MegaGlest Forum

MegaGlest => Feature requests => Topic started by: Mark on 13 July 2010, 20:41:39

Title: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: Mark on 13 July 2010, 20:41:39
Before I explain how this would work, let me explain why it is useful.

In glest, cavalry units are simply soldiers who move fast and have high HP, presumably due to the addition of the horse to the HP of the Rider.  This is inaccurate because though there were advantages to mounting horses for battle, the horse could be injured in the fighting, and though they were taught to overcome flesh wounds and other simple wounds, a horse could throw a rider should it break a leg due to an enemy's attack.  In this way, mounted troops previous to the introduction of horse armor were more vulnerable to attacks.  Horses could not fight in extended melees because a shield or breastplate did not guarantee protection for the horse, and most soldiers would not shy from attacking an unwary horseman's mount.  Cavalry were only used in melees with other cavalry, and this was rare.  Instead, most mounted troops rode at the enemy, charged the infantry, and either immediately returned to their lines or finished the job as quickly as they could with their lances or swords.  They were able to inflict both serious physical harm and serious psychological harm to an enemy-imagine, you are a farmer conscripted into a unit of swordsmen, and you see a mass of warriors riding tall horses at 25-30 miles per hour straight at you, screaming at the top of their lungs! 

Now that I have made my case about what cavalry are really like, I will get to my point.  In glests newer factions, cavalry should have normal HP, less armor, and at least 2-3 times the movement speed of infantry of their kind.  In order to make them worthwhile, however, each cavalry unit should have a second attack called a charge, which would deal high damage and attack quickly.  In order to make sure that the units move far from the enemy and then start to charge, a sort of EP system could be implemented, which would not be shown onscreen but you would be able to charge an enemy when it is full.  You would fill it up by moving in 'charge_skill' for a couple tiles.  I think I heard somewhere that in GAE or in Megaglest units will switch attacks if the current one needs more EP than is available, instead of the age old scene of exhausted archmages standing idle.  That way, the cavalry would start out by charging the enemy, dealing deathblows left and right, and then the horsemen would either start spearing or slicing at men with their weapons (my choice), or a more complicated method that would have the cavalry run away and charge again.  I think that the second option would be more difficult.

There are really only two things that I would request that are required for this to work.  Firstly, a system of EP like, rechargeable resources that you wouldn't see, and secondly a way of making sure that after this resource (or EP for that matter) is out, that the unit switches to a secondary attack.

Just food for thought.  I think someone else mentioned this before, but not in detail.  I might not be able to respond to posts on this topic, but if this is something you are already implementing, feel free to lock it.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: wyvern on 13 July 2010, 23:36:49
I don't see mounted archers charging people so it couldn't be for all cavalry, second of all unless impaled a horse with barding is not so easy to harm with a sword, if you look at my knight unit in tech mk2 it has a running ep regen and an ep based charge skill, I think riders should be able to dismount or be thrown off though
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: wyvern on 14 July 2010, 00:03:27
fergot to mention this but foot troops had trouble reaching mounted soldiers or getting near there horses because of the horsemans height advantage and added reach from his horses back. Unless armed with a pole arm or of great, even suicidal courage foot troops had trouble reaching cavalry.
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: John.d.h on 14 July 2010, 02:13:09
Can't this already be done? :look:
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: ultifd on 14 July 2010, 02:15:51
I think this can be done already...such as in the Woodsmen faction right? Not sure it works with the AI though...
 :| EDIT:... K, I looked at it. I think it is this...
Code: [Select]
- <skill>
  <type value="move" />
  <name value="charge_skill" />
  <ep-cost value="0" />
  <speed value="460" />
  <anim-speed value="115" />
  <animation path="models/marauder_charge.g3d" />
- <sound enabled="true" start-time="0">
  <sound-file path="sounds/horseman_walk1.wav" />
  <sound-file path="sounds/horseman_walk2.wav" />
  <sound-file path="sounds/horseman_walk3.wav" />
  </sound>
</sound>
</skill>
Or the one that is named "butt skill"...  :| Not sure what that one is for, don't remember it...
(click to show/hide)

Anyways, not sure if this is GAE only...if it is, just use GAE for now...
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: wyvern on 14 July 2010, 14:18:14
There the ep regenerations permanent, in my knight unit the movement costs negative ep allowing for a later charge attack, check it out Mark its probably the closest thing to your request.
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: Mark on 16 July 2010, 02:38:45
It works almost perfectly for humans if you don't try to run away, so you are right.  But the AI does not use the feature, as far as I can tell.
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: John.d.h on 16 July 2010, 03:52:24
Quote from: Mark on 16 July 2010, 02:38:45
It works almost perfectly for humans if you don't try to run away, so you are right.  But the AI does not use the feature, as far as I can tell.
What features does the AI use?  It doesn't even use Initiates properly. :P
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: wyvern on 16 July 2010, 05:10:47
The AI's really dumb so you need to improve the AI not the extra attack, thats pretty much figured out
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: ultifd on 16 July 2010, 06:31:05
Quote from: John.d.h on 16 July 2010, 03:52:24
Quote from: Mark on 16 July 2010, 02:38:45
It works almost perfectly for humans if you don't try to run away, so you are right.  But the AI does not use the feature, as far as I can tell.
What features does the AI use?  It doesn't even use Initiates properly. :P
:P
Quote from: Mark on 16 July 2010, 02:38:45
It works almost perfectly for humans if you don't try to run away, so you are right.  But the AI does not use the feature, as far as I can tell.
Really, still huh... well AI is weird too...
Quote from: Wyvern on 16 July 2010, 05:10:47
The AI's really dumb so you need to improve the AI not the extra attack, thats pretty much figured out
You as in who. You? Who? We need more devs...and we will, hopefully...
Title: Re: Feature Request - Cavalry Charge!
Post by: wyvern on 16 July 2010, 15:21:00
Anyone, I could try but I'd fail, I wasn't meaning anyone in particular