Sgt. Blackthorne
Sergeant
I want to start off by thanking the developers of M&B for making such an incredible game! Truly M&B is the best game I've played thanks to it's realism and immersiveness.
However I have a suggestion that would add a very realistic aspect to the game and improve the immersiveness very much. I think that the battles in M&B are awesome and you really feel like you're there on the battlefield ordering your men to battle, but as soon as the battle is over and you go to the world map you loose that feeling. I think that it would be better if there was no world map but instead one very large map in real scale.
This might seem a very large task and maybe it is not something I would not hope to see in the near future but perhaps in a later version of the game. There is a lively discussion on "the completely unrealistic, frustrating terrain generation" and I agree that it is a thorn in the eye of immersion. With this idea that problem would be solved in a very nice way.
So how can this be done? It sounds like a very daunting task to make a huge world map (rather the world map in higher polygon detail) but this should be able to be done without an extreme amount of effort, the world map could be scaled up and added higher terrain detail with a terrain generator that could also populate the world with trees bushes etc.
So after a battle, instead of being sent to the world map, which kind of feels like your on a chessboard, you would now have to organize your men into travelling columns (your strategic ability very much depending on your travelling formations) and march them to the next destination, this should be done by looking at a world map, like a paper map of the world, so it is not updated automatically. You will know of the wars and who owns what city only from tidings from travellers or seeing it for yourself. When you look at the world map you can set out waypoints to where you wish you army to go, then press "March" and they will start to move.
To take away from the tediousness of this process you should be able to fast forward the march. for example 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x etc. (but never zoom out very far for the group) how about if an enemy shows up and you happen to be in 16 x speed? Well you will have the option for the game to go back to normal speed automatically as soon you or any of your men spot an enemy, caravan, traveller or anything of your choice.
In your travelling formations you should also be able to set scouts. You could perhaps have three scouts set half a kilometer ahead the army with perhaps a hundred meters a part, then as soon as they spot something they will hurry back to you and report what they have seen and the game speed will be 1x again (not pause because it is unrealistic and the effect of ambushes will rely on your preparedness for battle like in real life)
At any time you should be able to take a group of your army and have them follow you or even set a separate waypoint for them, perhaps you spot a band of light bandits but your heavy infantry cannot walk fast enough to chase them, then you should be able to lead your cavalry separately and give chase to the enemy. This could be very useful strategically!
I expect that in the near future setting camp in M&B will have a more important role, I hope that soldiers fatigue will be replenished if they are allowed their rest and that forced march should be very strenuous and morale damaging. Then with this type of travelling your choice of campsite will be very important, just as it is and has ever been. Setting up camp near water will be very positive and defensive value of the campsite will be of utmost importance!
So when you are on march you will have to keep your eyes open for good campsites and when you have found one you can order your men to set up the tents and they will do so on your chosen spot.
Summary:
I think if this idea would be implemented in the game it would add immensely to the games immersiveness as you never will have to leave your soldiers. Just think about this scenario:
As the sun goes up you order your men to break camp and the bustle begins with everyone packing packing the wagons with supplies. There is some dangerous terrain ahead; you have to cross a forest and the road is the bottom of a little valley, there are hills on either side of the road. So you decide to set eight scouts far out in all directions. a few minutes after they leave you set up your formation with pikemen around the infantry and cavalry in the rear and march your men forward. After a few minutes on the road you see two of your scouts running towards you from the left, as the come closer they report that there are a hundred and some infantrymen waiting around the next bend, mostly spearmen and archers. you order your pikemen instantly to form a line four ranks deep in front and then swordsmen and archers behind them, you order them to take the nearest hilltop. Then you leave a small part of your cavalry with the infantry and lead the rest of them around the left flank. but before your men have been able to secure the hilltop an enemy of a hundred spearmen come running over the hilltop charging your men, you abandon your thoughts of a wide flanking move with your cavalry and charge the enemy right away... You end up with only half of your men alive but the enemy has been killed, since you cannot linger here in these enemy lands you must leave the dead and badly wounded, you only have time for some hasty bandaging and tending of wounds then you must march on. When you get back to Sargoth your men will have time to rest, so having Sargoth as your next waypoint actually raises morale.
The scenarios are endless and if you use your imagination I'm sure you can come up with some pretty awesome stuff this idea brings with it.
However I have a suggestion that would add a very realistic aspect to the game and improve the immersiveness very much. I think that the battles in M&B are awesome and you really feel like you're there on the battlefield ordering your men to battle, but as soon as the battle is over and you go to the world map you loose that feeling. I think that it would be better if there was no world map but instead one very large map in real scale.
This might seem a very large task and maybe it is not something I would not hope to see in the near future but perhaps in a later version of the game. There is a lively discussion on "the completely unrealistic, frustrating terrain generation" and I agree that it is a thorn in the eye of immersion. With this idea that problem would be solved in a very nice way.
So how can this be done? It sounds like a very daunting task to make a huge world map (rather the world map in higher polygon detail) but this should be able to be done without an extreme amount of effort, the world map could be scaled up and added higher terrain detail with a terrain generator that could also populate the world with trees bushes etc.
So after a battle, instead of being sent to the world map, which kind of feels like your on a chessboard, you would now have to organize your men into travelling columns (your strategic ability very much depending on your travelling formations) and march them to the next destination, this should be done by looking at a world map, like a paper map of the world, so it is not updated automatically. You will know of the wars and who owns what city only from tidings from travellers or seeing it for yourself. When you look at the world map you can set out waypoints to where you wish you army to go, then press "March" and they will start to move.
To take away from the tediousness of this process you should be able to fast forward the march. for example 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x etc. (but never zoom out very far for the group) how about if an enemy shows up and you happen to be in 16 x speed? Well you will have the option for the game to go back to normal speed automatically as soon you or any of your men spot an enemy, caravan, traveller or anything of your choice.
In your travelling formations you should also be able to set scouts. You could perhaps have three scouts set half a kilometer ahead the army with perhaps a hundred meters a part, then as soon as they spot something they will hurry back to you and report what they have seen and the game speed will be 1x again (not pause because it is unrealistic and the effect of ambushes will rely on your preparedness for battle like in real life)
At any time you should be able to take a group of your army and have them follow you or even set a separate waypoint for them, perhaps you spot a band of light bandits but your heavy infantry cannot walk fast enough to chase them, then you should be able to lead your cavalry separately and give chase to the enemy. This could be very useful strategically!
I expect that in the near future setting camp in M&B will have a more important role, I hope that soldiers fatigue will be replenished if they are allowed their rest and that forced march should be very strenuous and morale damaging. Then with this type of travelling your choice of campsite will be very important, just as it is and has ever been. Setting up camp near water will be very positive and defensive value of the campsite will be of utmost importance!
So when you are on march you will have to keep your eyes open for good campsites and when you have found one you can order your men to set up the tents and they will do so on your chosen spot.
Summary:
I think if this idea would be implemented in the game it would add immensely to the games immersiveness as you never will have to leave your soldiers. Just think about this scenario:
As the sun goes up you order your men to break camp and the bustle begins with everyone packing packing the wagons with supplies. There is some dangerous terrain ahead; you have to cross a forest and the road is the bottom of a little valley, there are hills on either side of the road. So you decide to set eight scouts far out in all directions. a few minutes after they leave you set up your formation with pikemen around the infantry and cavalry in the rear and march your men forward. After a few minutes on the road you see two of your scouts running towards you from the left, as the come closer they report that there are a hundred and some infantrymen waiting around the next bend, mostly spearmen and archers. you order your pikemen instantly to form a line four ranks deep in front and then swordsmen and archers behind them, you order them to take the nearest hilltop. Then you leave a small part of your cavalry with the infantry and lead the rest of them around the left flank. but before your men have been able to secure the hilltop an enemy of a hundred spearmen come running over the hilltop charging your men, you abandon your thoughts of a wide flanking move with your cavalry and charge the enemy right away... You end up with only half of your men alive but the enemy has been killed, since you cannot linger here in these enemy lands you must leave the dead and badly wounded, you only have time for some hasty bandaging and tending of wounds then you must march on. When you get back to Sargoth your men will have time to rest, so having Sargoth as your next waypoint actually raises morale.
The scenarios are endless and if you use your imagination I'm sure you can come up with some pretty awesome stuff this idea brings with it.
