Levy armies

[dvk901]

Posted by Tone in the DEVs. Would someone be willing to take this on please.?

While I'm away I'd really appreciate if people could give some thought to some well-balanced "emergency levy" armies that will be scripted if any of the AI's key settlements are taken.

1) Army composition. Let's say two different armies for each faction. They shouldn't be levy armies but just really well balanced, with a few elite units and some less good ones.

2) Key settlements - please can we have a list of the key settlements (could just be the starting settlements or maybe for a faction like the Seleucids, just a few key settlements)

Please, please, can this be done by 3 weeks' time.

[swhunter]

Are you saying maybe a few Phal. spearman ?
and some hoplites?
I don't quite understand.

[ray243]

I think he means having some 1-2 elite units and the rest of the stack being made up of average to below average units.

[swhunter]

So just pick random units ?

[Brusilov]

Maybe come up with a 'balanced army'?

[torzsoktamas]

I can help with this.I will think of armies and post it here.

[intel]

Maybe we should make a list of cities which should have a levy army?
1) Syracuse (Free Greeks)- both historically and gameplay justified
2) Bosporan capital (Free Greeks)-Bosporans often are conquered in the beginning of my game
3) Pergamon
4) Athens
5) Sparta (should have plenty of phalangites, as historical Sparta levied them)
6) Arverni capital (as they often get invaded by Gallaeci and lose)
7) Macedonian capital
8) Cimbrii capital
9) Carthage
10) Rome
11) Dacian capital
12) Armenian capital

[Ballacraine]

It needs to be a generic script triggered by the taking of designated settlements for each AI faction.
The armies generated need to be balanced.
Two types of army are required.
That is if I am reading DVK right?

Based on this,these are my thoughts:

Nominate 3 (?) major settlements for each faction which would trigger the AI script.

Size of army? Half stack or full stack?
Maybe full stack for first generated and half for second....or vice versa.

Balance of army:

First
One or two cavalry, unless perceived as a horse based army?
33% light troops/skirmishers 33% medium 33% Heavy
Experience: 50% raw 30% blooded 20% veteran

Second.
one cavalry unless perceived as a horse based army?
50% Light/Skirmisher 30% Medium 20% Heavy
Experience: 70% raw 20% blooded 10% veteran

What are your thoughts?

Balla.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

I already posted in the other forum, I'd like to help

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

13) Antioch? Seleucids fall to easily. no wonder though

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

that looks nice
although 3 settlements should only be for the smaller starting factions.
Now that I know the Gallaeci will be trouble in my Roman Campaign, I just take Scipio on my first turn and rush the Gallaeci. Dead in 3-4 turns.
Carthage can defend itself nicely, so it should, for example, have only one scripted in iberia and one in Africa.

[intel]

Carthage can defend itself nicely, so it should, for example, have only one scripted in iberia and one in Africa.

But Hannibal actually had a levy force in his final attempt to defend Carthage, even though the levies weren't a strong force right then, they were rather considered cannon fodder. So maybe half-3/4 of stack?

Perhaps also levy script for rebels and free people? Such as Helvetii, Numidians, Suebii, Cherusci, Lusitanii etc?
But that could be too much for player. That would re-balance the game, and palyer would need more money and troops to actually crush the enemy. It could also become boring to player to face so many armies.

[intel]

Spawned army should be both historically and balance justified. It should also depend on faction specific roster- for example, Syracuse should have many (at least half) levy troops (hoplites, light cavalry and thureophoroi) combined with core of more powerful elite troops- say 1-2 royal hoplites, 3 royal cavalry and perhaps a mercenary unit such as Cretan Archers.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

yeah, that's my point.
It depends on balancing. Perhaps we could try to get some people (including me) to do some *blitzkrieg* campaigns, rushing as many settlements as possible, to see how many levy armies we need?

[dvk901]

They should be full stack armies, as they are meant to retake the nation's capital if it's been taken. But basically we need a 20 unit, nicely balanced army for each faction. Rome is already done, so don't bother with that. This army should include factional units, and decent AOR type units the faction can recruit within a 'reasonable' distance of their capital.

[Brusilov]

They should be full stack armies, as they are meant to retake the nation's capital if it's been taken. But basically we need a 20 unit, nicely balanced army for each faction. Rome is already done, so don't bother with that. This army should include factional units, and decent AOR type units the faction can recruit within a 'reasonable' distance of their capital.

Should this include the units that can be recruited from the 'top level' barracks that may not have been built yet?

I know with Macedon there are some units (Macedonian Royal Cavalry) that cannot be recruited until then. There are also some units (Thureophoroi) that are replaced with others (Thorakitai).

The starting Macedonian army has Royal Cavalry and Thorakitai units present so I guess the asnwer is yes they can be present.

[dvk901]

Yes, there should be a couple high level units...both infantry and cavalry.

[torzsoktamas]

Now lets start:

For BELAE:

1 general
1 belgae noble cavalry(it's not that powerfull)
2 light spearman
2 light swordsman
4 bellovaci infantry
2 nervi swordsmen
2 batavian infantry
2 champion
2 eburones swordsmen
2 longshield skirmishers

Or another composition:
1 general
1 noble cavalry
1 brythonic heavy chariot
1 celtic light chariot
3 caledonian infantry
2 brithonic naked spearman
2 champion
3 heavy spearman
2 brythonic slingers
2 brythonic skirmishers
2 eburones swordsman

I think the levy armies should spawn if capitals are taken or very important cities of big factions like:Seleucid,Ptolemy,Carthage.

[Ballacraine]

What about the Belgae Heavy Swordsman.
A very useful unit.

Balla.

[torzsoktamas]

What about the Belgae Heavy Swordsman.
A very useful unit.

Balla.

The eburones swordsman is actually the belgae heavy swordsman,..but I remember them being "eburones" in the belgae preview,...thats why I writed "eburones" swordsman.