Flaming arrows

[breadfan]

Hello everybody,

Anyone knows the difference between the flaming arrows and the normal ones? I mean, besides the effect on morale. I have the impression that with flaming arrows the ammo runs out more quickly.

[ISA Gunner]

No the ammo is the same. The only differences other than the morale effect is that flaming arrows do more damage if they hit and are more likely to kill a soldier but at the same time, they are not as accurate as regular arrows. I think that's about it really.

[torongill]

flaming arrows lower morale and supposedly make it easier for units like elephants go amok. The downside is lower rate of fire and lower accuracy, but since applying "accuracy" to an area-bombardment equipment like bows is a gross overstatement, there's no real difference.
One very important difference, though is that normal arrows cannot destroy siege equipment.

[4th Regiment]

Due to the realism, flaming arrows should be deleted as special ability for archers in game (or if it is somehow possible to have that ability only in siege battles but I do not think so).

In real life flaming arrows were primarily used to set a city/fort to flame or in rare occasions to try to burn enemy siege engines (it was very difficult), or to scare enemy animals. But usage of flaming arrows was possible only from pre set positions (like in Gladiator move for example) - not like in game, where you can move and run around, and than stand and shoot. Also, there was no special moral bonus against infantry (men are not horses) since flaming arrows had much smaller range and penetration power than normal one, and even if hit, men would not burn like they were covered with gasoline (like it is game).

Is it possible to change this moral thing, if nothing (and to leave it only for animals)?

[Faramir D'Andunie]

You can always restrain from using flame arrows, and I can't remember seeing the AI use them in a land battle.

[Ferdiad]

flaming arrows lower morale and supposedly make it easier for units like elephants go amok. The downside is lower rate of fire and lower accuracy, but since applying "accuracy" to an area-bombardment equipment like bows is a gross overstatement, there's no real difference.
One very important difference, though is that normal arrows cannot destroy siege equipment.

There is no "supposedly" they do make units that can run amok run amok.

[Horse Archer]

Yes, and the AI didn't seem to overuse it even in vanilla, so you should be fine there. However, this would be a great fix in a mini-mod.

[Boriak]

The A.I. used flaming arrows on my Carthaginian elephants just yesterday.

[breadfan]

Thank you all for the answers! Problem solved.

[Delta21]

Actually flaming arrows were historically inferior to the normal ones in killing/injury potential...but about the morale bonus...seeing a cloud of fireballs above your head coming towards you is not a pleasant sight, and if it hits you...you cant continue fighting in berserker mode until you put out or pull off that arrow which really hinders fighting capabilities.

[Conqistador]

i use the flaming arrows a lot, they sure lower so much the enemy's morale when used in the correct situations

[dbug]

in-battle, superiority beats historical accuracy lol

[Trax]

I never use them in field battles because the mere use is unrealistic as are their effects.
EB is a realism mod afterall. Thankfully the AI doesn't use them much although recently, when I was harassing enemy skirmishers with some javelin cavalry, one unit of archers went berserk and started shooting flaming arrows at them.