For polearms the issue is that you do not really see the tip of your lance, so identifying the place of impact can be hard, especially since you have to thrust them adding another difficulty as the impact comes later. I have not yet tried 1st person, so this might help here. Otherwise I suggested some sort of visual hint where the tip is pointed towards, although this could also be too much.I'm also finding it very hard to hit anything from horseback. Even with spears I probably land only 1/5 hits. Honestly have no idea what is happening as I was quite good at it in Warband.
Edit: Maybe the e-peen warriors can have an uber ultra warrior mode where they can preen and show off, and for the rest of us a few adjustments to make the fights a bit more enjoyable.
Thats one of the combat changes i love about bannerlord the damage you do actually depends on what part of the weapon you hit with and the momentum if you hit with the strong of a blade (the base) and at the start of the swing where there is very little momentum you will do no damage which is realisticPart of it is due to our Warband knowledge...
Hit boxes are much more important now. In Warband we could be scraping their shoulders with our boot tips as we ride by and get the kill, now, if we do that, the weapon sails straight over their head (partly due to animation as well? It feels the cut is just a plain 45 degree angle down, instead of the finer control we had in warband where we could change the angle slightly)
So for Bannerlord we have to have them like a foot or so to our left or right if we want a hit (and even with a two handed, landing a strike on an unarmored head...going at full speed...I'm going the opposite direction as them...no kill, damage is too inconsistent, sometimes I'll get 30 damage, sometimes I'll get 250)
The "bonus HP and armor" doesnt apply when they just hit you instead of the horse xD horses are absolutely fineFor polearms the issue is that you do not really see the tip of your lance, so identifying the place of impact can be hard, especially since you have to thrust them adding another difficulty as the impact comes later. I have not yet tried 1st person, so this might help here. Otherwise I suggested some sort of visual hint where the tip is pointed towards, although this could also be too much.
As for 1h swinging from the right will give you more horizontal reach, while swinging from the left you will get more vertical reach. Also it does seem that the swing and moment of impact changed a bit from warband, so I often would move my mouse just before a hit and see the blade go right over their head. So not adjusting too much in mid-swing is important. Also we have different hitboxes and multipliers now, which can make you really deadly if you can aim well. It is definitely more authentic now, you will get better at it though and fast, too. You see from horseback you have a lower reach as every move you make for a swing takes you further away from the enemy. On foot this is not as much so. Workarounds I suggest here is either use polearms and two-handers, or one-handers with more reach and then keep practising. Also I know this might be totally wrong, I have the feeling that the more proficient my skill is, the more I hit, too, although I have no idea how that would work, might just be confirmation bias.
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I generally like it and I am actually really bad at this game, but I like the progress you see in getting better and I think there needed to be something done about the PC on horse being "too good" and easy. As it is now, you are at a slight disadvantage in close melee, yet still have the bonus HP and armour of your horse and can get away.
The "bonus HP and armor" doesnt apply when they just hit you instead of the horse xD horses are absolutely fine
the trick is to aim the camera down more, if it's too upwards you'll swing clean over their heads, and make sure you got yourself a long-ish weapon like a spatha or a kherjit saber