wtf is the F1-F4 advance command supposed to be for? Can I just make them go a little further?

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The more I play (and I've played ****ing lot by now) the more frustrated I am with the formation and placement commands!
After manual arranging my troops for the 1 millionth time i want to move make them move up a little, without un-formation all over. I want them to stay exact as I put then and just go forward. You can do this easily in warband (duh). When I try the advance command they just walk forward but not where I was pointing and when I choose it again they don't even stop they just keep going...... they don't fire either so they just die.... is there something else to press to make them just stop!

Edit: There's stop command but it makes them stop NOT IN THE FORMATION AND ORIENTATIONS THEY WERE IN! They just flop all around.
Who made this ****? Might as well the **** up everything command.


I absolutely hate the formation command UI. It's too slow and clumsy for a real time game.
 
This video is a must:



The weapon to be used and the priority target changes if you use one command or other. For me the critical one is for cavalry, charge makes them change to melee weapon and engage infantry meanwhile advance make them use polearms/lance cycle charging to archers.

I encourage you to see the full video.

BTW command names are counter intuitive, for sure.
 
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There's stop command but it makes them stop NOT IN THE FORMATION AND ORIENTATIONS THEY WERE IN! They just flop all around.
Who made this ****? Might as well the **** up everything command.
I feel you. When I used it for the first time to make my infantry stop, I've lost about 24 men because I thought they're gonna stop and form a shield wall again, but they just stood chaotically on the battlefield waiting to be slaughtered. Never used this bullshine ever since.
 
That video was useful, I could have used more explanation a few months ago. I have to agree with the OP though, in my limited use of the advance command, I hate that the formations fall apart and that's why I stopped experimenting with it.

I must also say - now that I've learned their is AI built into the formation groups - we need more formation group options such as body guards and "recruits". Body guards being self explanatory and "recruits" being for new units without shields or armor that you might shield from the general battle.
 
That video was useful, I could have used more explanation a few months ago. I have to agree with the OP though, in my limited use of the advance command, I hate that the formations fall apart and that's why I stopped experimenting with it.

I must also say - now that I've learned their is AI built into the formation groups - we need more formation group options such as body guards and "recruits". Body guards being self explanatory and "recruits" being for new units without shields or armor that you might shield from the general battle.

Recruits should get shields.
 
I encourage you to see the full video.

Wow, mind blown. That was news to me and I'm 200+ hours in this game, haha :grin: Thanks a bunch for sharing this video! I've seen of his other ones, but had not seen this particular one and I had just recently been so annoyed over why my battanian wildlings hardly ever use their javs! Now I know, so _thank you!_ You made my day.
 
This video is a must:



The weapon to be used and the priority target changes if you use one command or other. For me the critical one is for cavalry, charge makes them change to melee weapon and engage infantry meanwhile advance make them use polearms/lance cycle charging to archers.

I encourage you to see the full video.

BTW command names are counter intuitive, for sure.

All of this information should be in the game.
 
This video is a must:



The weapon to be used and the priority target changes if you use one command or other. For me the critical one is for cavalry, charge makes them change to melee weapon and engage infantry meanwhile advance make them use polearms/lance cycle charging to archers.

I encourage you to see the full video.

BTW command names are counter intuitive, for sure.

That's very interesting . I know a lot about dragging Cav around to cox them into fighting but had no idea the advance command would be so useful for archers.
One thing I want to pay attention to is if other formation groups effect HA performance. I often split them into a unused group and charge them so that I can send them in several waves but it could be some effect their ability.... or it might not matter at all since the bow is tier highest skills....

I guess I want a "advance 10 paces" type of command to just keep everyone tidy and move in slowly. Some times it is very sensitive how you enter into enemy range and can make the difference between easy win and massive losses.
 
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The video is very helpful, but it only covers formation 1 through 4. I wonder what is the AI behaviour for formations 5 through 8 and how they interact with commands.
 
What do you guys think about the statement he makes on "formations" allegedly acting as AI behaviour templates? He never provides any sort of information with the claim and it's sort of been bugging me a little since if you give cavalry sergeant-control they usually split into two formations for each flank. As far as I understand that require double the amount of formations if his claim were true. So does anyone know what he was talking about?
 
Khuzait lance horsemen will use spears with charge command. I've seen them do it. It's not couched but they use spears and not swords.

Is this information recent? About using advance instead of charge?

EDIT:

Also I can confirm "charge" for horse archers will never have them charge in unless they run out of arrows.

This video is out of date.
 
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Khuzait lance horsemen will use spears with charge command. I've seen them do it. It's not couched but they use spears and not swords.

Is this information recent? About using advance instead of charge?

EDIT:

Also I can confirm "charge" for horse archers will never have them charge in unless they run out of arrows.

This video is out of date.

The video is out of date, but it can still offer us the insight that there is more going on under the hood than is readily apparent. One of the things that I've noticed is that when putting troops under their own cognizance with F6, they will oftentimes split into new formations, with the appropriate behavior changes intact.
 
I do like the advance command for archers but have found that when they stay at max distance it sometimes puts them in terrain that does not allow a clear field of fire and renders them useless.
 
I do like the advance command for archers but have found that when they stay at max distance it sometimes puts them in terrain that does not allow a clear field of fire and renders them useless.

After watching the above link I tested it and got this exact result too. Might be great on some maps with open terrain but was completely horrible in the battle I did and I lost all my infantry since all archers ran behind a small hill and didn't do nothing, heh. Was worth a shot though and will probably try again but stick to certain clear terrain battle maps only.
 
I do like the advance command for archers but have found that when they stay at max distance it sometimes puts them in terrain that does not allow a clear field of fire and renders them useless.
I find it only good in the "finishing charge" when I don't want to bother with them anymore.
It's absolutely still optimal to place then in a good position and face direction at the enemies approach, or position. They waste much more time moving back and not shooting versus just holding and shooting closing enemies. They can often force a rout if they hold and shoot, but if on advance they shoot less and often get caught by the same enemy group. I've tried this a few times against the same parties.
 
allowing ranged troops to move on their own right now is not at all useful. they move far, far too much in response to facing commands and lose most of their ability to fight. at all. i always find a good spot for them and make them stop. until it's time for everyone to charge. so deciding where to fight is all about finding the spot where the ranged will be useful once they're planted in the ground.
 
Setting your army up is a pain, specially since you have to tell everyone where to stand and where to look to stop them swiveling because of one houseman.

I would like armies to spawn farther away from eachother to allow more time for the troop placement.
 
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