Darth_Formations_8.5

**DARTH VADER** · November 17, 2005, 03:14 PM

OK fans I am back.Sorry for my long absence but had lot to do.I returned with prizes though.Check this out!

http://www.twcenter.net/downloads/db/?mod=752

DarthFormations_8.5

This is (I hope) my final version of Formation set for 1.2 version of RTW game. It includes some certain aspects that make DarthFormations_8.0 even better but not obsolete. In fact I am not going to withdraw 8.0 version from downloading because it is widely tested and approved. You have to test for yourself if these formations are better than 8.0 .(I think they are)

*****Contents*****

1)Made Roman formations not to use default guard mode to make them more maneuverable and flanking phalanx available.
2)I use a certain technique that makes the AI general even less suicidal (although this is better shown in BI which has better hard coded AI). The general unit will remain behind lines in most circumstances and perform hit and run tactics even more.(although this was done by me in my past formation with a lot of success, now it seems it is even more shown)
3)Eradicated a bug that in certain circumstances sometimes the AI used bizarre defence position when it defended with some troops and especially the AI general going out of formation.
4)Removed an option that caused missile human units to start battle with skirmish off. Now with my new settings and sets this is obsolete and frustrating so it is removed.(I think many will be glad by this)
****Important notes****

-These formations works best with 1.2 RTW or RTW 1.2 mods. Do not try them with 1.4(BI) game although it will work it is not recommended.Also it may work with 1.3 but not at its best.
-These formations are fully tested with my DarthMod_6.0 and RTR series (although they should work perfectly with any mod unless there are mods which interfere with unit types triggering in attributes files and so the proportion of unit types in game changes too much.

**wipeout140** · November 17, 2005, 04:08 PM

Thanks alot Darth, Good to see you again.

**Grand Duke Vytautas** · November 18, 2005, 04:19 AM

THANK YOU SO MUCH DARTH, YOU'RE MY HERO

**Ludens** · November 18, 2005, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by DARTH VADER

-These formations works best with 1.2 RTW or RTW 1.2 mods. Do not try them with 1.4(BI) game although it will work it is not recommended.Also it may work with 1.3 but not at its best.

This particular sentence had me a bit confused. Do you recommend Darth Formations 8.0, Darth Formations 8.5 or default for R:TW 1.3 (without BI)?

Thanks for creating these add-ones, Darth. They improved R:TW so much for me.

**wipeout140** · November 18, 2005, 02:53 PM

Well Ludens 8.5 will work with 1.3 but not at its best

**Ludens** · November 18, 2005, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by wipeout140

Well Ludens 8.5 will work with 1.3 but not at its best

Sorry, I did not express myself clear enough. I meant: is it better than either Darth Formations 8.0 or the default 1.3 formations?

**DARTH VADER** · November 18, 2005, 03:10 PM

ludens:the outcome of 8>or<8.5 should be voted by you the fans. The 1.3 is not tested by me at all.
So it should work properly but will not use some new attributes of new engine that I could use in formation.Just adaptation with 1.2
So that means that my upcoming formations for 1.3 will be 2 times better than this.

**Ludens** · November 19, 2005, 05:07 AM

Originally Posted by DARTH VADER

ludens:the outcome of 8>or<8.5 should be voted by you the fans. The 1.3 is not tested by me at all.
So it should work properly but will not use some new attributes of new engine that I could use in formation.Just adaptation with 1.2
So that means that my upcoming formations for 1.3 will be 2 times better than this.

I see. Thank you for the explanation.

**DARTH VADER** · November 20, 2005, 01:57 PM

Come on people. I know you download it. Give me some feedback!
I mean I do not want praise but what you like best. Do you anticipate better AI behaviour?

**Cybvep** · November 21, 2005, 06:11 AM

The AI IS better, no doubt, but... Well, unfortunately, some ‘things’ are still quite awful, eg. the behaviour of the archers. They often charge at my troops and commit suicide because of this action...

**killmore** · November 23, 2005, 06:54 PM

Is it compatible with clean install of RT Realism 6.2.1?

**Trajan** · November 23, 2005, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by killmore

Is it compatible with clean install of RT Realism 6.2.1?

It's compatible with any mod.

Originally Posted by DARTH VADER

Come on people. I know you download it. Give me some feedback!
I mean I do not want praise but what you like best. Do you anticipate better AI behaviour?

It's very good and it's more improved. I've got no complaints.

**pajomife** · November 25, 2005, 10:41 AM

Its better, but some skiremishers and archers still attacking before fire theirs missils,the cav try to flank us but if we turn they make a frontal atack,the legions in the beginning are aligned but when they come close they are totaly unligned.
WHY the enemy army must run every time?
And why , in some battles the enemie are so far?

**DARTH VADER** · November 25, 2005, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by killmore

Is it compatible with clean install of RT Realism 6.2.1?

yes!As I am a member of RTR it is now included in RTR beta 6.25 and will be in 6.3

**Ahmose** · November 26, 2005, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by DARTH VADER

yes!As I am a member of RTR it is now included in RTR beta 6.25 and will be in 6.3

Fine and great news. I am playing RTR v6.2.1 and noticed something using your formations v8.5 with Sig animation ( the over handed spear ). All hoplites units are in gaurd mod and thats doesn't fit in thier new abilleties. They no longer uses phalanxes, so, could you realese a version that sppourt that animation.

**makeshift52** · November 26, 2005, 05:55 PM

Will it work with SPQR?

**ramsesii** · December 02, 2005, 03:16 AM

Well ILet me first say I am A big fan of your formations. Although your skirmish mode was a bit weird with all those charging archers and slingers was it verrry enjoyable your formations give a more historical feel about the ai formations and thats nice because I like to play in historical formations(when possible anyway. your normal playerformations sometimes mess up but I dont care because I set up my formations manually anyway, On the RTR forum there have been alot of compaints about this topic some even wanted to replace you by Sinuhets fomrations. So you might wanna check the feedback from RTR players. Im one myself but I have nothing that praise to offer.
One question you always have multiple AI lines of troops. The second line is always behind the centre of the main line would it be possible to split the second line and put the parts to behind the edges of the main line??

PS about the charging skirmishers. At first I played on large unit settings and had always charging skirmishers No I recentky changed to huge and my skirmishers charge less and act more as skirmishers.(8.0) Now with 8.5 it even happens less

**DARTH VADER** · December 02, 2005, 06:29 AM

makeshift52:probably will not work very well bcs there are few phalanx units and most of my scripts become useless.
Ahmose:the a.m is a problem also but have fixed it in some extend (8.5) so that units which use guard mode will be mostly phalanx capable.So those with melee will chose mostly some other formations with un-guard mode.
ramsesii:Since I always play and test my games in huge mode I was never problemed for lowered settings.If this you say it is true (fully tested) then it might be the solution to a problem never anticipated by me that created this.
It happens sometimes but it is smthg that was meant to happen by CA (foolish) and it is very-very lowered by me.
As for human formation I will try smthg new and make it available for all soon.

**rangerkoh** · December 05, 2005, 02:33 AM

I will say the Darth Formation 8.5 really put a great final touch to RTW. Now, I will have to take the computer AI seriously, plan my attack & defence position, group my army properly. Anything weakness in your formation, the AI may just pick that up & break you. It is now much more challenging, exciting & more rewarding in commanding the troops. (I will to constantly use PAUSE to freeze the battle field & make command changes - no taking lightly anymore because my great Roman Julii army just got craushed by Gaul babarian few times and my generals (2 or even 3) died "heroicly"). Thank God for the "SAVE" function :sweatingb

My praise to Darth.

The AI is constantly doing franking, trying to out- manoeuvre & counter my moves. The enemy will come to you as 3 prongs, 2 small groups with spears to attack my exposed calvary at the frank, while their main force will do a frontal assault. This is good as my calvaries are having tough time to go around to their backline. Most of the time, I was forced wide & far before sweeping back to break the main battle line. At one instance, I did not insert my mercernery armies in between my main ROMAN armies. The next thing I realized, the Gaul just loaded the frontal assualt on my mercernery wing. Before I could swing my ROMAN armies to their back, the Gaul has broken through & the mercerneries were in fright. My Generals, they are too far out to come to the rescue.
The other instance, I charged my ROMAN generals at the back of GAUL at the main battle front, lost a few seconds in manoeuvring my wing to counter the enemy franking assault. To my horror, my General did not managed to take the winds out of the enemy (usually that will do the trick) & the enemy actually swang their wing to the back of my General. Just the few seconds, the end state, my General lost his life trying to break out the clamp - ROYAL ELITE ROMAN army crushed......

Verdict: the AI now really make me work hard for each battle, even if I outnumber the enemy, I can't see it lightly as a wrong move on the battle field will see me losing the battle.

Comments:
The archer & skirmishes do not commit their stupid charge into the enemy (only rarely now).

Your default single line formation, with calvaries at the franks is good. However, I will have to modify that to avoid humiliating defeats at the battle field. 1. I got to thug back the calvaries at the frank just behind my infantries (reasons: to draw the franking wings of the enemy closer to the main battle line but not enough for them to join their main force. Finally, I will swing out my calvaries at the last moment to catch their behind.....) 2. I got to regroup the troop so that my mercenery armies are in between my ROYAL ROMANs. (reasons: for higher troop morale, else the mercenery armies will not held out long enough for my franking calvaries to come into play, almost certain they will break under full frontal assault.)

The enemy still not knowing to group their reinforcements to their main troops before launching the attacks. Thankfully, this enabled me to break down their weaker force before their main forces came into battle.

As such, the battle field defense & attack is still not perfect for the AI. Usually, the defense position of AI is not as great as attack. Though, there are time the AI will pick the high ground for defense work but not always.

Another AI weakness, their troops will come into the attack without resting & "battle-field taunt". Hence, they are dead tired & quick to break after I make them travel long distance before the final assault.

On the whole, I really enjoy this Darth formation v8.5. Will there still be more creative works for RTW or is the future all for BI? I have yet on BI, as there are still a lot of great "honour, bravery, heroic" with RTW. Don't you agree?

Great work. Keep it up.

Rangerkoh