Leadership skills discussion

[Potent_Schraphlon]

I've started a new character with the aim of being more of a leader than a fighter - high INT and CHA, etc. but it's got me thinking. When it comes to a battle I think it would be a neat idea for leadership-based characters to have certain skills, e.g. a passive skill that improves your troops' fighting skill nearby, or an inspiring speech skill where you press a key and nearby troops get some kind of buff.

I don't want to give the impression I'm after some fantasy-style magic abilities, just realistic effects to reflect the skills of a good leader in battle. What do you think of that?

 

[Rewjeo]

I think it would make sense if the Charisma stat improved morale and your parties combat abilities, and maybe allies fighting abilities to a lesser extent if they're helping you in a battle.

And then maybe something that boosts your units if you're at a disadvantage at some point in a battle. Sort of a last stand type thing.

 

[ugly]

Invest in the tactics skill. That will give you a bonus when fielding troops.

Crossbows are good if you aren't a combat specialist.

I think it would be hard to code in something like an inspiring speech buff, but I really don't know as I have no experience with coding for this game. I get the feeling it might unbalance things though.
You may be able to tweak .ini files to increase the tactics skill advantage per level. One of the modding guys might be able to help you with that.

As far as charisma adding to morale, it does in a way: leadership is a charisma based skill, which helps to improve morale, as well as keeping costs lower and being able to have a larger party.

@Rewjeo: if you'd like a last stand type boost, you can do it by having top tier troops at the bottom of your party list. When all your other troops get taken out...bam! Out come the huscarls or knights. It's a bit of a shame you can't split a single unit type into two groups, if you could do this then you could start with e.g. Mamlukes and then have a second wave of reinforcements of Mamlukes.

That would be cool.

 

[HolgerHardrada]

I feel like an inspiring speech script option wouldn't be too hard, and then just have the probability of it increasing morale/troop level briefly depend upon whatever you title the skill.

I think it would make sense to break leadership up into two skills, inspiration and command.  The former controls your parties morale and how many troops you can have, and command affects things like how quickly soldiers respond to your commands on the battlefield, how accurately they follow them (closer to a flag you put down,) and how likely they are to run during battle, and more command options as you gain levels (different formations etc.)  This could also vary with the type of troop, higher tier soldiers being easier to command.  You could even have leadership requirements for higher tier troops and tie in leadership skills to renown.  Crap I'm rambling i'll stop now

 

[Potent_Schraphlon]

Does morale only affect whether troops run away or does it have other effects? I ask because I've never seen my troops run away so if that's all morale is for, a morale boost wouldn't be that useful.

 

[MacHyper]

Does morale only affect whether troops run away or does it have other effects? I ask because I've never seen my troops run away so if that's all morale is for, a morale boost wouldn't be that useful.

If you're morale is at "average", "above average", "High", "very high" or "Excelent" your soldiers won't desert. If the morale is something under average your soldiers will desert, so make sure you always carry a lot of food with you, you don't have too much soldiers in your party, I think you should know what I'm meaning.

 

[Caba`drin]

Does morale only affect whether troops run away or does it have other effects? I ask because I've never seen my troops run away so if that's all morale is for, a morale boost wouldn't be that useful.

Yes, in battle, the morale value for an agent only determines whether or not they will route.

 

[Potent_Schraphlon]

I get upset if my men's morale drops below very high - I don't usually have that big a party and I like to stock up on food.

 

[MacHyper]

I get upset if my men's morale drops below very high - I don't usually have that big a party and I like to stock up on food.

It's a really good way to keep your morale high by having a little party. But two ours ago I conquered Praven and in my position as king I took the city for myself and took about 150 men from Wercheg to Praven and after half a day ingame the morale went from "Excellent" down to "average". 

 

[ugly]

Morale also hs an impact on map movement speed.

 

[Potent_Schraphlon]

Having played up to mid 20s with my leader character I've found myself forced back into the role of more of a fighter, mainly so I can keep getting the experience. A system of gaining when your troops kill an enemy, based on your leadership or something like that would be good. Like I said before, I want the option to sit back and command my troops rather than being forced to do the same old "slaughter everyone myself" time after time which also forces you down the route of levelling up combat abilities which I wanted to avoid.

 

[Thedragonslayer]

Well, in battle if you are outnumbered by your enemy then many of your men die, the rest of them will likely to route. Also if you make a mistake by killing your own soldier, you will lose morale