GreenKnight
Recruit

I've been thinking it over, and maybe that's what we need for some units. Specifically, I'm talking about my ranged units. I just recently started a new character, a crossbowman leading a band of similarly armed units. And if these units did what they were supposed to, they'd be near unstoppable. Even with ten Swadian sharpshooters, that much combined firepower is simply devestating. But alas, these troops don't do what they're supposed to, and I'm not even talking about accuracy. That honestly seems fine.
Here's the problem. If I'm beset by a group of dark knights, which is entirely possible seeing as how a group of infantry is slower than dirt, I'm in trouble out in the open. So, what I do is immediately make for the highest hill I can find, the cliffs at the edge of the screen if possible. In theory, I will tell my men to follow me up, then when I get there, tell them to hold their positions. The enemy will have to slow down to reach me, if they even can on horses, and then my men will rain death from above. Now, here's how it works in practice: My men will, with the exception of (if I'm lucky) 4, totally ignore the follow me command, electing to stay out in the open. Then, when the battle is joined, and those men who stayed out in the open are getting ripped apart, those other 4 will disregard the hold position order, and charge with their melee weapons.
It'd be great if they could be made to understand that sharpshooters are in the party to shoot, and it'd be great if they could understand that they're extremely vulnerable to superior numbers of heavy cavalry on an open field, but it wouldn't be necessary. All it would take is a little LESS thought on their part. I tell them to follow me, so they do it. I tell them to stand still, so they do it. Granted, that second one wouldn't work quite as well with melee infantry, but maybe those programmers could tell me something. Would it be too hard to issue an order that your troops will pursue enemy troops a very short distance, solely for the purpose of supporting other infatry, but then get back in formation once an enemy is out of that range? It seemed to work alright in Age of Empires.
Here's the problem. If I'm beset by a group of dark knights, which is entirely possible seeing as how a group of infantry is slower than dirt, I'm in trouble out in the open. So, what I do is immediately make for the highest hill I can find, the cliffs at the edge of the screen if possible. In theory, I will tell my men to follow me up, then when I get there, tell them to hold their positions. The enemy will have to slow down to reach me, if they even can on horses, and then my men will rain death from above. Now, here's how it works in practice: My men will, with the exception of (if I'm lucky) 4, totally ignore the follow me command, electing to stay out in the open. Then, when the battle is joined, and those men who stayed out in the open are getting ripped apart, those other 4 will disregard the hold position order, and charge with their melee weapons.
It'd be great if they could be made to understand that sharpshooters are in the party to shoot, and it'd be great if they could understand that they're extremely vulnerable to superior numbers of heavy cavalry on an open field, but it wouldn't be necessary. All it would take is a little LESS thought on their part. I tell them to follow me, so they do it. I tell them to stand still, so they do it. Granted, that second one wouldn't work quite as well with melee infantry, but maybe those programmers could tell me something. Would it be too hard to issue an order that your troops will pursue enemy troops a very short distance, solely for the purpose of supporting other infatry, but then get back in formation once an enemy is out of that range? It seemed to work alright in Age of Empires.