a little further behind cover, so that they shoot the enemy when they try to climb over those walls. I also always have some grenadiers to smoke out any enemy units trying to hide behind those walls :)

It works perfectly, as the eney is temporarily slowed when they climb over walls, I get at least 6 volleys (2 times all three ranks) before they return fire. I get at least 2 volleys if that is a cavalry unit comming.

All on VH/H

**Liberator** · 03-23-2009, 19:47

Originally Posted by quadalpha

Those massive infantry earthwork things you can build are great too, but only (I think) if you're defending.

yeah, defending - but there must be other conditions as well - I have only seen it once so far

**Ordani** · 03-23-2009, 19:54

Originally Posted by Liberator

yeah, defending - but there must be other conditions as well - I have only seen it once so far

You have to be defending while not having moved the prior turn from what I've seen -- so not if you're intercepted or ambushed, or just took a city, etc. The infantry earthworks are decent but I don't use any of the other "cover" options due to horrible pathing and buggy behavior; It's more efficacious to position units a few steps back from a wall in normal 3-rank formation and let the wall slow any attackers.

**Ardri** · 03-23-2009, 20:15

yeah, defending - but there must be other conditions as well - I have only seen it once so far

Your army must be dug in, ie it must have been in the same spot on the campaign map for 1 turn without moving and have the wooden stakes shown around it. If this is the case and you are attacked you get the chance to build defences.