In-Combat Unit Turns

[Backstabber 2008 Homosapien Karl]

I'm not sure I understand how movement and attacking work in combat. When I tell my unit to move to a square, it can't attack afterward unless I make the command to attack on a unit who is out of range (thus forcing the unit to move into range to perform the attack), my ranged units can't attack after moving at all. Every fight my crossbowmen are able to attack once, maybe twice, and then are stuck in melee where they suck or spend the entire battle moving to try and get to range again. In fact, how am I supposed to keep my crossbowmen at range anyway? I can't move and attack with them in one turn, and I've yet to see a melee unit that can't move further than my crossbowmen in a single action. It seems impossible to stay away.

Despite this, the computer seems to move and attack to its heart's content, often moving right across the entire map. I can't properly blockade enemies with my melee units to keep them off of my ranged ones or priestesses because the enemy simply circumvents my melee unit.

I really, really don't understand the combat in this game, and the tutorial doesn't seem to like explaining anything (an issue I remember having with Heroes 3!) - It tells me the controls, but it doesn't give me any details whatsoever on the finer aspects of gameplay, leaving me completely in the dark as to how the actual mechanics function.

I don't recall it even telling me that SOME squares are considered too far for a unit to travel and attack in a single turn, I had to figure that out myself, and such squares are only indicated when I hover my cursor over an enemy unit.

[Yarkey]

Do you have the grid turned on? I ask because it helps when you can move your mouse cursor over the ground instead of the enemy troop. Unless your archers are being attacked upclose by a melee troop they shouldn't be moving. Sometimes what happens is the enemy hero will cast a spell that gives your troops a negative effect and reduces their moral so their turn will be skipped. Your archers should also be able to reach any enemy troop without having to move unless the enemy has barracaded the unit you are aiming for. A good tactic is to wait your first turn with your melee until the other enemy troop has moved that way they don't surround you. The enemy will always go after your sister units it's pretty much unavoidable.

[Backstabber 2008 Homosapien Karl]

What should I do once my archers are being attacked though? Like I said, I haven't seen a single melee unit that can't outrun my archers, and trying to keep my own melee between the enemy and my archers doesn't seem to do anything to deter them.

On an unrelated note: Holy hell, air elementals? Started this battle, 4 groups of 6, they immediately spammed lightning on my troops and killed 20 archers and a handful of praetorians. Ow.

[Yarkey]

Yes it's tough I usually keepy my archer troops in high number at least 100-200 that way they have more defense. I would try attacking the enemy troop that usually preys on your archer with your melee first before they get to the archers and using the heal ability of the vestal helps resurrect your archers. It sucks to lose your troops but I try to focus more on my praetorians I also have at least 100-200 then they are basically indominatable. Try investing some skill points of your hero into the defense of your troops and if archers are your favorite you can invest the skill point to increase the damage of their range attacks. I like to use reinforcements and cast that on the archers before your first battle move. That way the enemy troop has to get through a higher number before it actually starts effecting the real number of your archers. Archers in high numbers are harder to defeat and they do more damage

[eekman]

The problem with the computer AI is it is completely generic. The enemy will ALWAYS rush your ranged. I have yet to see a battle where they haven't done that. Basically improve your heroes defense as much as you can. Also improving inititative helps as well. If you can always shood first you can wittle then enemy down before they get to the archers. Like the previous post, reinforcements is great for an initial attack, as the main counterattack to the rush is to take them out before they can get to you. The preatorians also have the cover ability that will help reduce the damge to the archers if you stack them next to them. No matter what faction you choose is always the same strategy from the computer.

[Les Grossman]

You really have a lot to learn, game has very-very deep gameplay mechanics, and when you master it, you will be able to perform 99% of you battles with 0 losses. Your problems come from lack of knowledge about counters and positioning, which is key in this game, and this really isn't explained very well for begginer in such complicated genre as TBS.

Some tips for Heaven: when you haven't healing power (units/magic no matter) DON'T engage enemy that has any ranged units, you might win, but will carry unnecessary losses. Use Wait function ALOT, try to not rush there, where enemy can hit you first. Your Praetorians can reinforce units and land additional counterattack when they stay close to attacked ally. Use Guardian Angel SMART, like when enemy in range of melee attack, put it on your first melee unit, attack, then finish off enemy with you other units, so enemy cannot retaliate for the second time, when he failed to strike back unit under Guardian Angel.

Also despite what affinity your hero has (might/magic), always push Leadership. it will trigger second attacks and fill your racial gauge. On magic affinity heroes go light magic (healing) ASAP.

You might also want to read this:
http://guides.gamepressure.com/mightandmagicheroesvi/
contains lots of useful basic tips for any race.

[Backstabber 2008 Homosapien Karl]

Yeah, I very much don't mean for what I've written to sound like a rant. Frustrating as some things have been, I USUALLY pick up on what's happened and how to prevent it afterward, at least to an extent. I just wish the tutorial actually taught you something useful, rather than just pointing out the GUI, hah.

I have some experience with less strategic TBS games, but most of what I know from other games doesn't apply here because units can move diagonally! It's like I'm getting my ass kicked in high-stakes Connect Four.

One key problem I'm having are that my Praetorians are frequently countered by the AI just moving to attack from a square that's out of range. Another is that when I had a few harpies I couldn't get them to Strike and Return at all. The game just wouldn't let me use the skill, even after I'd click it and my cursor would change to the spell icon.

Anyway, thanks for the words and the link. I'll definitely take a look at that guide.

P.S. When you say to use "Wait" do you mean in the overworld map or in battle? Whenever Iv'e tried just waiting in battle, the game just cycles back to that same unit's turn (so I've just taken to using Guard instead, but in most games "wait" usually lets your turn come around again quicker, so that'd be preferable)

[Yarkey]

If you are mixing your haven troops with others that might be why youre having troubles. Your troops probably have bad moral which makes their turn unpredictable. It sounds like you don't have much control over your troops attacks because they are under negative effects your archers won't be able to shoot long range. If you don't mix faction troops then you should get more bonus attacks and good luck strikes. Yes the wait option is right next to your guard but sometimes if your fighting an enemy hero they will also wait their turn which forces you to move anyway. Guarding at that point is a good idea. I also recommend having the grid turned on it makes it easier to tell the movement limits of your troops. Most of the special attacks of troops also has a cooldown period which means you can only use it once then wait about 3 turns to use it again. You will get it down eventually you're right the game itself isn't explanatory but if you want really expert advise I would use the internet site for the game it has alot of descriptions that will halp you. One thing about PC download is you don't get the nice manual to reference