How are you guys controlling spells?

[En Forcer]

Basically what I am wondering is if there is a way to control or "encourage" your spell casters to cast a certain way or whatever.

From the conversations I've read, it sounds like some of you guys have figured out a way to que spells and this is something I would really like to know how to do. But I could be wrong too because the context was a little vague.

All I can see is cast just one spell (and is that over and over again or what?) or let your dude just spew spells randomly.

Any pointers you guys can give regarding spells would be huge.

[PhilD]

Originally posted by En Forcer:
Basically what I am wondering is if there is a way to control or "encourage" your spell casters to cast a certain way or whatever.

From the conversations I've read, it sounds like some of you guys have figured out a way to que spells and this is something I would really like to know how to do. But I could be wrong too because the context was a little vague.

All I can see is cast just one spell (and is that over and over again or what?) or let your dude just spew spells randomly.

Any pointers you guys can give regarding spells would be huge.

When giving orders to a commander (click on "Click here to set battle orders" in the army view), you have an option for "cast a specific spell". This will let you pick any of the spells that you have the research for, and that your commander has the paths for (some will be greyed out: those are the spells he has the paths for, but not the required level in each path; your mage will only be able to cast such spells with gems, or with a Communion).

You can select specific orders for up to 5 turns, so you can "queue" up to 5 spells per mage.

[gibson]

On the garrison screen, you can click underneath a commander's name to give him or her orders. Click on this. There will be a fair number of commands available, some above a dividing line, some below. Below are permanent commands, and will dictate a unit's behavior for the remainder of the battle once that command is recieved (note that normal, non-commander units can only choose from these). The upper tier of commands are available only to commanders, and each only applies to one turn on combat. You can queue up to five of these on a commander, in addition to one lower tier command to execute once the upper tier commands have been completed. One of the upper tier commands is "Cast a specific spell." You can click this and choose from all spells that that particular commander can cast (including grayed out ones that they have the right path to cast but not enough skill). By clicking on a spell, you queue it up, and it will bring you back to the select orders screen. You can do this 5 times (mixing and matching upper tier orders...they don't all have to be "Cast a specific spell") before you cannot script the unit specifically any further, and must rely on the vagueness of the lower tier commands.

Hopefully that explanation has helped, if not I'll try and make it clearer .

e;fb

[ February 12, 2004, 20:14: Message edited by: gibson ]

[En Forcer]

Gibson and PhilD you guys are the best!

That is exactly what I was looking for. I swear it's not in the manual about queing 5 actions like that and then a default after no less.

Digging it.

I go now to unleash a world of pain upon my foe...

[aldin]

Also, positioning, gems and research choices can help a bit.

-By denying a mage gems, you limit what they can cast; By giving them a certain type of gem you prejudice them towards casting spells that "use" that gem (if only as part of the fatigue calculation).

-Mages near the rear won't cast enemy targeting spells where the enemy is out of range. Mages near the front may wind up engaged and be unable to cast. A mage can be limited by selecting five spells then "Retreat" as the next action.

-You can't cast it if you haven't researched it. If there's a spell you just hate, simply choose to pursue other schools of study.

None of these is a terribly good answer. You get to script five and then hope for the best. I occasionally find it advantageous to put my mages where they can't accidentally hurt someone I don't want to lose

~Aldin

[Bowlingballhead]

Also some really nice spells (like fireball, inferno, and panic) are on magic items. Give one of those to a non-mage commander, and set him to 'cast spells', and he'll just stand there and cast that one spell over and over as fast as he can.

[Norfleet]

Standing near some mages can be like being in a bar with people playing "stomp the landmine".

Run away. Quickly. Keep that in mind when positioning your troops and giving them orders: You definitely want anyone who is not a bodyguard to have fled from those particularly out-of-control mages before they run out of script and start miscasting magic.

[Arralen]

Originally posted by En Forcer:
That is exactly what I was looking for. I swear it's not in the manual about queing 5 actions like that and then a default after no less.

sorry, dude .. :

page 14, line 4ff
"Each commander can have up to five turn orders, such as casting a specific spell. After all turn orders are performed, the commander will act on a basic battle order. ..."

Took me 1:43 to find. The manual isn't really that bad, if anyone would care to read it thoroughly. Maybe they should have highlightened the most important facts. Seems like they're easily overlooked.

[ February 13, 2004, 09:38: Message edited by: Arralen ]

[Saber Cherry]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
(shrewd tactics)

Well I'll be! If it isn't the Arm Commander himself... I always heard he was quite the shrewd tactician.

[LordArioch]

Funny how bad a tactician he was until "It was near the end of the war"

What in the world was he doing up until then? Sleeping? Lazy arm commander.