Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Sergeant at Arms
From what I've experienced and read the Tactics skill is not very useful if you are using a Battlesizer (which I always am). With 431 troops on the field a few points in Tactics isn't going to be noticeable IMHO. This is a shame since I think that being smarter than everyone else should count for something in the world and I do have all these Companions just living to be useful to me.
Maybe, instead of Tactics changing Battle Advantage it instead gave you options to use in battle against your enemies.
Having a higher tactics skill than your enemies can give you some "Dirty Tricks" to turn the odds on the enemy.
Depending on how high your Tactics Skill is (compared to the highest Tactics Skill of the opposing lord) you might be able to deploy:
1. Burning logs to roll down hill (available if terrain permits). *requires pitch
2. Sharpened stakes to deploy in front of archers or on a flank and devastates cavalry charge.
3. Punji traps *can be made from wood or if PC has iron and tools can be metal they can make barbed nail boards to stop Infantry in their tracks.
4. Burning pitch ponds.*may require purchase of pitch at towns/villages
5. Flaming pigs (scares enemy and does damage).
6. Wardogs! (Terror, hamstring horses, run down fleeing enemies).
7. Cloptrops (spiked metal device that always lands spike up to stop horses and soldiers). *may require iron and tools
8. Ballistae/Scorpions (you know what it is!)
9. Stones to be used during siege defense. Can be throne by any soldier at that ladder and does terrible damage on multiple targets. Can be reused.
10. Boiling oil (for Siege defense)
11. Smoke (put in front of army makes it hard for archers to target them and can cause confusion in enemy ranks which delays some soldiers from attacking. Also, your own archers will only fire on targets on your side of the smoke, thus conserving ammo and maximizing impact)
12. A.The ability to see the map you will fight on,
B.pick your deployment spot,
C. deploy your troops exactly where you want them and
D. then place any of the above devices. How much of each of these is dependent on how high your tactics over the opposing enemy.
The use of these devices can eliminate or mitigate huge disparities in number of men on the field by disabling units (wounding) or taking away their advantage (horse, range)
Talk about adding a new layer to the game.
What do you think?
Maybe, instead of Tactics changing Battle Advantage it instead gave you options to use in battle against your enemies.
Having a higher tactics skill than your enemies can give you some "Dirty Tricks" to turn the odds on the enemy.
Depending on how high your Tactics Skill is (compared to the highest Tactics Skill of the opposing lord) you might be able to deploy:
1. Burning logs to roll down hill (available if terrain permits). *requires pitch
2. Sharpened stakes to deploy in front of archers or on a flank and devastates cavalry charge.
3. Punji traps *can be made from wood or if PC has iron and tools can be metal they can make barbed nail boards to stop Infantry in their tracks.
4. Burning pitch ponds.*may require purchase of pitch at towns/villages
5. Flaming pigs (scares enemy and does damage).
6. Wardogs! (Terror, hamstring horses, run down fleeing enemies).
7. Cloptrops (spiked metal device that always lands spike up to stop horses and soldiers). *may require iron and tools
8. Ballistae/Scorpions (you know what it is!)
9. Stones to be used during siege defense. Can be throne by any soldier at that ladder and does terrible damage on multiple targets. Can be reused.
10. Boiling oil (for Siege defense)
11. Smoke (put in front of army makes it hard for archers to target them and can cause confusion in enemy ranks which delays some soldiers from attacking. Also, your own archers will only fire on targets on your side of the smoke, thus conserving ammo and maximizing impact)
12. A.The ability to see the map you will fight on,
B.pick your deployment spot,
C. deploy your troops exactly where you want them and
D. then place any of the above devices. How much of each of these is dependent on how high your tactics over the opposing enemy.
The use of these devices can eliminate or mitigate huge disparities in number of men on the field by disabling units (wounding) or taking away their advantage (horse, range)
Talk about adding a new layer to the game.
What do you think?
