Ermor Broken Emipre in CBM 1.6

[fosforo]

After 5 games using Ermor in MA, I have some suggestion for "tuning" the CBM version 1.6

The first thing that I have noticed is the Censor low cost: only 30 Gold (from the original 80) for a commader with leadership: 40 normal/80 undead units, stats above the average and a patrol bonus!
This cost is incredible low, especially if compared to his "unit version", the lictor: similar stats, worse patrol bonus, no leadership for a 24 gold cost. Only 6 gold of difference!

The second thing that I noticed is the need to lower the age of Triarii; need not satisfied by this CBM 1.6, lingering in the original error of the vanilla dom3version.

I agree that the praetorian guard is a prestigiuos role gained after a long career as soldier; this definition justifies the old age of the praetorian guard in the game and the consequent afflictions derived from it.

But the triarii units was the better piece of the entire roman army; they was a well trained and equipped soldiers, ever deploeyed in the rear of the army to inflict the critical hit to the enemy.
Hence I refuse to figure them as seasoned men with rheumatism, affliciton and osteoporosis

I know that a triarii unit has to be a veteran but not necessarily a decrepit man, so my proposal is to lower his age from 55 to 45 to avoid the affliction penalties and to increase his "temporal" efficiency, otherwise this unit (the most powerful in the real roman army) remains totally useless for the gaming purpose.

Sorry for the embarassing english
Fosforo

[Squirrelloid]

The censor is so cheap because its capital only, and thus competing with the actually good stuff you can hire, like Grand Thaumaturges. Even at 30g it still never gets hired. In fact, as long as it remains cap only you could make it free and no one would hire it.

[Trumanator]

Even if triarii had their age reduced, it wouldn't change things that much imo. Principes are still better.

[Omnirizon]

don't triarii have the long spear and heavier armor? I think that's better than the Principe (if the principe is the one with broad sword). If triarii had map move 2 and not old, they would be better than principe in my book.

[thejeff]

Long spear and Plate armor, yes.
17 protection to the Principe's 12. Principe uses a short sword, btw.

Not old would be nice, but you won't see them changed to map move 2. That's very rare for humans in heavy armor.

Encumbrance and defense are both worse than the principe, too. 9 encumbrance even without the age penalty.

Without age, they'd have a useful niche. With it, not really worth much.


On a slightly different note, most of Ermor's troops are described with a definite role or place on the battle field. Has anyone experimented with this formation? Does it work at all in Dominions? Even against regular troops?

[Squirrelloid]

Originally Posted by thejeff

Long spear and Plate armor, yes.
17 protection to the Principe's 12. Principe uses a short sword, btw.

Not old would be nice, but you won't see them changed to map move 2. That's very rare for humans in heavy armor.

Encumbrance and defense are both worse than the principe, too. 9 encumbrance even without the age penalty.

Without age, they'd have a useful niche. With it, not really worth much.


On a slightly different note, most of Ermor's troops are described with a definite role or place on the battle field. Has anyone experimented with this formation? Does it work at all in Dominions? Even against regular troops?

It shouldn't work, because there are no rules to accomodate how it was actually used.

The tiered formation would have allowed troops to withdraw behind the line behind them if they were getting beaten too badly and regroup. The game doesn't recognize withdrawal as a valid tactical option, there's only breaking and running. Nor does the game permit regrouping. As such, there is no advantage to fighting in such a formation.

[vfb]

Long ago I once had a Wrym of mine get beat up, and run away. It only retreated halfway across the battlefield before it got tied up trying to fight its way home. Then something happened, maybe it regen'ed enough HP, and it turned around and started fighting again, no longer in retreat mode. Does that count as regrouping? I guess it's pretty hard for a single unit to regroup, even if it does have two heads.

Coincidentally, it was in a battle against thejeff.

Also, this is pretty much just a useless anecdote. The battle is long gone, and when it occured, I didn't know how to look at the debug output. It's the only time I've ever seen it happen.

[thejeff]

As I understand it, that's pretty much impossible. And yes, I do remember it, though not clearly.

I can only think of two ways for it to happen. One definitely works. If he'd gone berserk, he'd go back to the fight. I don't remember your Wyrm having berserk.
The other I'm unsure of. Possibly, if he went unconscious, when he recovered the AI rechecked the route conditions? I know that can turn off berserk, it might do other weirdness.

[Baalz]

Might be that he retreated because the friendly side's hps dropped below 80% of their starting hps (auto retreat), then indeed he regenned up so that was not the case anymore. No idea if this actually works that way, but just a guess.