kuzuk
Recruit
Hi,
Sieges and conquering towns have bee discussed alot before and generally, the conclusion seems to be "would be great, but cost of implementation are too high". Well, here is a pragmatic suggestion on how to make sieges work with as little effort as as possible.
How would sieges be initiated? Can players start a siege? If a player successfully conquered a town, what should happen next?
Let only some NPCs initiate a siege. Then when the siege was successful, let the town switch sides to the faction of this NPC. Players should not be able to start a siege. When you go to a lord to for a task, he may inform you that there is a siege in preparation and that the siege party forms near location X in Y days from today. This is compatible to the rest of the game, as players have to align with a faction to be able to attack the other faction's parties.
How would a siege battle look like?
The siege is always made up of several consequtive but isolated battles:
1.) Battle for the access: The first party of the attacking faction arriving at the town battles against some light troops of the defenders for access to the town (a pass through hills, a ford etc.). This is actually a normal battle with high-profile enemy. If the attackers fail, the next party has to try the same battle. After battle 1 has been won, every arriving attacking party "camps" outside the town; it is engaged in a siege and may not move around unless the party leaves the siege.
2a.) Battle for the outer defenses: As soon as all the attacking faction's parties have arrived, they automatically attack the outer defenses, to cut off the town from external supply and reenforcement. This battle takes place in a specially generated map with trenches and some small (wooden) fortifications, but is otherwise a regular battle. If the attackers fail, the siege has failed. Otherwise, a reandomized siege period has to be awaited by the sieging army after which battle 3a will be joined automatically.
2b.) Raid: A party of the defending faction advances on one of the parties of the attacking faction while the attacking faction's parties assemble between battle 1 and battle 2a. The party from the defending faction has a certain amount of time to drive the other party of the field, in which case this party will retreat from the siege and go home. If there are other parties encamped outside the town, they will appear on the battle field after time runs out. The party from the defending faction may come from the town or from another location. A sieging player may choose to stay in the siege effort even if defeted in such a battle.
3a.) Battle at the breach: The attacking faction has managed to destroy a section of the town's walls and is adavnicing at this breach. The battle takes place on a randomized map with a wall connecting two sides of the map. The wall has a breach at some point and the two factions are positioned on either side of the wall, with the defenders having access to a ramp of some sort to climb and man the wall. If the attackers fail, they have to wait another period of time for another breach, since the old breach will be filled by the defenders.
3b.) Sort / Relief: A party of the defending faction attacks the siege positions of the attackging faction. This takes place on a battle with some light (wooden) fortifications on the side of the sieging troops and a massive siege weapon standing around. If the troops of the sieging party reach the weapon and hold their position for long enough, the weapon is destoyed, the siege will take longer (batlle 3a will be joined later).
4.) Take the keep/Last stand: After a successful 3b battle, the attacking faction storm the keep without delay. This battle takes place in an urban setting, the keep is a small fortification that is only marginally damaged and manned by all remaining troops of the town. If the attackers succeed, the town is theirs. If they fail, they are driven back out of the town and have to wait for another breach to open (battle 3a).
There are several opputiunities for new quest types here: joining a siege army, harassing a part of an advancing army while it is on its way, disturbing the build up of a siege making a sort out of a town or coming to help a sieged town.
Well what do you think?
Sieges and conquering towns have bee discussed alot before and generally, the conclusion seems to be "would be great, but cost of implementation are too high". Well, here is a pragmatic suggestion on how to make sieges work with as little effort as as possible.
How would sieges be initiated? Can players start a siege? If a player successfully conquered a town, what should happen next?
Let only some NPCs initiate a siege. Then when the siege was successful, let the town switch sides to the faction of this NPC. Players should not be able to start a siege. When you go to a lord to for a task, he may inform you that there is a siege in preparation and that the siege party forms near location X in Y days from today. This is compatible to the rest of the game, as players have to align with a faction to be able to attack the other faction's parties.
How would a siege battle look like?
The siege is always made up of several consequtive but isolated battles:
1.) Battle for the access: The first party of the attacking faction arriving at the town battles against some light troops of the defenders for access to the town (a pass through hills, a ford etc.). This is actually a normal battle with high-profile enemy. If the attackers fail, the next party has to try the same battle. After battle 1 has been won, every arriving attacking party "camps" outside the town; it is engaged in a siege and may not move around unless the party leaves the siege.
2a.) Battle for the outer defenses: As soon as all the attacking faction's parties have arrived, they automatically attack the outer defenses, to cut off the town from external supply and reenforcement. This battle takes place in a specially generated map with trenches and some small (wooden) fortifications, but is otherwise a regular battle. If the attackers fail, the siege has failed. Otherwise, a reandomized siege period has to be awaited by the sieging army after which battle 3a will be joined automatically.
2b.) Raid: A party of the defending faction advances on one of the parties of the attacking faction while the attacking faction's parties assemble between battle 1 and battle 2a. The party from the defending faction has a certain amount of time to drive the other party of the field, in which case this party will retreat from the siege and go home. If there are other parties encamped outside the town, they will appear on the battle field after time runs out. The party from the defending faction may come from the town or from another location. A sieging player may choose to stay in the siege effort even if defeted in such a battle.
3a.) Battle at the breach: The attacking faction has managed to destroy a section of the town's walls and is adavnicing at this breach. The battle takes place on a randomized map with a wall connecting two sides of the map. The wall has a breach at some point and the two factions are positioned on either side of the wall, with the defenders having access to a ramp of some sort to climb and man the wall. If the attackers fail, they have to wait another period of time for another breach, since the old breach will be filled by the defenders.
3b.) Sort / Relief: A party of the defending faction attacks the siege positions of the attackging faction. This takes place on a battle with some light (wooden) fortifications on the side of the sieging troops and a massive siege weapon standing around. If the troops of the sieging party reach the weapon and hold their position for long enough, the weapon is destoyed, the siege will take longer (batlle 3a will be joined later).
4.) Take the keep/Last stand: After a successful 3b battle, the attacking faction storm the keep without delay. This battle takes place in an urban setting, the keep is a small fortification that is only marginally damaged and manned by all remaining troops of the town. If the attackers succeed, the town is theirs. If they fail, they are driven back out of the town and have to wait for another breach to open (battle 3a).
There are several opputiunities for new quest types here: joining a siege army, harassing a part of an advancing army while it is on its way, disturbing the build up of a siege making a sort out of a town or coming to help a sieged town.
Well what do you think?
