Phalangite officers - an idea (split)

**aja5191** · November 30, 2008, 02:05 PM

Question about offices and especially with phalangites:

Would it be possible to put the officers at the back of the phalanx structure, as putting them on the side can interrupt the line of phalanxes in a large formation? I suppose this would mean altering the files for the unit, but I was just wondering how possible that would be.

**dvk901** · November 30, 2008, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by aja5191

Question about offices and especially with phalangites:

Would it be possible to put the officers at the back of the phalanx structure, as putting them on the side can interrupt the line of phalanxes in a large formation? I suppose this would mean altering the files for the unit, but I was just wondering how possible that would be.

Unfortunately, no. Hardcoded.

**tone** · November 30, 2008, 09:38 PM

TBH I think things would look better with officers in for the phalangites - captain, standard and aulos player.

**aja5191** · November 30, 2008, 09:43 PM

I agree completely that they would look better (and they do), but it messes up the flow of a phalanx line stretching off into the distance.

**tone** · November 30, 2008, 10:48 PM

hmmmmm.....not convinced it does. I'll post some pics

**Brusilov** · December 01, 2008, 06:50 AM

If it results in a break in the phalanx line (unless the phalanx's overlap) then I guess it's a no-no. Limitations of the game, I guess.

**dvk901** · December 01, 2008, 07:48 AM

We WILL get complaints if there are officers in phalanx units. I guarantee it. And I can see the reason for it. The limitations of the game, as AJA5191 requested in the placing of officers, mean that there is a 'weak link' at the end of every phalanx unit. Cavalry will be able to slip thru this...I've seen it happen....and other units as well, because the officers can't hold them back.

This basically builds in a weak point in a unit that has no ability to deal with things from behind.
I know it would 'look' better, but if you look at how DBH set up XGM, you'll note that phalanx units have no officers, nor do 'shieldwall' units. Again, the 'weak link'.

That's just my opinion, but I do know I ended up changing it in RS1 because of the complaints.

**leif_erikson** · December 01, 2008, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by dvk901

We WILL get complaints if there are officers in phalanx units. I guarantee it. And I can see the reason for it. The limitations of the game, as AJA5191 requested in the placing of officers, mean that there is a 'weak link' at the end of every phalanx unit. Cavalry will be able to slip thru this...I've seen it happen....and other units as well, because the officers can't hold them back.

This basically builds in a weak point in a unit that has no ability to deal with things from behind.
I know it would 'look' better, but if you look at how DBH set up XGM, you'll note that phalanx units have no officers, nor do 'shieldwall' units. Again, the 'weak link'.

That's just my opinion, but I do know I ended up changing it in RS1 because of the complaints.

Hmm I'm all for officers but I agree too with yor points

can't we have a pikeman officer? This will sort out the problem somehow but do we have any free space left in DMB?

**dvk901** · December 01, 2008, 03:03 PM

Well, there's a thought....hmmmmm.

**leif_erikson** · December 01, 2008, 06:49 PM

A pikeman officer will close the gap and we can have the standard bearer and the medic officer behind him and we'll make happy both parties

**dvk901** · December 01, 2008, 06:59 PM

Then I ask this question....would it be possible to 'slightly' alter the 'helenistic_standards' so that the eastern factions could use it for their standard bearer. This would eliminate the need for the 'east_heavy_standard', and free up a slot for this 'greek_phalanx_officer'. See, I already named it.

There is in fact a way to test this. In any 'phalanx' unit, make a 'greek_levy_pikeman' the officer.
Heck, maybe we don't even need another slot...we could just use the units OWN unit as an officer!! Wait one.....

**leif_erikson** · December 01, 2008, 07:06 PM

Excellent idea!

**dvk901** · December 01, 2008, 07:18 PM

Sometimes I just scare myself.....

Macedonian Phalanx with and officer that's one of it's own:

Same from behind:

Just a nice shot of one of Tone's new clouds and Pacco's banners:

The officer did switch to a sword at some times, but does plug the gap. Thoughts?

**leif_erikson** · December 01, 2008, 07:30 PM

So it's working... Yupeee. DVK you rule!

**Brusilov** · December 02, 2008, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by dvk901

Sometimes I just scare myself.....

The officer did switch to a sword at some times, but does plug the gap. Thoughts?

What happens when the officer is killed - does that mean there can be a break in the formation then?

Can the column with the officer in it contain the same number of men as the other columns?

Were those screens using the new environments or just the standard ones (even the standard ones look different to me).

**aja5191** · December 01, 2008, 07:51 PM

So we know we CAN do it, but does it make sense?

**dvk901** · December 01, 2008, 07:53 PM

Uh, clarify. In what way would it NOT make sense?

**aja5191** · December 01, 2008, 09:33 PM

Wouldn't it still be a weak point in the line?

But aside form that, it seems like a great idea, as far as I know, nobody has even thought about doing this with the phalangite officer.

Just another way to set us apart...