SP - General There NEEDS to be way to keep companions out of combat and SIEGES especially

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bltzn

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Implementing companion death without a way to keep them out of combat is just silly. For regular combat, a workaround is possible by assigning them to an unused group and ordering them to follow or retreat. But in sieges this does not work.

There needs to be a way to keep companions out of combat. My suggestion is to add a "companion only" command group that only companions can be assigned to. During sieges, no other troop except companions (and possibly other heroes/nobles, since they can also die) will be assigned to this group. Then you can order the group to hold back or retreat as you like.

Alternatively, on the party menu, add a button for each companion to make them a non combatant. Clicking the button flags the companion such that they will not enter combat. You can turn it on and off. Useful if you have only *some* companions that you want to keep out of combat (e.g. surgeon companions)
 
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+1 for this, especially the 'baggage train' option allowing companions to sit out of a fight regardless of health. If the army/party is destroyed they are captured just like they would be if they actually fought.
 
I can only repeat my suggestion to add a reserve category to the army menue where you can put companions and any troop that you want to keep out of a fight. For example the borrowed troops if you don`t want to risk failing the quest, or high tier troops that you want to keep for hideouts and not lose senselessly against 5 looters.
 
Making a Companion a non-combatant is a good fix, in a limited way. Why expose those who have Clan jobs (Scout, Surgeon, Quartermaster, Engineer) to combat, especially since TW wants to kill anyone who goes into combat? I certainly didn't choose my Engineer for his fighting skills! And for the whole time I've spent, my Surgeon has been continually getting herself critically wounded and can't do her job, even in the original (non-death) era.

And a modification to the OP's idea: non-combatants should not count toward your leadership limit!
 
"There is death but without a way to keep them alive", I think this is the point.

In my opinion, in the same way a lot of things in game kinda have the same problem. Like war and peace transition, clan defection, ally parties decisions.
I love random things that can happen and player have to deal with consequences and results. But currently it always feels like player have no control over things completely if they wish to, which are also happening instantly.
 
I can only repeat my suggestion to add a reserve category to the army menue where you can put companions and any troop that you want to keep out of a fight. For example the borrowed troops if you don`t want to risk failing the quest, or high tier troops that you want to keep for hideouts and not lose senselessly against 5 looters.
i like reserve, and a warning (warning, reserve troops spawning).

Could let you know when you are getting really boned in a battle too and need to retreat..
 
I want my companions to be able to fight, but I also want to be able to put them in a separate category so I can ALWAYS control them (even in a larger army I'm not commanding). I think making a new group, with the option to select any group as a "reserve" would make everyone happy.
 
I agree with idea of having reserve troop group. Also, reserve troop group can join fight, but only if all other forces were defeated (like, last resort and wouldn't break current logic of reinforcements).
 
Abso-freaking-lutely. A quick implementation could be as simple as 100% not involved in combat, and automatically escape if you're defeated; narratively this could be justified as telling them to run away at first sign of danger, and to watch from afar (ie. Out of combat reach, unable to assist).

I kind of think that having them as a reserve unit (one that can join midcombat) is a little gamey, because I can't think of a narratively explanation to justify their arrival mid-combat.
 
I'm not happy with a reserve. In an even-odds or worse fight, it's likely they will be called to the field, exposing them to loss. (If you're not fighting groups as big as yours, you're not improving yourself!)

I'm still gonna plump for "non-combatant." This is a base level plea. It acknowledges the devs may not give a ying-yang about how much care you took in companion selection, armoring, arming, and development over game-years, and they're eventually gonna kill your people. (This really bites, as most wanderers are fighters, rather than folks with specialty stats.) Again - I don't think it reasonable for my Scout, for instance, who is notable for sniffing horse plop and determining how old it is, to pick up a pigsticker and try to duke it out with the enemy.
 
Yes i wanted this since warband when you companions couldn't die just so my non-combatant ones wouldn't need babysitting to not be knocked out every fight, with death enabled this is even more necessary now.

A simple toggle in the party screen like the lock button for items you don't want to sell would do the job wonderfully, press it and those companions wouldn't join any fighting.
 
A simple toggle in the party screen like the lock button for items you don't want to sell would do the job wonderfully, press it and those companions wouldn't join any fighting.
Or rather, they would be among the last spawn on the battlefield, and they would stay in the spawning area and not respond to any "everyone" commands. They need to fight the loosing battles, I assume?
 
the reserve idea is bad, it is better have you companions run from the fight than enter it.
imagine the scenario, you get knocked out and have no control of the battle, and you start to lose, then you healer joins the battle (alone) and charges the enemy.

the better solution would be to assign a non combatant formation, where you can place the troops you don´t want to have in a fight for whatever reason. if you loose the battle they flee or get captured(by some given percentage depending on the skill most suited to run away).
 
the reserve idea is bad, it is better have you companions run from the fight than enter it.
imagine the scenario, you get knocked out and have no control of the battle, and you start to lose, then you healer joins the battle (alone) and charges the enemy.
I don't agree. Or partially. Spawn him on the map, fleeing. if the enemy lets him escape - fine! if not, here is the risk of him dying.
 
I don't agree. Or partially. Spawn him on the map, fleeing. if the enemy lets him escape - fine! if not, here is the risk of him dying.
i do not see the need to spawn them at all, they will be passive bystanders and not part of the fight, camp followers are a thing historically and as a general rule did not partake in battle.

all of the inventory and pack animals you own do not get spawned either, i assume the camp followers can sitt with them and hope for the best.
and if you loose the battle the enemy gets a chance for capture(similar to the chance of capturing nobles when they fall in battle).

the enemy party can then choose to execute them or hold them for ransom, or just imprison them.
 
i do not see the need to spawn them at all, they will be passive bystanders and not part of the fight, camp followers are a thing historically and as a general rule did not partake in battle.

Yes and historically it happened that campfollowers got killed in lost battles. Not by the lord(executed) but by the chasing soldiers.

Lettng them spawn retreating would be a good solution

all of the inventory and pack animals you own do not get spawned either,
A caravan's packanimals are spawned on the battlefield. :smile:
 
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