"Morale Shock" explained

[MikkOwl]

Since The Creative Assembly posted the XML to Napoleon and Empire: Total War today, I had a look. The files have explanations for what stuff actually means. The engine and mechanics are similar to Shogun 2. Oh happy days!

Morale Shock is something no one really knew. If a unit has 20% of its members casualties inside the timespan of 4 seconds (Shogun and Empire both have 20% as value, but it is not certain that Shogun 2's time span is 4 seconds too. Could be longer), they get morale shocked, which is a nasty morale penalty (making them more likely to rout etc).

How big the morale penalty is, I don't know. Could be the 'panic' penalty, which is enormous.

All units are as far as I know still affected by the 'recent casualties', which is having a % unit members killed within 4 seconds (not as much as 20% though).

Consequence: Samurai, Monks and Firebomb throwers, who are resistant to Morale Shocks, will not get this morale penalty since they are either resistant or immune to it. And we can induce morale shock in all the units not immune to it by killing 1/5th of their members in a short time. This makes a high Charge Bonus more useful, since it is the best way to kill many in shortest possible time. Also deliberately holding off some attacks so that an enemy unit can be hit hard from several directions etc at once could be wise, since casualties need to be inflicted very quickly for it to work.

[Ying, Duke of Qin]

Good work, Owl!

I was wondering about one thing, however. What do we define as members? Is this value 20% of the strength it started before the battle, 20% of the maximum unit strength, or a flat-out 20%? E.G. 120/150 Ashigaru will need 24 killed in 4 seconds, 30 killed in 4 seconds, or some arbitrary amount depending on how many troops are around?

[MikkOwl]

Who knows, it does not say. I would say the 'members at start of battle' to be the most probable.

[wealthmonger]

Do you have any idea how long the effect lasts? I'm just wondering if you have enough archers to do 20% damage in one volley would it then be better to shoot at one unit then immediately redirect their fire to another unit. Providing the same effect can be achieved with each unit your firing at.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Top Gun rules of engagement are written for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them or you are history. Is that clear?"

[MikkOwl]

I don't know how long it lasts. Possibly permanently, since "Concerned: Casualties sustained" lasts entire battles and is closely related.

Giving them a good bow-job like that should morale shock them, yep! Although since we don't know for sure what morale shock penalty is (probably just a big morale drop) they may still have enough morale not to break and rout. But it is good to know about it.

The mechanic of shocking their morale must be why matchlocks are so terrifying with "ranked fire". Three rows can fire in less than four seconds.

Being aware of some of these things has raised my enjoyment of the game a whole lot. Another reason to stay away from Ashigaru, and finding more enjoyment from Matchlocks, Cavalry and Charge bonuses.

EDIT: Btw, Yari Cavalry does not have resistance to Morale Shocks, but Katana Cavalry does. Interesting.

[Rome101]

Cool to know, thanks.
I always thought that Morale Shock brings a unit to automatically Waver. In Waver "mode", a unit is only a string of hair afar from routing.

[MikkOwl]

Cool to know, thanks.
I always thought that Morale Shock brings a unit to automatically Waver. In Waver "mode", a unit is only a string of hair afar from routing.

The unit's morale is a number. The numbers are divided into different zones. "Eager", "Confident", "Shaken", "Wavering" etc. If their morale reaches between -4 to +5 (it is fuzzy) they will be 'wavering'. Since morale shock probably is a big penalty to morale it may well often have the result of make units waver instantly. It is not impossible that it is as you suspected - making them waver regardless of their actual morale number.

[daniu]

If their morale reaches between -4 to +5 (it is fuzzy) they will be 'wavering'.

It's not "fuzzy", it's exactly this range (I presume that's what you meant).
If the morale drops below 2 (the lower threshold for "shaken"), the unit starts to waver; it has to go above 5 again to stop wavering again. You can find the thresholds here.

I tried to explain the morale system in detail here; I do mention the shock treshold there already, the 4 seconds were news to me too though.

[jadesympathiser]

samurai monks and firebobm throwers are reistant or immune..
so in other words ashigaru can be morale shocked? (oh and cavalry)
are samurai (the bulk of most ai armies) resistant or immune?