give a unit spearwall ability/formation

[Evilbookworm]

Is all I have to do to put "phalanx" under formations, or is there more, to get them to act the way normal pikemen/halberds work, with the defense bonus, and the huge defense?

Edit: okay, obviously it doesn't work. I have to put in an animation or something similar?

I guess I would just like to know what I need to do to the .modeldb file (and how I can edit it at all) to get non-spearwall units to have spearwall abilities without CTD

[Taiji]

The unit needs an animation setup which includes all the 'brace' stuff. Halberds and pikes already have this set up.

Examine descr_skeleton.txt to see what I mean... it doesn't look easy!

[Evilbookworm]

Dear lord, that's an unholy file. I have a new respect for modders now. It seems giving a unit a new animation is beyond my abilities.

I was just trying to give billmen a spear-wall formation, is that so wrong?! (besides historically, I mean)

[Taiji]

In DLV we have some billmen, the armored ones, using a longer hafted bill and 'spearwall'.

If you just want yours to use the same animations as halberdeers then change this;

11 MTW2_2H_Axe 0  
1 
19 MTW2_2H_Axe_primary 0

for this;

20 MTW2_Halberd_Primary 0 
1 
17 MTW2_Pike_primary 0

for the models concerned (each upgrade will have a seperate entry) in battle_models.modeldb (in the 'unit_models' folder), and then you can add the phalanx option in the EDU. If they have short bills they might appear to hit beyond the range of their weapon.

[Valiant Champion]

Sometimes its as simple as replacing the soldier line in the EDU with a soldier of the unit animation you are trying to emulate.

However sometimes it works, sometimes not depending on compatability, The worst will happen is a crash which is no big deal so long as you remember what you changed. Some units that have two weapon animations when soldier animation is given to another unit who only uses a primary weapon, than when the secondary animation kicks in the unit will have no weapon.

[Evilbookworm]

that's fine. this is just something for me, just for fun, ya know, it's not something I'm trying to send out or anything like that, I just like the idea of being able to play with units, something which probably got quite a few people into the modding scene. I thank you both for your help, I'll try what you said Taiji soon, I just got back from a thanksgiving trip so I'm a little dead to fiddle with game files at the moment.


Hmmm... It gave them the animation, which looked good, though I may have to poke around the bill's length to make it any sort of effective, but they need a walking animation while in spear wall apparently, as it seems to crash upon their movement. so--- as long as they don't move they're fine, I guess Dunno about combat, never got far enough in a battle without a movement order to check.