A doubt about Polearm Mastery

[Lady Supernova]

HEY DEV!! (hey, eveyone) how does polearm mastery really work? i mean, does it affect only direct adjacent units or does it affect also "half adjacent" ones? (im not sure about what adjacent means here)

in the image below, is francesco granting bonus to all units on both formations (1 and 2) or only on formation 1?

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2052007740040794548/23D1931EF3ADBC0D80E915748AC1F3E5C3ECCAB4/

[phenir]

I assumed it would give the bonus to units on the same row, ie. the mage, raider, and swordfighter, because of the melee defense.

[Mithran]

Shoulder to shoulder adjacent only for Phalax/Polearm Mastery bonuses. Bonus is only effective when the supported unit is defending against melee or the supported unit attacks with melee, depends on the polearm user's armor and weapon respectively, and does not stack (highest bonus takes precedent if you have polearms on both sides). In 1, Swordfighter and Mage are in range. Swordfighter gets a boost to their weapon when attacking, mage does not because they never attack with melee, but both gain a bonus to armor when being struck by melee which is possible with this formation. In 2, only the horsebow is affected by the bonus, but in this position it can neither be struck by melee (without things dying, under normal circumstances) nor does it attack with melee so the bonus is kind of irrelevant.

[Lady Supernova]

mmm.... shoulder to shoulder only.... ok!! thanks a lot for the answers, guys!! they clarified my doubts!! ik those squads sukk, but i used them only to illustrate xD

[Thorak]

Originally posted by Mithran:

Shoulder to shoulder adjacent only for Phalax/Polearm Mastery bonuses. Bonus is only effective when the supported unit is defending against melee or the supported unit attacks with melee, depends on the polearm user's armor and weapon respectively, and does not stack (highest bonus takes precedent if you have polearms on both sides). In 1, Swordfighter and Mage are in range. Swordfighter gets a boost to their weapon when attacking, mage does not because they never attack with melee, but both gain a bonus to armor when being struck by melee which is possible with this formation. In 2, only the horsebow is affected by the bonus, but in this position it can neither be struck by melee (without things dying, under normal circumstances) nor does it attack with melee so the bonus is kind of irrelevant.

Thanks, I have been looking for an answer for this question for a very long time. This also both gives an explanation of the amount of the bonus and what affects it and it is crystal clear.

Just to clarify, the units which can grant this bonus are all units with polearms? This would mean all these units would grant the bonus: Spearman, Sentinel, Samurai, Centurion, Hussar and Scout? Or are some of those units excluded from granting the bonus?

[Thorak]

Is it possible to get an answer to the question if Hussar/Scout also provide the benefit from the Polearm Mastery?

[Hand of Gabriel]

Only the troops with Polearm Mastery will provide the buff.

[Thorak]

Originally posted by Hand of Gabriel:

Only the troops with Polearm Mastery will provide the buff.

You mean polearm warrior? If so then I would assume that means that the Scout and Hussar gives the bonus as they have the polearm warrior skill and it mentions they have 2 polearm attacks at range 1?

[Lady Supernova]

Originally posted by Thorak:

Is it possible to get an answer to the question if Hussar/Scout also provide the benefit from the Polearm Mastery?

yes i believe scouts and hussars also provide the bonus, theyre all polearm units, as well as samurais and centurions

[TheOriginalJealot]

Originally posted by Mithran:

Shoulder to shoulder adjacent only for Phalax/Polearm Mastery bonuses. Bonus is only effective when the supported unit is defending against melee or the supported unit attacks with melee, depends on the polearm user's armor and weapon respectively, and does not stack (highest bonus takes precedent if you have polearms on both sides). In 1, Swordfighter and Mage are in range. Swordfighter gets a boost to their weapon when attacking, mage does not because they never attack with melee, but both gain a bonus to armor when being struck by melee which is possible with this formation. In 2, only the horsebow is affected by the bonus, but in this position it can neither be struck by melee (without things dying, under normal circumstances) nor does it attack with melee so the bonus is kind of irrelevant.

Thank you for answering this question. I had previously wondered about this the same way the OP did: i.e. was the bonus applied to units adjacent a half-step up or down when in front or in back of the polearm user, or did they have to be in the exact same column. Eventually I stopped wondering because I figured the description was clear: "any adjacent unit" meant just that.

However, it appears it is not "any" but only adjacent in the same row. Would it then be possible to either change the description in the tech tree to "Polearm units now grant bonus attack and defense to adjacent units in the same row.", or else, better yet (imho), change the mechanic to match the current description and leave the description as is?

[Lady Supernova]

Originally posted by TheOriginalJealot:

However, it appears it is not "any" but only adjacent in the same row. Would it then be possible to either change the description in the tech tree to "Polearm units now grant bonus attack and defense to adjacent units in the same row."

yes!! i wanted to make that exact same suggestion!!