"build mantlets" is useless i think

[harpred]

i tested it

all it does is add these wooden structures to the siege map that are supposed to block arrows but there's only like 2 of them and they won't make much difference (ie they're in the wrong position) meanwhile you are gonna auto-lose like 20 of your elite troops building them, plus lose time (more time for random events like winter or enemy attacks auto-killing more of your soldiers).

building mantlets does NOT appear to reduce the casualties you take from "clear the ground and prepare for assault", you might as well go straight to that

 

[Pode]

I saw that having mantlets significantly reduced the casualties I automatically took while placing the ladders. I can't swear it saved more men than the mantlets cost me though, and it was only a few runs.

 

[kalarhan]

incorrect 

you can learn more about the effects of mantles by examining the game code, in case you are curious. Among them (yes, more than 1 effect) you lose less troops.

Cheers

 

[harpred]

hmm.. i'll try it some other time i guess, maybe it was just random.

 

[terry309]

Yep, I lose more men building mantlets than I do with a regular siege, mantlets actually make thigns worse for you.

 

[SocratesOnFire]

Why are people losing any men while building mantlets? You build them, clear then ground, then send the vanguard to place the ladders/tear holes in the enemy wall. Only the later stage involves any casualties, and those casualties are absolutely reduced by placing mantlets.  If it's really a problem for you, to lose elite troops during that phase, just place them in quarters before placing the ladders.

 

[Pode]

So I dug thru game_menus.py for references to mantlets. There seem to be 2 preliminary autocalced battles, one for clearing the ground(?) and the vanguard one for placing the ladders etc. In both cases mantlets change the balance from 3 to 1 in favor of the defender to 2.5 to 1. I did not see a script for the autocalc odds for placing the mantlets, nor did I see any other effects.

 

[kalarhan]

I did not see a script for the autocalc odds for placing the mantlets, nor did I see any other effects.

poner_escaleras_mantlets