Supply Line Simulation in Single Player - Suggestion

[DreamySky]

Firstly, here's the link to the other topic about the same thing:
https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,381046.msg9064276.html#msg9064276

I also commented on that topic. In short, I prefer actually existing caravans going between friendly settlements and the war parties, which can be attacked. I also suggested more on the economy side and where the caravan guards come from (for example: dispatch from the war party).

I'm not an expert on coding, but I can see that making rules for food consumption and sending caravans are relatively simple, but teaching the AI to use those features effectively is the biggest problem. It would be great if someone with coding experience (especially in making AI) can tell me how much effort is needed to make AI control supply caravans effectively.

By the way, historically, this is related to how Vietnamese defeated the Mongolian empire's invasions (3 times: 1258, 1285, 1287-128: Vietnamese evacuated the capital and some other settlements, letting the Mongolian army occupy those settlements but without food; Vietnamese also successfully ambushed the Mongolian supply line; Mongolian army was starving and weakened, and then Vietnamese counterattacked and defeated the Mongolian army. Therefore, I think ambushing and defending the supply line should be included.

 

[RoboSenshi]

This means having a castle on the border you'll constantly need to fend off the enemy

Pretty much. If you find it too much, you'll have to figure out a good way to stay afloat. The challenge will be fun.

I love the ideas RoboSenshi, but what about some simpler mechanics that have nothing to do with food supplies? What if party speed, morale, and the chances of being ambushed were altered once crossing into enemy territory? The further the party goes into enemy territory the slower they become, they begin to lose morale the longer and deeper they push into enemy territory, and their chances of being ambushed rise steadily as they continue to press on.

Firstly, we're not sure if ambushes have been restored yet (God I hope so!). If they have then I'm totally behind being more vulnerable to ambush while in enemy territory. I don't like speed automatically dropping simply cause you crossed a border. Speed should be affected by terrain, weather etc. The same with morale. In order for the game to be fun and believable, those stats changing should have a plausible reason behind it. That's why I think this system works so well. Hunger and food supply can realistically change a lot of things about the effectiveness and cohesion of an army. That's why I feel like it is the best solution to keeping wars generally around borders. Because in the real world factors like food supply stop armies from just running straight to the capital of an enemy faction.

I also commented on that topic. In short, I prefer actually existing caravans going between friendly settlements and the war parties, which can be attacked.

That's what everyone wants but the chances of the devs putting that in is slim because of it's complexity. Read Jacob's post. My suggestion is bare basic and it may even be too much for the dev team to do effectively.

I'm not an expert on coding, but I can see that making rules for food consumption and sending caravans are relatively simple, but teaching the AI to use those features effectively is the biggest problem. It would be great if someone with coding experience (especially in making AI) can tell me how much effort is needed to make AI control supply caravans effectively.

This would also be a pretty big problem.

 

[Benjamin Bones]

I love the ideas RoboSenshi, but what about some simpler mechanics that have nothing to do with food supplies? What if party speed, morale, and the chances of being ambushed were altered once crossing into enemy territory? The further the party goes into enemy territory the slower they become, they begin to lose morale the longer and deeper they push into enemy territory, and their chances of being ambushed rise steadily as they continue to press on.

Firstly, we're not sure if ambushes have been restored yet (God I hope so!). If they have then I'm totally behind being more vulnerable to ambush while in enemy territory. I don't like speed automatically dropping simply cause you crossed a border. Speed should be affected by terrain, weather etc. The same with morale. In order for the game to be fun and believable, those stats changing should have a plausible reason behind it. That's why I think this system works so well. Hunger and food supply can realistically change a lot of things about the effectiveness and cohesion of an army. That's why I feel like it is the best solution to keeping wars generally around borders. Because in the real world factors like food supply stop armies from just running straight to the capital of an enemy faction.

I'm with you on the ambushes brother! Just wishful thinking.

I don't know if you've ever been in combat but being in hostile territory, living on the usually meager rations provided, sleeping in makeshift camps, all while the possibility of night raids and surprise attacks are potentially imminent... Yes, morale does suffer the longer this situation is sustained.

As for speed: while in hostile territory reconnaissance is of the utmost importance. Forward scouting and just overall care while traversing in hostile, foreign, and relatively unknown regions (yes there are maps but in this fantasy time period maps were approximations at best and there are, of course, no gps systems) would theoretically hamper speed. I don't see these mechanics being unbelievable or immersion breaking at all, but hey, that's just me.

 

[RoboSenshi]

I don't know if you've ever been in combat but being in hostile territory, living on the usually meager rations provided, sleeping in makeshift camps, all while the possibility of night raids and surprise attacks are potentially imminent... Yes, morale does suffer the longer this situation is sustained.

No I haven't been in combat but what you said makes sense. However, I say again it's about making the system simple enough to be implemented by the dev team but still not so monotonous that it becomes boring. We still want it to be fun as well as challenging. Also there's instances in historical wars of well supplied and trained armies moving with blistering speed through enemy territory. I'm not opposed to having your speed reduce when your supply is threatened though.

 

[RoboSenshi]

From the latest blog:

Besiege a Settlement

NPC lords will try to lay siege to enemy castles when they are confident that they can succeed with the attack. While looking for a suitable target, Warband veterans will be pleased to hear that one factor that is checked is the proximity of the targeted castle to their own faction’s territory, which should help reduce the chances of those crazy expeditions deep into enemy territory to capture a castle they have little chance of holding on to. In addition to this, the strength of the castle is looked at in relation to the lord’s party strength, the prosperity of the castle, as well as, any enemy parties that are known to be in that region at the time.

Not exactly a perfect solution but I'll manage.