Comment on the new 'Evade' Options

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 1:10 pm

Slitherine,

I haven't played much since the 1.40 release, but I just wanted to say how good the new evade options are, they are simple to use and really give a lot of options to the player regarding how to fight a battle. It also makes strategy a little tougher (which I like) because nothing is totally predictable anymore. I think that LF and LH are much more useful and more integrated in the army tactics, no more are LF just a cheap source of BPs.

Thanks for listening and implementing such great functionality.

Morbio

76mm · Post by **76mm** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:24 pm

I agree, I like this feature quite a bit and think it makes light horse in particular much more useful.

Post by **IainMcNeil** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:40 pm

Glad you are enjoying it - it sounds like a small change but it does make a big change to the options you have, especially in multiplayer.

gudin · Post by **gudin** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 3:56 pm

I agree . . . to a point. I still think the fundamental AI should be tweaked. I have been playing Swords and Scimitars, and the mameluks are more or less consistently standing in the face of charges by knights, when the odds should be pretty solidly in the knights favor. Thus, they die.

Sup/Armored/Bw/Sw are only worth the expense if they can choose when to enter hand to hand, and not stand in the face of people who will kill them.

This also happens with Persians of the same sort.

Just my 2 cents.

little · Post by **little** » Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:11 pm

I'm very much in favour of the new evade options so big thanks for this "tweak". No longer does it take careful hex counting to ensure that my Lydian cavalry are far enough back to avoid running away before contact. It also adds a whole new dimension to the tactics

davouthojo · Post by **davouthojo** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:05 pm

Do LF have to take a test to stand against charging knights or pikemen, or will they always stand suicidally?

Blathergut · Post by **Blathergut** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:49 pm

There seems to be some testing involved. A unit will suddenly NOOOooo! and run off instead of obeying orders.

Not sure just who and when though.

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:59 pm

I agree, there is still a test to determine if a unit will stand against an enemy charge, and yes I've heard Nooooo! a few times. but quite often they will stand and this is great.

Xiccarph just gave me a lesson, in the battle of Hereclea, of how to use these new evade options, along with use of terrain (i.e. riverbank) to stop Superior Lancers clearing a flank. I now have to rethink my tactics as Pyrrhus!

Previously a single lancer unit could chase away several average light spear and sword cavalry and then wreak havoc. However, by holding their ground at a riverbank and the cavalry won the fight, especially since they were supported by a unit of MF. Previously the cavalry would have run (possibly off the board) and the lancer would have beaten the MF in a round or two. This time they stood and fought and once impact was over the fight favoured the 2 cavalry and the MF because the Lancers were at severely reduced dice because of multiple opponents.

This change has really re-ignited my enthusiasm for playing FoG!

deeter · Post by **deeter** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:39 pm

Keep in mind too that after the lancers get their impact charge, in melee both sides are armored/swords (although the lancers might be superior vs. average.) This was always the nightmare of the Roman cav in that they would run off at impact despite the fact that they could hold their own during the ensuing melee phase. With the option to stand, Roman cav can actually hold a flank against Greek cav -- for awhile at least.

Deeter

Xiggy · Post by **Xiggy** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:03 pm

I really like these changes. I wonder though if some of the troops moral grades should be adjusted because of them.

batesmotel · Post by **batesmotel** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:10 pm

Blathergut wrote:There seems to be some testing involved. A unit will suddenly NOOOooo! and run off instead of obeying orders. Not sure just who and when though.

Skirmishers (LF and LH) still have to pass a CMT to stand against non-skirmishers when ordered to never evade. That's most likely when you are hearing the "Noooooooooooo...". Non-skirmishers should never have to test if ordered not to evade.

Chris

claymore58 · Post by **claymore58** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:39 am

I must admit to a liking for these rules. I guess that I enjoy the aggressive tactics that can be employed by swarms of Jav armed LF. LF can hold off HF when fighting in rough terrain. One of my LF recently took out two Roman Legionaries! It certainly changes peoples perceptions of what Light troops are going to do. You cant assume that your heavies can just push the lights aside - you may get a nasty shock when they decide to make a stand.

Claymore