Does square formation set your troops to defensive only, no attacking?

[wherearewee]

Early in the game I noticed castle defenders in the courtyard were not attacking, they were just bunched into a square and eating hits from all sides.

Earlier today I set my units to square formation in front of a small bridge ot defend against looters, and my troops just ate their attacks and did not counterattack.

Is this a bug in the AI, or is square formation designed to be purely a defensive block?

 

[hruza]

No. It's the shieldwall formation. Use it only as a protection against missiles. Don't use it for melee fighting or your units will end up like those defending castle gates.

 

[YariAshigaru]

yes it is a defensive position so their rate of attack will be drastically reduced.

 

[Midnitewolf]

I just don't understand why it has to be so black or white. I mean Romans (and many other armies) used interlocking shields combined with techniques that allowed them to attack from that position so why is it so restricted in Bannerlord.

 

[SkiFreeYeti]

It's an issue with shield wall formation. They will not attack because the backswing would be blocked by friendlies so at the moment they just huddle.

 

[Rafalongo]

If the enemy approaches they fight. So if you want them to fight in formation you just have to bring them closer in that formation.

 

[wherearewee]

If the enemy approaches they fight. So if you want them to fight in formation you just have to bring them closer in that formation.

Ok but I've been in enough sieges now and I've seen the enemy not fight at all. Like, with people swinging swords at their heads. My troops do the same thing. They just hold up their shields and take blows. No one swings back.

 

[wherearewee]

yes it is a defensive position so their rate of attack will be drastically reduced.

But should their rate of attack be reduced to zero

 

[Rafalongo]

Ok but I've been in enough sieges now and I've seen the enemy not fight at all. Like, with people swinging swords at their heads. My troops do the same thing. They just hold up their shields and take blows. No one swings back.

aaah yes, that happend in siege defense... I think that's other problem, not exactly related to the formations

 

[kalarhan]

formation: shield wall
movement order: advance
when near the enemy: charge (if you have a clear advantage), otherwise just keep moving to melee range

you need to combine formation and movement orders

AI doing what is doing is another story tho ...

 

[YariAshigaru]

But should their rate of attack be reduced to zero

I'm no fan of it either i think its quite stupid to have such extremes either your troops will not bother to defend themselves in order to attack or they wont even try to fight back someone stabbing at their butt cheeks.