lance/javelin

[Temujin]

I was thinking, the first Knights, the normans, sometimes used their Lances as Javelins. (It's what helped them win at Hastings the Saxon Housecarles had such a formidable shieldwall on top a hill, that charging them was senseless, so they ran up towards them and instead of using their spears to charge, they threw them and retreated untill the housecarles got sick of it and pursued them wich broke up their formation and only advantage)

We have Norman style shields, horses, weaponry etc... so It would be great if somehow a spear that can be thrown or used as a lance/thrusting spear at the same time.

 

[Inacron]

Yeah, it's a little known fact that the Normans did not use their spears to lance people from horseback but instead stabbed with them, and that the Saxons had been winning the battle till the over zealous and undertrained part of the army (quickly assembled badly trained men already injured form the battle at Stamford bridge) broke off and chased them and were massacred by cavalry in the open leaving just the houscarls of Harold to continue the battle. In M&B we do currently have the ability to use spears from horse back like this and can also have some javelins to throw. This is much like the Normans or cavalry of Charlemagne, who also did not lance but stabbed with spears from horseback often in overhanded vs. underhaded strikes.

 

[calandale]

Hate to necro, but I think that this issue should be re-opened, along with a parallel one with spears. Certainly not all lances (or spears) should be throwable, but there should be some dual use weapons. Should also apply to throwing knives, and axes. It can be modded in by using two slots, but can anyone think of a more elegant solution?

 

[Janus]

Hate to necro

Necro is the way to go. Don't feel bad about it, it's what us admins would prefer you do rather than start another new topic about the same thing.

 

[Pnakotus]

I think dual-use weapons have many applications, particularly with regard to polearms.  It'd be nice if we could actually use the shorter spears with a bit of speed, and throw the lighter ones.

 

[calandale]

I'm kind of wondering about how it could be implemented though, without increasing the complexity of the interface. One idea would be to have them occupy a 'shadow' inventory box (not seen on the screen) so that when you cycle through the weapons, it shows up in both forms.

 

[Pnakotus]

I'm a fan of using the use button to switch.  Use doesn't do anything in combat except open the inventory crate, so you could use it to switch between 'poking' spears and 'staff spears' or 'normal' and 'foot-couched' spears.  Pretend the 'use' button becomes the 'stance' button, allowing you to stab or throw light spears, stab or swing regular spears, etc.

 

[Róisín]

Or it could use the second attack button that gets included to also allow shield bashes, etc.

 

[Merentha]

Yes, but if the alternate attack button for spears and javelins becomes a throw, then how will we use it for a close-range push/check?

 

[Titanx3]

how about you invent a new hotkey (lets say 1), and it allows you to use the weapon differently, rather then use the mouse wheel. then, the fire button works differently, it will use the new attack type. then, after ive finished throwing my knives and stabbing you, chucking my lance at you, Shooting you with my crossbow and the  hitting you over the head with it, i demand the ablity to rip off my own arms and chuck them at the enemy. along with a self destruct that destroys most of the map of course.

 

[Róisín]

Yes, but if the alternate attack button for spears and javelins becomes a throw, then how will we use it for a close-range push/check?

But SHOULD you be able to throw your typical unbalanced 6'+ spear?  I think it would be more effective if javelins were able to use the alternate-attack button to be used as a short spear.

There could also be a new "throwing spear" weapon added which would represent a longer spear that's balanced and sized to be throwable which is basically a javelin with a supply of 1.

 

[calandale]

Maybe not throw, but at least dispose of. Could be keyed the same way.

 

[Róisín]

What do you mean, "dispose of"?  If you mean to drop it on the ground... well, I've covered that topic before.

 

[calandale]

Sure, but if you can throw weapons, might as well use the same interface.

 

[ShadowWolf]

easy solution- a secondary/primary attack toggle button