Battle script substitution?

JonBrave · #1 May 6th, 2012, 04:57 AM

I was under the impression that if a mage cannot execute one command in his script (e.g. he doesn't have enough gems, or his level isn't currently high enough) he would skip and proceed to the next command. However, I think in this situation I noticed a mage substitute a command of his choice on that round, and then get back on script next round. (Which was dumb, because what he substituted used gems, and messed up later stuff.)

So what does mage do if he can't perform a command --- skip or substitute?

bbz · #2 May 6th, 2012, 06:16 AM

substitute.So if you want to manage him properly always set him to cast whatever he can cast, otherwise he can cast something crazy that you don't want.

JonBrave · #3 May 6th, 2012, 06:29 AM

I had not appreciated that at all (wondered if it was feeble-minded or something). That makes a lot of difference. I had laid out so that expensive spells were at the beginning, without worrying too much about whether I had the gems or ability, assuming he just worked down the list. Now I have to consider he may choose something else, and worse spend gems I want for later on it.

JonBrave · #4 May 6th, 2012, 06:41 AM

OK, let me try another one. It's to do with what mages "can" or "can't" or "won't" do.

I'm think especially of holy spells, like bless, sermon or banish.

For bless/sermon, do I detect that mages recast it even if everyone who could be has already been blessed/sermoned? I think maybe they don't if Divine Blessing/Fanaticism has been cast, but otherwise they seem to? Or does that only apply to sermon, not bless?

For banish, I could be wrong (often am!), but sometimes I see banish cast when I don't see any undead at all.

For non-holy spells which require a specific "target", if target not available, does that count as a "substitute"? Say I have "Magic Duel" scripted and there are no Astral opponents --- I guess that means he substitutes... oh dear!

bbz · #5 May 6th, 2012, 07:10 AM

Bless works only if you have valid targets still unblessed. About Sermon im pretty sure you can cast it constantly because the morale value changes with battle. So casting couple of sermon/Fanaticicsms is a good idea to keep the morale of the army in check.(especially if you are a monkey nation

).

About banish there must be a target either undead, or demon around for it to trigger.

Question 3 same answer: if you have no one to magic duel against, your mage will just cast something random.

JonBrave · #6 May 6th, 2012, 07:21 AM

Ah, I did not realise that you could Fanaticise/Sermon more than once on a unit --- I assumed, like a buff, there was a one-time raise of morale and no possible re-affectation.

When you banish, can you accidentally (by missing, or via AoE) banish your own undead (I assume you cannot accidentally bless/sermon opponents)? Banish does not have the 100 Precision of other holies.

bbz · #7 May 6th, 2012, 07:32 AM

I'm not 100% sure about the fanaticism, i'd have to test it.But I'm pretty sure thats how it acted when I was playing around with it.

About banish yea you can banish your own undead. And about bless I don't think you can but I haven't tried it.

Edit:
Test Results: you can't bless enemy troops even if it hits their sqare.

Thats is different from other spells like quickness, marble warriors, legions of steel that work on enemy troops as well.

I think there was something about when you enslave mind some blessed creature and the bless changes from theirs to yours but don't remember it exactly.

thejeff · #8 May 6th, 2012, 08:58 AM

I haven't tested it recently but I'm about 95% sure Sermon of Courage and Fanaticism only work once per unit and will thus not be cast once everyone within range has been affected. They give a static bonus that's shown if you click on the Morale section of the unit. Even if the unit is affected by fear or something, he still has the morale boost and can't get it again.

I didn't think Legions of Steel and the other buff spells affected enemy units, but I don't know if I ever really checked.

bbz · #9 May 6th, 2012, 09:26 AM

I've checked about quickening or weapons of sharpness. And they both work. Easiest test use some fliers to fly in first round and then as the defender set some big aoe buffs.

Soyweiser · #10 May 6th, 2012, 03:27 PM

There is one strange thing that can happen. Say you have a d1 mage, that is set to cast a d1 spell that uses 2 dgems. (possible to mod) then the spell will be listed as cast (nothing will happen) but the mage will immediately cast a different spell. (which will also be listed).

This can look a bit strange.