[VC RE BETA] Weapon and Units Balance

[JuJu70]

Ai never shy away from a close range-shot at someone who is fightin

AI is fairly primitive. So for example let's say they should stop firing at 15m, say player goes there and stands doing nothing, and all archers will put away their bows and take out their knives. You will basically disable them.

 

[Utfred]

That´s an AI behavior that has pestered M&B forever. Changing missile´s accuracy won´t fix it.

I've never been sniped from 30 ft in close-combat in any other version. With VC it happens in every three battles . The aimbots are pretty rough here, I think that's established.

As for "disabling them", it doesn't happen with javs (which are the only realpb with slings really). Can even recount a few times where i've been headshot by a face-hugging son-of-a-gun.....

 

[Articulo34]

The aimbots are pretty rough here, I think that's established.

Not, it´s not. I don´t see them being more accurate than in Native (actually, missile weapons are less accurate than in Native). I just see that even rats have javelins and/or slings in Viking Conquest while in Native missile equipped troops are less common. So the chances of getting hit increase accordingly.

 

[Utfred]

Just go have a play on Native and ride around archers.... then do this on a skirm batalion in VC. Same numbers, same troop type (all missile). If you got worst-off in Native I'll empty my bank account for you. I'm not even talking of the sole throwing weapon accuracy as there is just nothin in common between the two versions.

 

[kalarhan]

Just go have a play on Native and ride around archers.... then do this on a skirm batalion in VC. Same numbers, same troop type (all missile). If you got worst-off in Native I'll empty my bank account for you. I'm not even talking of the sole throwing weapon accuracy as there is just nothin in common between the two versions.

Native is native, this is VC  They are not the same and don't need to follow the same rules or balance.

So lets focus on feedback for VC and how things are working now on the beta 

 

[JuJu70]

Just go have a play on Native and ride around archers.... then do this on a skirm batalion in VC. Same numbers, same troop type (all missile). If you got worst-off in Native I'll empty my bank account for you. I'm not even talking of the sole throwing weapon accuracy as there is just nothin in common between the two versions.

Damage from projectiles in VC is scaled differently with distance, so at close range you get hit for a lot more (this is obviously done on purpose to break shields and discourage players from charging into missile troops)

 

[Wheem]

As for the Langseax, I'm currently using one and it seems like w/o the blocking limitation it'd be just superior to most other weapons around its cost/availability. It does more damage than most axes, it's faster, and it has more reach. And if you're using a shield, which I am in my SP game, the blocking limitation isn't a big deal.

I'm not really against the block limitation being removed though. Really I just want axes buffed.

An axe's bonus vs. shields is pretty negligible. I almost never break a shield before I kill an enemy. The only real advantage of axes for NPCs as it lets groups of them to take out my PC easier if I get too mobbed, hah. As the PC they offer nothing a sword or seax can't beat. I really wish they'd have some benefit vs. armor, or at least a damage increase to make up for their speed/reach disadvantage a bit.

While I always carry a shield in single player, there are some cases where it can be broken pretty easily, even if the player isn't being mobbed. It's those situations where the ability to block with a weapon is key, and can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Not being able to block with a hunting knife or something is fine, but I would think that some of the larger types of seax would be at least as capable for blocking/parrying as most of the axes.

Would such an improvement to the langseax make it "overpowered" without a corresponding reduction in damage and/or speed, or an increase in price? Maybe. But I don't think that the same is true for the broadseax, which seems a bit underwhelming to me. As an example (with a trade skill of 7, and no modifiers from town relations):
1) Heavy Long Hand Axe: 29c damage, 1.3 weight, 89 speed, 67 reach, bonus against shields, price of 613 peningas.
2) Broadseax: 20c/15p damage, 1.0 weight, 93 speed, 60 reach, no blocking, price of 1,100 peningas.
3) Heavy Short Battle Axe: 27c/17p damage, 1.5 weight, 90 speed, 61 reach, bonus against shields, price of 691 peningas.
Would anyone really choose a broadseax over either of those axes (or a plethora of others, these were just quickly-spotted examples)? It doesn't even have a thrust-damage advantage over the second axe, and is far worse for slashing, as well as being significantly more expensive - which can matter a lot for the early game. Even if neither axe had the "heavy" modifier, they'd still have significantly higher swing-damage than the broadseax, while also maintaining the ability to block and bonus against shields.

While I think that the ability to block should probably be present for both of the new types of seax, I think it's really the broadseax that's in the most need of improvement.

 

[Idibil]

Thank everybody for your feedback.