Flanking/attacking from the rear..

[Irish_Crusader]

Hi. New here, I just heard about 0 A.D. about a week ago. Yes, I realize I'm a bit late seeing as this game has been in the making for about 6 years.

Anyway, say for instance I've got a line of Roman hastati being charged at by a band of celts. I sent my cavalry around their rear and as the celts meet the hastati the cavalry smash into the rear of the celts. Aside from the bonus dmg from charging, is there also a bonus because the horse is attacking the unprotected rear of the celts? Is this factor being put into the game? Debated? etc? ( I apologize is this has already been discussed before I haven't been able to find any previous mention of it.)

[Mythos_Ruler]

Anyway, say for instance I've got a line of Roman hastati being charged at by a band of celts. I sent my cavalry around their rear and as the celts meet the hastati the cavalry smash into the rear of the celts. Aside from the bonus dmg from charging, is there also a bonus because the horse is attacking the unprotected rear of the celts? Is this factor being put into the game?

It's in the works.

[FirePowa8]

I'm just going to take a guess and expect that it does not deal additional damage from behind or from a flank unless the Celts or any said enemies are in a formation, i.e. a phalanx or syntagma is going to be completely murdered from a cavalry charge from behind.

[Esus]

Perhaps the attack doesn't do technically anymore damage, but the rear of the infantry may be less protected so have less "armour", making the attack do more damage inadvertantly.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Esus

[darkragnar]

what about animations?

will outflanking an enemy have a diffrent attack animation or just the standard attack but with more damage?

let me elaborate,

If a bunch of cavalary charge into the side of a Phalanx will the momentum of the cavalry break the formation and make the cavalry seem like there plowing through a grass field or will the unit just stand on the edge of the phalanx and hack and stab at the exposed unit's?

[Mythos_Ruler]

Lets just say, and I am guessing how things will end up when its all said and done, the game will look more like AOM/AOE3 than Rome:Total War. A platoon of Elephants actually trampling through a formation of infantry is something a little out of our scope. The bonuses will be there, but the animations most likely won't. However, I am not an animations guy. And of course, if we can't implement certain features for 0 A.D. Part I (1.0), we can always attempt to implement them for 1.5 or Part II (2.0) or some future update to the game.

Edited September 17, 2006 by Mythos_Ruler

[Felix]

As long as theres some type of attack bonus recieved to make it realistic when flanking an enemy army and attacking its weak points, I'm fine with it, no new animation needed. Would be nice though.

[Samsonite]

Looking at soldiers being thrown into the air would be cool, however if you believe it's out of your scope then I'm fine with it

[Mythos_Ruler]

The bonuses are definately going to be implemented (or attempted to be implemented). A turma of cavalry performing a headlong charge into the front of a phalanx or syntagma would be suicidal. However, attacking the rear of the phalanx, especially with the cavalry in wedge formation and using the "charge" feature", would be devastating to the phalanx.

[Felix]

Very good to know, keep up the good work guys. As Mythos said, theres always room for improvement in 1.5 or 2.0, which is something I love about this game.

[Jamesons76]

Curious: is there unit morale? And can formations be broken? I know the idea had once been discussed back in the day (and I've been out of the loop for... several years... ... darn...) and I ask because if there is then it would seem to me that cavalry charging up your backside would have a serious effect on morale and, subsequently, on whether a formation holds or not. This would solve the elephants-stopping-dead-in-their-tracks thing (if morale exists... and formation-breaking).

Bonus points if anyone can guess who I used to be... (Hint: I am very happy to see the Celts can bring their dogs to play "fetch the Roman")

[Villi]

I really hope the phalanxes (what's plural of phalanx?) and other tight formations very powerful in the front break if flanked. I think it would make for some truly interesting play. You seem to encourage flanking and this would really make flanking more used I think, along with an attack bonus. An important part of it is that it really adds a visual goal; you don't really see an attack bonus, but a phalanx breaking you do! And when the phalanx is broken you can deal damage to the troops from the front too. You will be forced to protect your flanks!

Edited January 4, 2007 by Villi