Why do Missile troops pause then charge?

[Venatio]

I have been trying to change some units, I was wondering what causes all of the missile troops to pause, no matter their previous formation, and then charge at their designated charging distance? From what I can see, all other infantry troops (If chance be) can continue a running starting and then transition over to the charge. Could changing the unit type (missile->light infantry) Change this mechanic?

[AceMcKillYoFace]

I think that they use that time to switch weapons.

[Venatio]

I think that they use that time to switch weapons.

Your probably right ace, as I have seen light elven archers pause, pull out their blades, and then charge. This can be tested easily enough by just changing the primary weapon (If that be easy) to their melee arms and observing their new reactions aside from have their ranged as their alt.

If this is the case, then the problem is more complicated than I thought, and its likely nothing simple will be able to fix it.

[Lord Butters I]

Your probably right ace, as I have seen light elven archers pause, pull out their blades, and then charge. This can be tested easily enough by just changing the primary weapon (If that be easy) to their melee arms and observing their new reactions aside from have their ranged as their alt.

Or just hold alt when you give the order. That will tell the AI to automatically use secondary weapon.

[Venatio]

I am not sure what you mean Lord Butters. We already know that holding alt and then right clicking on an enemy unit will cause a missile troop to advance to it with the intention of using their secondary weapons. The problem is that they dont draw their secondary weapons untill they reach their max charge distance, and when this happens they have to stop, pause for a slit second, and then charge. It breaks the momentim of a running start, and once they enagage the enenmy they never pile in, but rather have a first wave go in while th rest hold back for openings, which seems to be a weaker charge.

[Lord Butters I]

I am not sure what you mean Lord Butters.

Oh, I misunderstood then. In that case I imagine it's just hardcoded, not much you can do aside from increase the charge distance like people have been saying.

[alreadyded]

Try increasing their charge distance, it might help. Missile troops are not the only ones that do this though, so it might be the Battle AI script causing this.

[Dangor]

I read somewhere that using the guard stance affects the ranged unit charge in someway, it might be worth looking into.

[Erunion Telcontar]

Guard mode causes the ranged unit to not get distracted by a melee: Put say, a unit of Uruk Crossbows in Guard, and they'll keep shooting even when they are engaged in melee - the individual men who are being attacked will switch to swords and fight, but the rest will keep on shooting. Very, very useful, especially on the walls of a city.

Some notes on that - if too many of the unit are engaged in melee (ie: charged by cavalry), the entire unit will try to shoot but then switch to swords. It's kind of annoying. Occasionally the unit will stop shooting, when that happens (and less than 50% or so are engaged in melee) simply order them to attack again, and they'll reacquire their target and continue firing.
Sometimes, like all archers, they'll decide that they don't really need to shoot the unit of axemen who are cutting them to pieces, but will instead decide that they really feel like taking down that troll over there, in the distance, in the middle of your own men.