An Idea for Dismounting Cavalry Before Battle

[Tudhaliya]

So I've seen the threads saying there's no way to dismount cavalry. But here's an idea.

Say we have a script that a player can activate. He clicks on an army on the campaign map, and runs the script. It selects all of the cavalry units in the stack, and deletes them. It then replaces them with the appropriate foot version of that unit. The player could then start the battle and enter the battle map with the dismounted units. After the battle, he could run another script reversing the process.

So could this work? Can scripting replace unit A with unit B? Can it replace unit A (with 54/80 soldiers at 2 veterancy) with unit B (with 54/80 soldiers at 2 veterancy)?

IF this can be done, it would give the player tactical flexibility. Of course, the AI would never figure out how and when to implement this script. Though you could set it up such that when the AI garrisons a cavalry unit, it automatically converts to foot, so as to better defend against sieges, and then reconvert to cavalry when outside the walls.

[anubis88]

IMHO this kinda of script would be just a huge waste of time...

I really have no idea how this could help the mod

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Plus it would take up more unit slots... a lot more unit slots.

[A Very Super Market]

Oh yes. EB has a few extra unit slots, but doubling the number of all cavalry units would be far too much.

[mountaingoat]

by "dismounting" into a unit that already exists in the game , i do not see how this would take up any unit slots???

btw seems difficult to implement via a script , nice idea though.

[Moros]

If it is possible, which it probably is not largely due to size, complexity, required work and impact on the game, it might not even be possible with the scripting language. And if it is, it would require to much work and resources, so I don't se it happening.

[Cute Wolf]

First question... If the Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi can be dismounted into TAB, then, what happened if someone recruit TAB aside their Kataphraktoi, and then found all his TAB becomes Kataphraktoi too? (NOTE : TAB are excellent foot soldiers, far more worthy than their counterparts on horse, as long as city battle are concerned, and there was not at large plain)

[mountaingoat]

only the mounted units would dismount and mount which would be part of their cost .. (as was in MTW) ... i do not think there would be a way to keep any units from mounting if they were not recruited as cav in the MTW2 engine.

[Ludens]

only the mounted units would dismount and mount which would be part of their cost .. (as was in MTW) ... i do not think there would be a way to keep any units from mounting if they were not recruited as cav in the MTW2 engine.

Indeed: the script cannot remember which of the dismounted units were originally mounted. So if you set cataphractoi to dismount into TABs and back, all TABs will become cataphractoi. The only way to avert this is by creating a specific "dismounted" unit for each cavalry unit type.

Anyway, it's a nice idea, but even if the above was not a problem the scripting engine is not sophisticated enough.

[bobbin]

The script can't delete units either, its the one of the reasons why Garrison scripts are a bit iffy too.

[Hax]

I am inclined to say this is impossible, for the reasons Moros and Ludens stated. If it is possible, it would include an immense script, which would have a huge impact on the playability.

[bobbin]

It is impossible, as I said the script cannot delete units it can only spawn new ones. If you tried to do it your cavalry would still be there but now with newly spawned infantry replacements as well. The basic mechanics of the idea are not possible let alone problems introduced by having such a potentially large scirpt.

[Foot]

The MTW2 script engine can delete units (as well as buildings), but it cannot delete specific units. It can only delete all units of a particular type for a particular faction. Not very useful really.

Foot

[Tudhaliya]

The MTW2 script engine can delete units (as well as buildings), but it cannot delete specific units. It can only delete all units of a particular type for a particular faction. Not very useful really.

Foot

So you're saying it deletes every single unit, across the entire map? Like, if I was playing the Seleukids, and wanted to delete 1 unit of pantodapoi in Sardis, it would delete all 100+ units pantodapoi spread across my empire?

Hmm. What did EA use it for?

[Bucefalo]

The only way i think it could work would be as a house rule of sort.
Imagine that you have a unit of mounted knights (just an example, i know it does not fit the EB period) and you want dismounted knights in the folllowing battle.

You can disband the cavalry unit (throught the button on the unit card), then open the game console and use a cheat to give to your stack the "dismounted knights" unit. This way your cavalry unit "sort of" converts into a foot unit.

Then once you want the cavalry unit again, do the same thing, you disband the dismounted one and add throught the console the cavalry unit. It is the only way i think it could be done. Still the ai would be unable to do this of course, so the player would have that advantage. Finally it may be a bit tiring if you want to change the unit many times, but alas is the only way i can think of at the moment. I think it could work just fine for those interested in mounting/dismounting.

[antisocialmunky]

You could make a show me how button that pops up during combat screen that allows you to toggle mountedness for all units, lag, and then probably crash EBII while it replaces all your units.

[Tudhaliya]

You could make a show me how button that pops up during combat screen that allows you to toggle mountedness for all units, lag, and then probably crash EBII while it replaces all your units.

So true.

It is a mixed blessing: we have power enough to change the game, but power enough to break it.

[Cute Wolf]

I think the dismount option is not a big issues afterall, as you may question it yourself...

IF
Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi dismount into TAB (logic)
Hippakontistai dismount into Peltastai (logic)
Eqvites Romani dismount into Triarii (logic)
Hetairoi Aspidophoroi dismount into Peltastai Makedonikoi (logic)

then
What are Griphanvar dismount into? Dosodastakelli?
Hetairoi dismount into? ? ? ? Hypaspistai ? ? ?
And Ysaninu Aysiramja into...... Nothing equal?

[VARVS]

I still for the life of me cannot see why this would warrant the programmers taking anytime to do. It seems like it would be way more of a hassle than any benefit it might produce.

[miotas]

Hellenikoi Kataphraktoi dismount into TAB (logic)

What is TAB?

[antisocialmunky]

1) A carbonated drink flavored with artifical sweeteners.
2) The Seleukid super heavy covered in chainmail elite infantry.

[Cute Wolf]

What is TAB?

Look at your Keyboard....... TAB.....

Seriously, Thorakitai Agematos Basilikou, the AS Katapract on foot, as you get them after Kata-reform

[ziegenpeter]

1) A carbonated drink flavored with artifical sweeteners.
2) The Seleukid super heavy covered in chainmail elite infantry.

3) The sound of you, facepalming, because no one gets this...


Seriously, I might consider the cheating thing. The problem is, to know all the internal names, plus you can only do it with full units, otherwise it would be REAL cheating...