Suggestion: Soldiers drop items when routing.

[Faustus]

A simple concept, when a soldier loses morale and routs, they'd drop heavy things so they can run faster. So all weapons bar a 1hander would go. I think this would both add to the immersion of a battlefield as well as be functional, since reducing carry weight does increase running speed.

On top of this, if you're capable of implementing it, they should drop bits of armour as well. Taking off their chestpiece and shoes is probably out of the question, but it shouldn't be too hard to animate taking off one's helmet and gloves, possibly shoulder pads as well. They could work as regular items for looting off dead people as well, that'd be nice.

 

[Evelyn]

Weapons were very expensive, retreats did not usually involve throwing weapons away. I suppose if a person were incredibly panicked and lost their mind, perhaps they might, but field battles rarely resulted in what you're describing.

 

[Captain Obvious]

I mean, I could see them dropping their shield or a big two hander, nothing more really.

 

[vota dc]

Female soldiers should drop everything, they can leave only the helmet on.

Shields and some pieces of armor could be dropped: often have their faction symbol painted over and would make the soldier a target.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Female soldiers should drop everything, they can leave only the helmet on.

What?

 

[Faustus]

Weapons were very expensive, retreats did not usually involve throwing weapons away. I suppose if a person were incredibly panicked and lost their mind, perhaps they might, but field battles rarely resulted in what you're describing.

When you're about to die, you're not going to think 'aww man, this thick shield is *very* expensive, I don't want to lose that, better try and hold on to it', you will think 'AAAAAAH! I AM GOING TO DIE! I NEED TO RUN'.

>I suppose if a person were incredibly panicked and lost their mind

as people who are about to die are VERY likely to do, yeah.

Tossing heavy items while running is the very reason 'return with your shield or on it' is a phrase, if you lost and lived you would do so with your shield thrown away at some point.

 

[Evelyn]

Panicked full-blown disintegrations were not the standard for every retreat and defeat.

 

[FBohler]

We need soldiers taking their pants off while routing 

 

[lukkyb]

I mean historically in the medeieval period the local lord you fought under would give you a sheild and some form of Polarm (lance or a twohanded spear) or small arms. any other equipment would likly be your own (think helmets and mail) now thats not to say you would not have people who had bought there own wepeons and sheilds but the average solider would not. I would however think that if you just got rid of the equipment given to you as you withdrew from the battle then a new lord or the existing one if they were still alive might punish you for loss of there equipment. (I do belive it was diffrent if say the sheild broke in battle as that is down to genral wear and tare) Another thing you have to remeber is that lots of armys did not spend the time chasing down straggles unless they were worth money like a fully armoured knight. So you being slowed down by a shiled (that they arnt as encumbering as people think i have used one) is not a worry unless the army starts hunting you down

 

[Oxtocoatl]

I'm not sure it's worth the trouble to program routing troops to drop their weapons, since the fact that they've turned their backs and are running away without fighting is visually distinctive enough. Most players won't mistake routing men for charging men.

I would like it if you could strip prisoners of their gear and either keep or sell it. This would of course lower the potential ransom you might get for the prisoner, but might be worth it especially in the early game.