What do spears do?

[CrabNicholson]

I gather from the description that spear+shield is a defensive weapon that is meant to sit still and get charged at frontally (though I imagine only an AI would actually play into this) but what is the exact effect of this weapon in terms of stats?

[the dark wizard]

Spears allow the 3rd rank to also attack, as long as you are not charging.

So I usually do my very best to make my spear units very wide, so as many attacks can hit as possible. This also makes them a juicy target to soak up ranged attacks, which is fine by me.

[Gorael]

Actually it’s pretty easy to take advantage of the spears even in mp. You have to put your opponent in a situation where feont charging your spears is the best he can do.

Example scenarii:
_ Threaten a flank charge so that your opponent has to intercept you.
_ straight out good positionning. Place your regiment so that it would be too costly for your opponent to manoeuver around it.
_ Also in some scenario it’s ok to charge with tour spears (especially when flanking) since on the 2nd turn and onward you will still benefit from the bonus.

Hope this helped.

[76561199100143607]

Yeah, spears are kinda the same as 2 hand weapons (as they give the first rank another attack), but with the benefit of giving the unit shields as well, but the drawback that you need 3 ranks, and that you do not get that bonus if you charge or countercharge (but any subsequent turns)

[the dark wizard]

Originally posted by Bilstone:

Yeah, spears are kinda the same as 2 hand weapons (as they give the first rank another attack), bur with the benefit of giving the unit shields as well, but the drawback that you need 3 ranks, and that you do not get that bonus if you charge or countercharge (but any subsequent turns)

It's the diffrence between the hammer and the anvil. One unit is made to be chaff and stop the enemy, the other one is supposed to cut though them (though I do love using flying or cav units for the hammer part... mobility is key)

[CrabNicholson]

I've been experimenting, and I can't believe I slept on spears for this long. Spears are way better than swords if you stick them in an 18 or 21 model formation.

[the dark wizard]

Originally posted by CrabNicholson:

I've been experimenting, and I can't believe I slept on spears for this long. Spears are way better than swords if you stick them in an 18 or 21 model formation.

Yeah the hand weapon (swords) don't transfer over very well. Swords should get a higher defensive boost, but they don't as the parry part of the WFB isn't part of SOVL.

On paper, you should want to use sword units as offensive units, but the stats don't justify it. And unless they are elves they don't get the reroll's that makes them worthwhile.

[CrabNicholson]

Originally posted by the dark wizard:

Originally posted by CrabNicholson:

I've been experimenting, and I can't believe I slept on spears for this long. Spears are way better than swords if you stick them in an 18 or 21 model formation.

Yeah the hand weapon (swords) don't transfer over very well. Swords should get a higher defensive boost, but they don't as the parry part of the WFB isn't part of SOVL.

On paper, you should want to use sword units as offensive units, but the stats don't justify it. And unless they are elves they don't get the reroll's that makes them worthwhile.

My original hypothesis was that swords would be better for general usage because with swords you take the active stance in engaging combat (and the game is already all about engaging from a favorable position), while with spears, you would be relying on your opponent to engage an unfavourable combat, or at best, deterring them from doing so. But in actuality, the bonus from spears comes into play at least as often as the bonus from swords and it is far, far more impactful when it does. Spears can outright win games in a way that swords could never dream of.

[the dark wizard]

Originally posted by CrabNicholson:

. But in actuality, the bonus from spears comes into play at least as often as the bonus from swords and it is far, far more impactful when it does. Spears can outright win games in a way that swords could never dream of.

And that is one of the many "flaws" that SOVL has compared to warhammer fantasy / old world.
It's made for ease of use, which makes a joke out of certain units (swords and shields, guns, half the art). While making others very powerful. (flying mounts, giants).

duel wielding weapons, usings two handed weapons, armor piercing... stuff like that isn't implemented which makes half the chaff useless.

I play Orc's (fantasy, old world and 40k), so not being able to field huge blob units with two weapons stands out to me.