Could this be considered an Autobattler?

[TokyoDan]

One you start a battle you have no control, is that correct?

[Ddraig Lleuad]

Kiiinda? But a lot more goes into setting up for the battle than just what troops to bring and where to place them. There's a lot of scripting goes into things like what spells mages cast, and broad orders for troops, things like 'this group fires and keeps distance, this group holds while I paint buffs, then attacks the closest enemy, this group holds then attacks fliers to catch rear snipers, these cavalry hold at the back and then attacks rear to try and flank...'

[TokyoDan]

Originally posted by Ddraig Lleuad:

Kiiinda? But a lot more goes into setting up for the battle than just what troops to bring and where to place them. There's a lot of scripting goes into things like what spells mages cast, and broad orders for troops, things like 'this group fires and keeps distance, this group holds while I paint buffs, then attacks the closest enemy, this group holds then attacks fliers to catch rear snipers, these cavalry hold at the back and then attacks rear to try and flank...'

Great answer. Thanks!

[Alpharius]

Autobattler by genre -no, autobattler elements, yes.

[onomastikon]

The only resemblance to an autobattler is the fact that there are no turned based tactical maps whose participants you control directly. It's much, much closer to a wargame, or if you like a 4X with a huge emphasis on xterminate and little emphasis on infrastructure management.

[vakapad777]

The closest game to it I could think of, is Graruitous space battlesm if you remember that one. There is a lot of setup that goes into the battles, to the point where it can swing the odds by orders of magnitude, but yes, the combat itself is automatic.

[Soul]

I'd say it kinda is but its a more of a hybrid system considering how important positioning and the flexibility with deployment and setting up mages and bruisers to be effective with scripting and positioning. Its much more than what you generally see in a simplistic autobattler imo.

[Bou]

Yes

[TokyoDan]

Thanks for the great answers everybody!

[the.lovewyrm]

I see it more like a very contrived MMORPG or ARPG fight system.
You click or hit the key for an ability in an MMORPG, and your character does the attack on its own, including all the special effects.

Only instead of your character doing one special move, your character is an army that follows a short script full of orders and suggestions.

The battle playing on based on those choices before you 'commit to the attack' are a loose analogue to you choosing an attack in a cooldown based combat system.
With the cooldown being one turn.

[TokyoDan]

Thanks for all the great answers. I have another question. The ability to script the armies/units really appeals to me. But the depth is overwhelming. I don't need hundreds of different unit types. Therefore, are there other games that are like this (kind of autobattler with scriptable/programmable units) but a lot more lightweight and casual?

[Bumc]

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator?
Every unit there has its own pre-cooked script, but there are so many of them you can definitely do some wacky battle plans.

[TokyoDan]

Originally posted by Bumc:

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator?
Every unit there has its own pre-cooked script, but there are so many of them you can definitely do some wacky battle plans.

I have that game but I prefer some sort of control over my units once I set them loose. My ideal game, kind of an RTS / Autobattler, where you had some control over where your units were headed, was made over 40 years ago. This game was perfect and I wonder why no one has ever made a modern version of it.
https://youtu.be/Sjs2qfpOGmU

[Bumc]

You might want to look into indirect control games then.
Its a criminally underdeveloped theme, but there are some good games in it.
Majesty and Overlord come to mind and there definitely are more I cannot remember on the spot.

[Draken]

Originally posted by TokyoDan:

Thanks for all the great answers. I have another question. The ability to script the armies/units really appeals to me. But the depth is overwhelming. I don't need hundreds of different unit types. Therefore, are there other games that are like this (kind of autobattler with scriptable/programmable units) but a lot more lightweight and casual?

One small correction here.
I wouldn't say there are hundred of different unit types in dominions. Hundreds of units? For sure, but most can be grouped into a few dozen types.
Most infrantry troops with high protection and a shield will handle the same.
Same for lightly armored archers.
Or heavy cavalery.
Some troops are going to have a few extra traits that make them work slightly different, but in most cases that just means they are just doing their job a bit better/worse.

For single player it's basically enough to put your ranged units to the rear and tell them to shoot, while putting the melee troops in front in a line and tell them to attack. Cavalery goes on the flanks with the "Attack Rear" command.

Honestly, the actual scripting commands for your units are pretty limited. You can only tell the formation whether or not they should use ranged or melee attacks, if they should wait two turns at the start of the battle and what kind of target they should go after.

Yes, there are thousands of different units and a dominions master will put their formations on specific pixels for the best result, but that isn't really required for normal single player games, and even most multiplayer ones.

[TokyoDan]

Thanks @Draken.