Sword vs Spears

[Phalanx]

Why does the AI choose spears over swords?

Example:  The Roman medium AI chooses Triarii over Hastati?  And why does sword always seem to die faster than spears?  Don't they have the same armour and health stats?

[Zeta1127]

I don't know, Swordsmen are supposed to be strong against other infantry, which includes Spearmen, but Spearmen are generally more effective overall, making them the preferred unit as the backbone for an AI army.

[Phalanx]

Shouldnt this be balanced or something?  I mean if you look at the stats:

Swords:

Health; 100.    Armour: 5 hack. 5 pierce 15 crush.

Attack: 5.5 hack 0.75 sec

Spears:

Health: 100.    Armour: 5 hack. 5 pierce.  15 crush.

Attack: 3 hack 2.5 pierce (adds to 5.5) 1 sec. 3x against cav.

 

That's the problem there, they do the same damage against infantry because infantry have the same armour against pierce as hack, but spears have a 3x multiplier against cav.  I'd say swords need a damage buff.  But that's just me.

[fatherbushido]

One could also say the converse (for example swordmen can defeat easily a ram and not a spearmen)...

So I guess everything is fine ;-)

[Phalanx]

45 minutes ago, fatherbushido said:

One could also say the converse (for example swordmen can defeat easily a ram and not a spearmen)...

So I guess everything is fine ;-)

Counter siege! Hadnt thought of that!  Well, I guess that gives them some utility.

[JC (naval supremacist)]

 

plus :

 

- swordmen cost 10 metal

+ they move faster

+ 100% hack, which means they are more effective vs buildings and siege

-  bad vs Cav

+ attack rate 0.75 sec

 

[Phalanx]

Do they have a higher capture rate?  That might not be a bad idea, because more realistically, a sword is better for fighting in tight buildings than a spear.

[JC (naval supremacist)]

no, its the same capture rate.

 

I think the balance spear - sword is ok now.  Remove the 3x vs cav of the SPear .. and nobody will use them