Formation targetting

[Farm_Ecology]

Anyone know how the formation targetting works? I can see how to charge at a formation, but not to say, get my archers to target one

[Action Man]

When I've done it, I select the unit I want, then point my camera at the desired formation. When I see four green icons surround the enemy formation icon, I give my order. I think that's all it takes. Unless I'm missing something.

[Farm_Ecology]

But how does that work with archers, as there isnt a "attack" order

[Action Man]

Charge, Engage, or Delegate. I believe with the 1.2.7 change, Archers will still favor shooting over melee if given the Charge order.

From the patch notes

Improved Ranged AI and the Targeting System
Ranged agents no longer keep approaching the enemy during a Charge order. Instead, they get in range and open fire until the target itself gets close enough for melee.

[Farm_Ecology]

hmm, so it sounds like you cant. Thats a shame.

[dot]

By default when you click on them is charge (thing that i hate btw, hate it when i want to just move or reshape a formation but the enemy icon is in the way and gives the charge order x) ), but you can also use engage if you use the f1-f4 on the formation. I use engage, primarly to keep the banner holder alive and not see him running forward alone with the banner to the enemy archers xDDD

[Ruffio]

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

hmm, so it sounds like you cant. Thats a shame.

You tell them to charge, or engage, and they will attack... so yes it does work.

[Action Man]

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

hmm, so it sounds like you cant. Thats a shame.

I'm not sure what you're missing. You select your Archer formation, and you tell them to Charge or Engage a formation. They will follow that order. As soon as the archers are in range, they will start shooting. If enemies get into melee range, they will swap to melee. You'll need to order them to fall back and have another unit (most likely infantry) cover them so they aren't chased. Then tell them to Engage again when they are out of melee, and they will start shooting.

I've seen this work in my game. Oftentimes I delegate just to see how the AI does it. Most archers will fall back behind infantry if melee gets close. Fian Champions pull out swords and get chopping along with the infantry. Not sure how I feel about that yet.

[Farm_Ecology]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

hmm, so it sounds like you cant. Thats a shame.

You tell them to charge, or engage, and they will attack... so yes it does work.

Well no. Both charge and engage is "move towards the enemy and attack them." not "attack them, but no move order". Point being, I dont want my archers to break their formation to go chasing after enemies not in range, or chasing after those running away.

Originally posted by Action Man:

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

hmm, so it sounds like you cant. Thats a shame.

I'm not sure what you're missing. You select your Archer formation, and you tell them to Charge or Engage a formation. They will follow that order. As soon as the archers are in range, they will start shooting.

Exactly, I dont want them to charge or engage, I want them to target a formation with no additional steps.
This kind of stuff is extremely crucial when using terrain or fighting against larger numbers.

[The Mau Corporation]

If they are in range they will stand still and fire.

[Action Man]

Then order them to a spot. They will fire on any enemy in range. They won't move unless you tell them to. They may retreat if their morale takes too big a hit though.

Wait for your targeted formation to get in range, then tell your force to attack. One of the commands (F7 I think?) tells them to stop moving.

[dot]

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

Well no. Both charge and engage is "move towards the enemy and attack them." not "attack them, but no move order". Point being, I dont want my archers to break their formation to go chasing after enemies not in range, or chasing after those running away.

Charge does not keep formation and they attack whenever they can while advancing until they are range effective (like they can start shooting earlier but they do jack damage like -8 tops to the chest to an unarmored target when they start shooting).

Engage keep formation, and they advance until they are at effective range and then they start shooting. While in engage they also try to keep that same distance, ie if you commended them engage to infantry when they infantry pushes they start walking backwards and while you dont stop them from shooting with f4 they just skirmish with that formation.

[Ruffio]

Originally posted by Farm_Ecology:

Originally posted by Ruffio:

You tell them to charge, or engage, and they will attack... so yes it does work.

Well no. Both charge and engage is "move towards the enemy and attack them." not "attack them, but no move order". Point being, I dont want my archers to break their formation to go chasing after enemies not in range, or chasing after those running away.

Originally posted by Action Man:

I'm not sure what you're missing. You select your Archer formation, and you tell them to Charge or Engage a formation. They will follow that order. As soon as the archers are in range, they will start shooting.

Exactly, I dont want them to charge or engage, I want them to target a formation with no additional steps.
This kind of stuff is extremely crucial when using terrain or fighting against larger numbers.

If you tell them to engage they will move in range and fire, if the enemy start get closer, they will fall back and and keep at range and fire afaik.

If you tell them to charge, they will close into range and keep fire at enemy, they will avoid rush into melee until they out of arrows, but they will defend themselves if attacked in melee (where as if you use engage, they would try fall back and avoid melee all together).

If you just want them to sit perfect in uniform lines, then move them around yourself.