Messed up

[DeadlyPhoenix]

Figured I wanted to play some TATW bit more, but my campaign is currently totally messed up and mainly because of the following:

Archers on my walls, enemy approaches and puts ladders on it- to avoid archers in melee combat, I select them and order them to go on a spot behind my walls in the city. What I expect them to do: take the nearest starecase downstairs and walk/run to said spot and go in said formation.
What they did: Nothing at all at first, after several clicks, one portion starts to go one side of the tower, another portion does nothing at all, some go to the other side of the tower and a few go down the ladders even (??). Then, as they already hit melee because they take ages to react, some pleasantly walk through my gates- opening them for the enemy to walk in. What's even worse, they not only walk through the one gate.. some also walk through the other gate at the other wall??
Result: One archer group spread out over the whole map, walking against walls, sticking in melee, opening the gates.. EVERYTHING but going to the spot I told them to go.
Needless to say that the enemy just walks in my city on spots I didn't expect them to at first.

So, as the enemy pours into my city, I select my city guards and order them to stand in a phalanx line a little behind the battle scene as a back up- just in case. What doesn't happen: my men going to stand in a line. What happens?

Isn't that fun? No idea how they ended up there, they were supposed to stop in a line way in front of that battle, something like this:

I finally got them like that after endless frustratingly spam clicking on that spot- but as you can see, they're still not in a phalanx line. They just stand there in a messed up formation..

Now, due to those archers messing up, I have to fight at two fronts simultaneously. I order my axemen outside the gates to flank the enemy, who's waiting in line to walk up on the ladders (dunno why they not all went through the gates but oh well, what do I know eh?)

After going into formation I order them to attack. What happens? Everyone but a few stands still at the same spot, only the first line of 5-10 men charge randomly into the crowd, obviously outnumbered and dying without doing much. What I expected them to do? Charge all into the fray full ahead, boggling up them orcs.

At this point I feel like bursting into tears but as a general I still see some opportunities to save my skin and the city with it. So I order my heavy cavalry outside the gates to flank attack the orcs. What I expected them to do? Actually charge and flank the orcs. What they did? I'm still wondering up till now:

Yep that's right, they lowered their spears and just.. well, just stand there. Charge? Why would they..

Fortunately I was able to rout the first wave of orcses (Don't ask me how, considering all above..)

Although routing is a bit exaggerated.. they just stand still frozen. Not fighting but not running either.. just waiting till they're cut down.

Now, you may think: first wave of orcses? What about the second wave?
Well that's exactly what I thought and here they are:

-actually nvm, error when uploading- but well the other half of the army just stands still in the middle of the river.. doing nothing. If I want to leave the battlefield, i'll have to rage quit and lose the battle or finish all orcs. Outnumbered as I am, I'll have to walk up to the orcs and charge them. Which means only few men will run into them and will get killed right ahead. Meaning I'll lose many men, if not all, and will take ages to make the orcs rout or get them killed.
Conclusion: Everything just went exactly how I didn't want it to. There's one thing for losing because of poor tactics or being outnumbered, it's a whole other thing when the whole AI goes berserk and doesn't even know what it's doing.

[JihadKebab]

I believe the troubles you're having with regards to the archers on the wall in the first couple of screenshots has to do with the pathfinding on the Osgiliath custom settlement. The way I understand it, it was basically necessary to sacrifice some functionality in order to achieve the aestethics of the settlement (sort of the same problems people are reporting with the Imladris custom settlement). In my opinion Osgiliath is one of the best looking settlements, but the looks does however come with a few disadvantages. I've found that I prefer putting up my defensive line just before the mouth of the bridge and on the crossable river-section before the walls themselves.

With regards to the fountain guards, were they set to guard mode? I've found often when pikemen are set to "non-guard mode" that they tend to break up formation much easier once they're engaged in melee. Setting them to guard mode might solve this, although it might be more ineffecient in terms of kill/death ratio.

In general, using cavalry in settlements can be frustating with charges often not setting in. With regards to the "enemy stuck in the river and won't attack"-problem, I also think this has to do with the AI pathfinding and the advanced nature of the Osgilliath custom settlement.

[DeadlyPhoenix]

I believe the troubles you're having with regards to the archers on the wall in the first couple of screenshots has to do with the pathfinding on the Osgiliath custom settlement. The way I understand it, it was basically necessary to sacrifice some functionality in order to achieve the aestethics of the settlement (sort of the same problems people are reporting with the Imladris custom settlement). In my opinion Osgiliath is one of the best looking settlements, but the looks does however come with a few disadvantages. I've found that I prefer putting up my defensive line just before the mouth of the bridge and on the crossable river-section before the walls themselves.

With regards to the fountain guards, were they set to guard mode? I've found often when pikemen are set to "non-guard mode" that they tend to break up formation much easier once they're engaged in melee. Setting them to guard mode might solve this, although it might be more ineffecient in terms of kill/death ratio.

In general, using cavalry in settlements can be frustating with charges often not setting in. With regards to the "enemy stuck in the river and won't attack"-problem, I also think this has to do with the AI pathfinding and the advanced nature of the Osgilliath custom settlement.

Thank you for your reply.

The guards were not set to guard mode. However, they were never supposed to be engaged in melee to begin with. They were far behind that spot at the gate, I merely ordered them to move a bit closer and stand in a line in front of that battle (still way off). So they should only have moved a bit forwards in the formation they were in. Somehow they broke up the formation, started to walk into all directions and ended up far ahead of the spot they were supposed to be, ended up in combat and then further engaged.

As for the archers, I figured if they can get up there in the first place- they surely should get back down the very same way. Not quite sure why they ran all over the map to the other gate etc. I assume the routing orcs staying in place is due to the same issue?
Quite sad, really. That settlement looks epic and had otherwise great defending points.

The issue with only the first row engaging into combat isn't just for this settlement though. I've encountered this same problem on normal battlegrounds (non-settlements) or for the cavalry they won't charge sometimes but just walk into the enemy units (and thus not getting the charge kill bonus). Charging at osgilliath worked before though but it seemed that the longer the battle was lasting, the more of these issues occured. In the end I just alt-f4'd my way out of it and now thinking to just restart a mordor campaign and be on the other end of the city walls instead.

Wondered if anyone else had these issues at osgilliath?

All in all, thanks for your time reading/replying.

[knight of meh]

i have experienced the units wondering out of formation and the front rank charging lone problem

but ..

for me when i'm giving orders right clicking and dragging the cursor across a line (so you can see the colored circles were each man will be standing solved this)

and the front rank thing it's sad but i just double click again or ... pause it order them to stop quickly un-pause/pause then order the attack and they usually all go in

luckily my Calvary seems to do what i tell them

[DeadlyPhoenix]

i have experienced the units wondering out of formation and the front rank charging lone problem

but ..

for me when i'm giving orders right clicking and dragging the cursor across a line (so you can see the colored circles were each man will be standing solved this)

and the front rank thing it's sad but i just double click again or ... pause it order them to stop quickly un-pause/pause then order the attack and they usually all go in

luckily my Calvary seems to do what i tell them

Uhu, I nearly always use the drag-release troop placement, did so with the fontain guards and archers as well- it was only when they started to run all directions that i tried by just random clicking..though to no avail. Maybe I just have bad luck. I do tend to have bad luck when it comes down to playing games in general
It was just a bit frustrating as it kind of ruined the whole campaign (army gone, bottleneck lost, city lost and the enemy keeping too many of their units)- if you know what I mean

I'll try the tip on the un/pausing, thanks.