SP - Battles & Sieges Fleeing troops should defend themselves and fight back

[Lusitani 5th Empire]

I would like to have fleeing troops being more active in protecting themselves. The way it works now gives no challenge or fun in killing routing troops and yet it represents a significant percentage of the total battle duration. That said, think a simple and good solution would be allowing troops to block attacks while fleeing and also fight back in certain cases.
For example, fleeing troops:

• Should be able to defend themselves if the attack comes from the front (~180º radius);
• Will give a "free hit" to the attacker from the back, if that hit doesn't kill them that troop can turn around and defend itself;
• Allow the attacker two weapon attacks before deciding to fight back (e.g.: you hit a fleeing troop from the back, that troop turns around and defends the second attack, after that, that troop is allowed to strike back and try to kill you/other npc, if the fleeing troop wins then he keeps retreating)
• Should be able to regroup. Regrouping could happen close to the edge of the map, troops could quickly for a defensive line if enough friendly troops are around and the enemy is far or has lower strength in the area (considering numbers, tier and weapon type).

 

[go away nub]

I would love for this to be the case as well. I hope Taleworlds sees posts like this. It aint realistic that the troops just run in a straight line no matter what you do to them. they should defend themselves and even fight back if there are enough friendlies around or the chasing enemy is far from allies.

 

[LuProHD]

Definitly! Sometimes there flee so many soldiers, if they would regroup then they would kill definitly some enemys or change the battle!

 

[Lord Ferdinand]

I agree. In the meantime, you can use this mod:

AI Defend Yourself

Makes AI fleeing from battle that get attacked from close range actually be smart and fight back.

www.nexusmods.com

 

[Lord Brutus]

When soldiers have reached the point where their only concern is survival, it's not reasonable to have them become instantly an effective fighting force.

 

[Lord Ferdinand]

When soldiers have reached the point where their only concern is survival, it's not reasonable to have them become instantly an effective fighting force.

Yes, but individually one should always defend oneself.

 

[Lord Brutus]

Yes, panicked troops do that by running away. Many of them have already dropped their weapons.

 

[Lusitani 5th Empire]

When soldiers have reached the point where their only concern is survival, it's not reasonable to have them become instantly an effective fighting force.

Yes, panicked troops do that by running away. Many of them have already dropped their weapons.

I think there needs to be a balance, I'm suggesting this because the current design creates a situation where the last stage of battles is repetitive and it really doesn't add much to the gameplay.

This is specially true for smaller battles, like when fighting bandits.
The majority of the battle duration is passed by chasing the enemy, both in the initial phase (where you meet the enemy) and then when they flee and you pursue them. In both of this phases gameplay is lacking.

The initial phase of the battle is where you should access the enemy units positioning, terrain, devise a strategy and set your units into formation, AI should be better at this and the player should have the right tools to do just that.
Something that could be tested and possibly implemented is reducing the distance between armies in smaller/easier battles where you would clearly win, this could be skill/perk based into your advantage. Choosing the distance between you and the enemy could be also an option.

The suggestion I made in this thread addresses the late stage of the battle, I agree that retreating units shouldn't present a high threat to you and your units (unless devs implement some regrouping mechanic) but we have them doing nothing, in many cases for the majority of the battle duration!! What's the point? This as bad or worse of a design as the current bandit grind loop. It's the same thing over and over, you turn on autopilot and grind for minutes, hours... without enjoying the journey, what is enjoyable is the progress you end up making and other more meaningful, enjoyable parts of the game. Remove the grind and this autopilot gameplay.

Anyways, I made a little rant in the end but the basic point of the thread, in my mind, is one to consider.
"Fleeing troops should defend themselves and fight back", I would like to see this implemented.

 

[Lord Brutus]

I could stand to see panicked troops disappear one by one until all were gone, to simulate them hiding in the underbrush until darkness makes it safe to come out.

 

[niekdegrijze]

I think there needs to be a balance, I'm suggesting this because the current design creates a situation where the last stage of battles is repetitive and it really doesn't add much to the gameplay.

This is specially true for smaller battles, like when fighting bandits.
The majority of the battle duration is passed by chasing the enemy, both in the initial phase (where you meet the enemy) and then when they flee and you pursue them. In both of this phases gameplay is lacking.

The initial phase of the battle is where you should access the enemy units positioning, terrain, devise a strategy and set your units into formation, AI should be better at this and the player should have the right tools to do just that.
Something that could be tested and possibly implemented is reducing the distance between armies in smaller/easier battles where you would clearly win, this could be skill/perk based into your advantage. Choosing the distance between you and the enemy could be also an option.

The suggestion I made in this thread addresses the late stage of the battle, I agree that retreating units shouldn't present a high threat to you and your units (unless devs implement some regrouping mechanic) but we have them doing nothing, in many cases for the majority of the battle duration!! What's the point? This as bad or worse of a design as the current bandit grind loop. It's the same thing over and over, you turn on autopilot and grind for minutes, hours... without enjoying the journey, what is enjoyable is the progress you end up making and other more meaningful, enjoyable parts of the game. Remove the grind and this autopilot gameplay.

Anyways, I made a little rant in the end but the basic point of the thread, in my mind, is one to consider.
"Fleeing troops should defend themselves and fight back", I would like to see this implemented.

+1, yes I would not want to drag the battle any longer by having them return to fight (a la the slaven in TW: WH but
wacking at mindless robots unaware of you hits, does feel unrealistic.
I hope the local superiority mechanic can help here. If 10 men are being chased by 1 horseman, they might attack the horseman and continue fleeing afterwards