Auto attacking

[Axnor]

I know it's been asked before, but I just gotta make sure: is there a way to make my idle units automatically attack a new squad after breaking their initial target? I don't want to have to survey every unit individually...gets kinda tedious in larger battles.

[Zordiark Darkeater]

i wish there would be an attack on move order....

manualy set targets 1by1 to all your groups is ANNOYING when you fight in forests where sight breaks every few sec....

[Trooper #900129-H]

I would agree if this was a APM-based RTS in the same vein as StarCraft et al.

As it is however, outside of campaign reinforcements, the units you bring to battle are all the units you are ever going to have for that particulair fight.

This means units are a limited resource and thus should be used as efficiently as possible.
(I'm already rather OCD when it comes to making sure the right units are in guard mode and/or have fire-at will turned on/off.)

Personally I feel an auto-attack or attack-move function will lead to many instances of your units going off on their own chasing enemy units and you having to needlessly pull them back and regroup them in order to have them fighting where you want to.

(Example:
Imagine Greatswords charging nearby cavalry on their own just because they are close.
I would rather manually send in the halberdiers better suited for that fight, but they where still on their way over and now have the greatswords in their way.
These self-charging Greatswords are now also possibly blocking shots for the handgunner unit you might have placed nearby earlier for the express purpose of flanking fire.)


To me, the Total War battles are about using units in the right place at the right time; Having units do too much on their own takes away from this.

[Axnor]

Originally posted by Zordrage:

i wish there would be an attack on move order....

manualy set targets 1by1 to all your groups is ANNOYING when you fight in forests where sight breaks every few sec....

Actually, if you lock them in a group, and order them to attack, each unit will choose an individual target. But I am talking about what comes after wiping out or routing the enemy unit - then they just stand while others are fighting around them instead of helping out.

[Axnor]

Originally posted by Captain of the Empire:

I would agree if this was a APM-based RTS in the same vein as StarCraft et al.

As it is however, outside of campaign reinforcements, the units you bring to battle are all the units you are ever going to have for that particulair fight.

This means units are a limited resource and thus should be used as efficiently as possible.
(I'm already rather OCD when it comes to making sure the right units are in guard mode and/or have fire-at will turned on/off.)

Personally I feel an auto-attack or attack-move function will lead to many instances of your units going off on their own chasing enemy units and you having to needlessly pull them back and regroup them in order to have them fighting where you want to.

(Example:
Imagine Greatswords charging nearby cavalry on their own just because they are close.
I would rather manually send in the halberdiers better suited for that fight, but they where still on their way over and now have the greatswords in their way.
These self-charging Greatswords are now also possibly blocking shots for the handgunner unit you might have placed nearby earlier for the express purpose of flanking fire.)


To me, the Total War battles are about using units in the right place at the right time; Having units do too much on their own takes away from this.

I mean, it wouldn't be half as bad if I wasn't managing my shock cavalry and flying pegasus knights at the same time. I have to be careful with those and micro them where I need them the most. This isn't a twitch RTS game like SC as you said, so I find it tedious to have to check each individual unit while also directing my cavalry charges. I just want them to attack after finishing their first order, that's it.

[Decomposed]

Originally posted by Axnor:

I mean, it wouldn't be half as bad if I wasn't managing my shock cavalry and flying pegasus knights at the same time. I have to be careful with those and micro them where I need them the most. This isn't a twitch RTS game like SC as you said, so I find it tedious to have to check each individual unit while also directing my cavalry charges. I just want them to attack after finishing their first order, that's it.

You could try this mod:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=882588765

Order your missile troops to attack the enemy units you want. Then assign them to the AI. They will search for new targets automatically, while you control your cavalry. Then you can take them back under your control if you like.

[Axnor]

Originally posted by Decomposed:

Originally posted by Axnor:

I mean, it wouldn't be half as bad if I wasn't managing my shock cavalry and flying pegasus knights at the same time. I have to be careful with those and micro them where I need them the most. This isn't a twitch RTS game like SC as you said, so I find it tedious to have to check each individual unit while also directing my cavalry charges. I just want them to attack after finishing their first order, that's it.

You could try this mod:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=882588765

Order your missile troops to attack the enemy units you want. Then assign them to the AI. They will search for new targets automatically, while you control your cavalry. Then you can take them back under your control if you like.

Thanks, this might work adequately for what I had in mind. And yeah, missile units have fire at will, but infantry melee units don't have "attack at will" . Why? Dunno.

[Trooper #900129-H]

Originally posted by Axnor:

I mean, it wouldn't be half as bad if I wasn't managing my shock cavalry and flying pegasus knights at the same time. I have to be careful with those and micro them where I need them the most. This isn't a twitch RTS game like SC as you said, so I find it tedious to have to check each individual unit while also directing my cavalry charges. I just want them to attack after finishing their first order, that's it.

I find myself wishing for a solution for the same thing as I very much recognise the tedium when controlling more then one army (i.e. constant, frantic checking if every unit has it's proper orders)

Though much of this is resolved when getting used to quickly scan the upper rim of the unitportraits: If there is nothing there (no small blue traingle with a move/melee/skirmish icon), the unit either needs orders or is in position and should be checked for new orders.

In the end I stand by my point, auto-attack isn't really for me personally.
Perhaps I'm too much of a controlfreak that way.


Though all that said: The "AI General" mod that was linked above looks promising, perhaps some sort of compromise was found here.
Will look into this one myself.

[Captain Deadpool]

Originally posted by Axnor:

I am talking about what comes after wiping out or routing the enemy unit - then they just stand while others are fighting around them instead of helping out.

I have the same problems, my units stay idle in the middle of the battle, in Shogun 2, when you send units into charge onto enemy lines, when they broke the enemy unit, they would keep going and continue to fight, engaging further units along the way, in warhammer they just stand still after the enemy unit routs, even if 1 meter away there's 500+ men fighting.

[Dumbfounded Polymath]

Not sure why they don't at least chase the routing units as they often recover and come back. Sitting idle sucks, means more needless micro.