Is it possible to kill the cumans in Skalitz ('Run!' quest) on the PC?

[NewbieOne]

As per title. People describing this on the console make it sound easy, but playing on the PC I find it difficult to even control the horse, and turning around on narrow paths is awfully hard. Additionally, it's not possible to run them over — the horse, even in gallop, seems to just slow down to a soft halt upon hitting a Cuman, without doing him any damage. Is this intentional, as in Henry's riding skill being 0 and the devs patching the game so you don't get to loot good gear too early?

[vine]

yes

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Try using the L and R arrows to control the direction of the horse combined with the W . DB click the shift to gallop.
I found it near impossible to control the direction using the A and D .
Yes its possible but no need just whistle for horse this distracts the cumans from Elizabeth and they give chase to you.

[NewbieOne]

I've also tried to kill the first human, but I lack the coordination or at least practice to execute the jump with the use of PC controls or to pull stab him to death via disengaging. Sometimes I almost succeed, but it's always almost. It doesn't seem to work the same way it did in the YouTube video by the Russian guy who managed to avoid engaging all the time.

[Jouchebag]

Lots of hit and run/kiting.

[AfLIcTeD]

Originally posted by NewbieOne:

I've also tried to kill the first human, but I lack the coordination or at least practice to execute the jump with the use of PC controls or to pull stab him to death via disengaging. Sometimes I almost succeed, but it's always almost. It doesn't seem to work the same way it did in the YouTube video by the Russian guy who managed to avoid engaging all the time.

They patched it so you can no longer do combat while unlocked. That video is probably an old one.

[GrannYgraine]

Riding the horse becomes easier. The trick is to keep his head in sight. Like driving a car, you look at the hood, straight forward.

[NewbieOne]

Originally posted by ygraineogf:

Riding the horse becomes easier. The trick is to keep his head in sight. Like driving a car, you look at the hood, straight forward.

Thanks. Perhaps the learning curve is steep but I'll learn in the end. The problem is there are so many controls. WSAD doing a different thing than the arrow keys, then shift, then mouse orientation — a bit too much for me with my coordination impairment.

I'm getting mixed results so far. Sometimes I can see that my sword gets bloody and many of the roadside Cumans give the visual and acoustic impression of being ready to die after one or two additional swings on the next run, but sometimes I can't hit anything and get stopped by object collisions with footmen, let alone fences or tricky plants. Eventually, I start bleeding and my vital bars shrink, and occasionally a get an insta-death arrow in my back.

The strangest thing is that even gallop-jumping onto a footman's chest (something I eventually learned to execute yesterday night) won't trip him, won't as much as make him falter or miss his step; if anything, the rider will keel over.

Obviously, I don't know much about real-life mounted vs infantry combat, and the game is certainly gracious enough to not make the Cumans just simply shot Henry down or throw a knife at him, which should one-shot him, so I shouldn't complain. But I really can't understand the collisions making him stop and not even making the infantry cringe, falter or step back or anything. Granted, they are armoured and the horse is not a half a destrier, but two hooves to the chest at full gallop + jump obviously shouldn't be something to just bounce off of you if you're wearing chainmal. There's still the impact force.

[NewbieOne]

I think I'll give up. I can manage to kill some of them, but there is just too much reloading, too much random falling off of the horse or getting stuck in something or pulled down or whatever.

But the greatest enemy here is the game's control system. I need to control all four arrows, WSAD and mouse simultaneously while performing fast moves such as steering the horse and slashing with a sword at the same time. At this point the game seems to overcomplicate the controls, where something simpler would have been better, for example the ability to control your horse with just the four arrows, which IMHO isn't too much to ask.

[MacSuibhne]

^this

Like the man said, the title of the quest is Run... word to the wise.

I had a very hard time with the horse at first. The biggest part of my problem was not using the WASD keys but using them AND the shift key at the same time with the same hand. My fingers wouldn't stretch. I couldn't control the horse at all. Ended up in ditches, tried to ride straight up the cliff, etc..

Trick that worked for me was to re-assign the shift/sprint key to the right hand/rt. shift key. No more mental short circuits. But of course that ties up the right hand (as does using the arrow keys) which needs to control the mouse. "Not a good move."

So once in Talmberg, I was looking for another solution. Went back to trying to control the horse and sprint in the left hand. I got better but it still wasn't good.

I ended up buying a gaming mouse.

Even now, having played through once and currently on another hardcore play-through, I have the sprint and gallop function re-assigned--to a button on my mouse. That's the best for me. Still use the WASD keys, though.

[MacSuibhne]

I might add just for what it's worth. I also re-assigned the block button to my mouse and the 'F' special function button to the mouse... since I did all that controls are much easier for me.

I still can't reach tab easily but I don't use combat lock much... never understood how lock worked or was suppose to work... so I just muddle through in 1vx. Doesn't seem to be a problem... or at least not an unsurmountable one.

[NewbieOne]

Originally posted by udUbdaWgz:

First off, I grew up playing Descent with more keys to use than digits, lol!!

Yeah, I'm a PC gaming veteran of 30 years myself too. The problem is, I have a co-ordination impairment that often cancels out the benefits of trained agility and nimbleness. You could say I'm very proficient but also very erratic. I can play agility tracks in car racers (e.g. gymkhana in Dirt 3) on a typing board with Cherry blues and do things people claim to be impossible on a PC keyboard, much less a tactile one. Or the stuff I did in The Witcher 3 playing the Cat style (light armour, fast strikes, rolling and dodging all the time). I thought I could abuse all this experience and get some good loot and experience early on, but for me to be able to stay on top of WSAD, arrow keys and mouse look I would need a third hand. I could probably do it with a joystick + mouse. Would be perfectly doable on the keyboard if you could just hold down a flag key instead of having to use multiple sets of directional controls.

Well, but like you say, running away is what game's telling you to do. I though I could abuse the system based on experience and the willingness to reload like 30 times, but it's only realistic that Hal is not a natural in the saddle. I just wish the controls were simpler (less of the avoidable multitasking) and the collission system friendlier (fences, trees) and more realistic (collision with footmen).

[NewbieOne]

Originally posted by MacSuibhne:

^this

Like the man said, the title of the quest is Run... word to the wise.

I had a very hard time with the horse at first. The biggest part of my problem was not using the WASD keys but using them AND the shift key at the same time with the same hand. My fingers wouldn't stretch. couldn't control the horse at all. Ended up in ditches, tried to ride straight up the cliff etc..

Trick that worked for me was to re-assign the shift key to the right hand/ rt. shift key. No mental short circuits. But of course that ties up the right hand which needs to control the mouse.

Even playing through once and now on another playthrough, I have the sprint and gallop function re-assigned--to a button on my mouse. That's the best for me. Still use the WASD keys .

I see. I can do shift + WSAD, but left hand on WSAD and right hand switching from arrow keys to mouse and back, or right hand on the mouse and left hand skipping between WSAD and arrows is something I can't do. With a joystick or gamepad sure, but not a bunch of keys among many of the same kind. Maybe I'll get better with practice, though. Sometimes I eventually get on top of control system I initially feel hopeless about.

Originally posted by udUbdaWgz:

And, for clarification- its possible to kill the cumans IF IF IF you min-max exploit the game in skalitz (upped your skills and have a bow/or equipment) schnapps-save and are great and/or lucky at combat.

Its NOT easy and is, in essence, futile.

I've seen someone say the loot is not worth it.

As for the experience, well, it's supposed to make life easier for you, so earning it the hard, hard way defeats the point, yeah. The benefit of coming out slightly ahead in Riding, Sword, Warfare, etc. won't be worth the grind.

[GrannYgraine]

Originally posted by NewbieOne:

Originally posted by ygraineogf:

Riding the horse becomes easier. The trick is to keep his head in sight. Like driving a car, you look at the hood, straight forward.

Thanks. Perhaps the learning curve is steep but I'll learn in the end. The problem is there are so many controls. WSAD doing a different thing than the arrow keys, then shift, then mouse orientation — a bit too much for me with my coordination impairment.

I'm getting mixed results so far. Sometimes I can see that my sword gets bloody and many of the roadside Cumans give the visual and acoustic impression of being ready to die after one or two additional swings on the next run, but sometimes I can't hit anything and get stopped by object collisions with footmen, let alone fences or tricky plants. Eventually, I start bleeding and my vital bars shrink, and occasionally a get an insta-death arrow in my back.

The strangest thing is that even gallop-jumping onto a footman's chest (something I eventually learned to execute yesterday night) won't trip him, won't as much as make him falter or miss his step; if anything, the rider will keel over.

Obviously, I don't know much about real-life mounted vs infantry combat, and the game is certainly gracious enough to not make the Cumans just simply shot Henry down or throw a knife at him, which should one-shot him, so I shouldn't complain. But I really can't understand the collisions making him stop and not even making the infantry cringe, falter or step back or anything. Granted, they are armoured and the horse is not a half a destrier, but two hooves to the chest at full gallop + jump obviously shouldn't be something to just bounce off of you if you're wearing chainmal. There's still the impact force.

I have a similar problem, I'm bed bound so typing is an adventure. I use an XBox controller with my PC. When I say bed bound I mean flat on my back day and night.

Something that is a big help for me is using poisons ans potions to boost my health and kill my enemies. You need to take them before the combat begins.

If you have the Woman's lot DLC you will get Mutt to follow you around. When he is fully perked he is a warhound and great hunting dog. He will even seek out treasure and special gardens.

Also save often. You don't have to have Savior Schnapps, Any bed you own or rent will do the trick. Also, there are Sleep and Save pallets in many refugee and abandoned camps. When you see an A-frame cabin, check inside for a pallet. I try to fine a spot every hour or so.

Take a break and try again tomorrow.

[MacSuibhne]

In my current play-through (HC) I tried to come out of Skalitz with as high stats as I could. My strength was pretty good and my herbalism was off the chart (considering) and my agility was fair. Weapon stats were good but still mostly marginal.

I didn't get the lockpicks, I didn't get a good weapon. Except for the strength stats I didn't hit Talmberg significantly more prepared than I did in my first play-through when I didn't do any of that.

All, that said, as soon as possible i started training with Bernard. I picked and sold herbs everywhere I went (mostly wormwood and belladonna) I got a good longsword and good (relatively) armour as soon as I was able. And I made buying a good horse and tack a priority. Every time i was in Ledetchko I played Chumps for three rounds.

At this point, I'm not half way through the main quest (haven't even entered the cloister) and I am above 15 in all combat stats and most general stats (strength, agility, etc.).

Looking back, I would not have done the grinding in Skalitz-- I agree it's more or less a waste of time. But i think I would take the same approach (relentless training, etc.) in any subsequent play-through. I feel confidant and relaxed in a way I didn't in my first play-through. Even Henry (perhaps esp. Henry) has to grow up and face reality--git gud, IOW.

[NewbieOne]

I don't mind herbalism, as I always do that in games if doable, but indeed, on purely economic terms there was little gold to be gained, just items. I got myself that quilted jacket, some bandages and one of each kits and decided against trying to grind past level 16. I look forward to picking herbs wherever I end up next. ;) I secretly hope that it will be possible to make potions later without needing ingredients that cost more than the potions sell for. ;) In RPGs I've always enjoyed the little side income from making things.