Tactics skill

[Kellick]

So I'm trying to understand how the tactics skill works and if it is even useful or not and I can't seem to notice anything consistent about it.
Does anyone understand it well (or at all)?

I would assume that all things being equal, with 0 skill on both sides we would each get 75 men, and if I had 10 and they had 0 then I would get 5 men more, so 80 me and 70 them. Of course all things are never equal and so it never works out that way.

Still I can't see any rhyme or reason to the way the number of troops given to you, allies and enemy is assigned.

Also at what point does tactics skill become useless (if it isn't already) since 1.125 I have been able to use a battlesize of 1000 without crashing. Does that many men on the field at a time make it a pointless skill?

Finally, does anyone know if the leader bonus applys or not (like I tend to start with 1 tactics and read the book eventually so I have 2 for bonus of 1). At this point I am positive it doesn't apply to engineering and I suspect it doesn't apply to trade either (at least not for tax collection quest). Tactics I also find suspect (of course I also find it suspect if it works at all so...)

 

[DrowningFish]

I think tactics also applies to how battles are autocalculated, like when you order your men to attack without you, so it is still useful even if you have 1000 battle size. Also the wiki has some info about how bonuses work: http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Skills

 

[Kellick]

I think tactics also applies to how battles are autocalculated, like when you order your men to attack without you, so it is still useful even if you have 1000 battle size.

That would make sense. I tend to avoid the autocalc unless I have overwhelming advantage, and even still I tended to lose top-tier troops with it, although lately I do seem to do better with it. Could have something to do with Arti having 6 tactics at the moment.

Also the wiki has some info about how bonuses work: http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Skills

I understand how the bonuses work, what I am saying is I don't think they are being applied properly to some of the skills.

 

[Nameless_Terror]

Tactics is more useful in the smaller battle sizes.