Darth Tutorials
battle_config.xml
<combat-balancing>
<missile-target-accuracy>
<infantry>0.75</infantry>
<cavalry>0.95</cavalry>
<elephants>0.95</elephants>
</missile-target-accuracy>
<melee-hit-rate>0.55</melee-hit-rate>
I increased the missile cavalry hit rate from 0,9 to 0,95. Small change, but it creates the exact impact I wanted to have, concerning my other battle stats.
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
<melee-hit-rate>
<infantry>22.0</infantry>
<cavalry>3.50</cavalry>
<elephants>1.5</elephants>
</melee-hit-rate>
</combat-balancing>
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
During my creation of DarthMod, I risked to add these lines in order to control the melee hit rate individually for each weapon arm. It has worked!
I increased the number of Infantry to 22.0. This creates much more effective infantry melees and more endurance against cavalry. Of course do not expect much against a super charge of heavy Knights.
config_ai_battle.xml
This is the range which the AI sees other units and interacts. I made it very large and I created a very good effect of proper AI reaction and defence preparation. I have not tested much, but this, together with some other aspects below, corrects a lot of Siege AI problems. Modders should try this idea. Together with the below:<melee-manager>
<attack-dist-multiplier>10.0</attack-dist-multiplier>
If you notice the values you will notice the following:<open>
<infantry>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>1</easy>
<medium>1</medium>
<hard>1</hard>
<very_hard>1</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</infantry>
<missile>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>125</easy>
<medium>125</medium>
<hard>125</hard>
<very_hard>125</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</missile>
<cavalry>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>360</easy>
<medium>450</medium>
<hard>900</hard>
<very_hard>900</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</cavalry>
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
<general_unit>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>5</easy>
<medium>5</medium>
<hard>5</hard>
<very_hard>5</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</general_unit>
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
</open>
<settlement>
<infantry>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>10</easy>
<medium>10</medium>
<hard>10</hard>
<very_hard>10</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</infantry>
<missile>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>125</easy>
<medium>125</medium>
<hard>125</hard>
<very_hard>125</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</missile>
<cavalry>
<max-engage-dist>
<easy>900</easy>
<medium>900</medium>
<hard>900</hard>
<very_hard>900</very_hard>
</max-engage-dist>
</cavalry>
</settlement>
-Infantry has a too small value, maybe the minimum possible for the effect.
-Missile has much bigger values.
-Cavalry has enormously bigger values
-I created an extra general_unit behaviour AI slot code, to help him last longer. It works!
The engage distance is the distance in which the AI will actually start to engage the target. So, by also increasing much more the AI visual attack scanner, I create the effect of AI to anticipate the target and attack on time than react as idle or in very small radius as before. (For example it will deploy the troop line that is not engaging with the correct facing opposite to human missile attacks coming from afar and not just stand there...)Cavalry is the military arm which will decide the battle at all situations if it is plenty and… heavy!
Researching many years in Military History as a hobby and now as a part time job I know of the following: Military tactics of the Medieval Era were simple but involved careful examination of the ground in order to use the Heavy Cavalry properly and the usage of many types of infantry troops operating en mass. This is the effect I wanted to give and this is what you will get if you play some battles with DarthMod 1.4D 1.3 patch and this addon. The infantry will stay together as a solid heavy mass, seldomly separating in a lot of single blocks (typical vanilla setting) and the Cavalry will move around it to flank or support the attack. Battles will gain a character you have never withessed so far.
AI will examine much better the situations and use his army like a true Medieval force. This is also enhanced by these new addons:
I feel that this code affects the battle reaction time in a large proportion. It seems that it works as a “bar” which fills as the units engages and moves around and toggles after it finishes the distance and waits for the time interval. So by using a large distance you create a determination of frontal assault as they attack and by lowering the time intervals you give them fast pace reactions. Small values of distance especially with long intervals, create “scattering” (the common idiotic bug of vanilla).<attack-brace>
<distance>50.0</distance>
<time-to-change-formation>0.1</time-to-change-formation>
<time-to-phalanx>0.1</time-to-phalanx>
<time-to-schiltrom>0.1</time-to-schiltrom>
</attack-brace>
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
<defend-brace>
<distance>100.0</distance>
<time-to-change-formation>0.1</time-to-change-formation>
<time-to-phalanx>0.1</time-to-phalanx>
<time-to-schiltrom>0.1</time-to-schiltrom>
</defend-brace>
THIS IS EXTRA DARTH CODE ADDED
I added the extra code of defend-brace which adds to the melee mechanics as counter ratio of moves (as I feel it). I have added it in old versions of DarthMod, removed it from DarthMod 1.4D but use it now again, as I feel that it works perfectly!
I remind that the above are alterations involving my own mod. Some negative values introduced in the previous version are abandoned here because they do not create so good effects although they can be used but create a more “layed back” stance of the troops. DarthMod uses many other innovations, not explained here, cooperating with the above. I tested the new effects only in my own mod and I recommend everybody who plays with it to add it, just for his own satisfaction.
Expert modders should be able to read the above mentioned and adapt these ideas separately to their mods or try new values working better to them. I have been summoned with Xeryx’s spell, which will last for some time. So I will be around for conversation if you wish to.
