Guard Mode

[Riekopo]

I'm starting to get very concerned about the inclusion of Guard Mode in Attila as I haven't heard anything about it. This is such a basic function that was in every Total War until its unexplained absence in Rome 2. And it was sorely missed. If we don't get Guard Mode back in Attila I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

[Sheridan]

Perhaps they'll conceal it well within the animation fragments again. It didn't look like there was any guard mode button, or substitute for it, in the EGX video. It was a while ago though, so they might have done something about it since then.

[DisgruntledGoat]

Guard mode isn't missing from Rome 2. Disciplined units are automatically in guard mode and when in formation attack mode will maintain their unit cohesion. Undisciplined units in Rome 2 appear to have a chance to follow the unit they are attacking. Why there has to be a button for this I don't know. A latent guard mode is just as effective and doesn't require that you press a button to prevent your troops from breaking formation.

[PointOfViewGun]

I'm starting to get very concerned about the inclusion of Guard Mode in Attila as I haven't heard anything about it. This is such a basic function that was in every Total War until its unexplained absence in Rome 2. And it was sorely missed. If we don't get Guard Mode back in Attila I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

Rome II does have guard mode. It's on by default.

[Riekopo]

Formation Attack has nothing to do with Guard Mode.

[PointOfViewGun]

Guard mode exists regardless of formation. It exists by default at all times. It gets disabled once you give an attack order with double click. I'm not sure if a single click disables it as well.

CA's words:

A number of people have expressed disappointment that we have removed the Guard Mode button. In fact (as many have realised), guard mode behaviour has not been removed – it is now an inherent property of units: they have guard mode behaviour by default. If you want units to chase down routers & retreaters, you have to order them to do so. However, some unintended pursuit actions are occurring and will be fixed in upcoming patches. This should improve some of the line cohesion issues people have been raising.

We also intended for some traditionally unruly units to not behave as though in guard mode, but instead be undisciplined in their behaviour, and disregard attempts at holding the line if their opponents retreat or route. We are looking at the behaviour of this currently.

[Riekopo]

Guard mode exists regardless of formation. It exists by default at all times. It gets disabled once you give an attack order with double click. I'm not sure if a single click disables it as well.

CA's words:

That is probably the stupidest thing I've ever read from CA. The entire point of having a Guard Mode button was having the option of having your units hold their ground when attacked or allowing them to pursue the enemy when attacked.

[PointOfViewGun]

That is probably the stupidest thing I've ever read from CA. The entire point of having a Guard Mode button was having the option of having your units hold their ground when attacked or allowing them to pursue the enemy when attacked.

It's not stupid at all. It makes more sense to have it by default and turn it off by giving attack orders.

[RedGuard]

It's not stupid at all. It makes more sense to have it by default and turn it off by giving attack orders.

excuse me but how exactly does ordering a unit to attack turn it off? they attack the unit, cause it to route and stand there, in guard mode.

[PointOfViewGun]

excuse me but how exactly does ordering a unit to attack turn it off? they attack the unit, cause it to route and stand there, in guard mode.

If you have your units attack an enemy unit then they'll start chasing them once the enemy unit starts routing.

[craziii]

It's not stupid at all. It makes more sense to have it by default and turn it off by giving attack orders.

it really is stupid. by removing that one button, ca made battles a pain in the ass. add range units it becomes a huge pain in the ass.

[♘Top Hat Zebra]

It's not stupid at all. It makes more sense to have it by default and turn it off by giving attack orders.

The whole point of guard mode, for me, was that I was able to give attack orders and not have my unit run off after their routing foe.

Having it be turned off when I give an attack order kind of defeats the main purpose.

[PointOfViewGun]

The whole point of guard mode, for me, was that I was able to give attack orders and not have my unit run off after their routing foe.

Having it be turned off when I give an attack order kind of defeats the main purpose.

I could say that not having the units start chasing the routing enemy unit kind of defeats the main purpose of an attack order too...

[craziii]

I mainly want guard mode for range units. I hate it sooooo much when range units chase after units when I just want it to stay put. guard mode does that in all previous tw games. right now, I have to baby sit all my range units in all battles. a huuuge pain in the ass. rome 1 archers were basically standing still with guard mode on. if auto fire is turned on, it will auto seek new targets when the one it's targeting moves out of range. in rome 1 guard mode infantry never give chase, turn it off and it will always chase after the unit the player gave the attack command on. in rome 2, they never give chase. even after player orders it will also stop the chase if the unit it fought routs. the only way for the chase to work 100% is when the unit is already shattered.

CA need to fix it.

[Modestus]

Guard mode does not exist in RTW2.

[Humble Warrior]

I'm starting to get very concerned about the inclusion of Guard Mode in Attila as I haven't heard anything about it. This is such a basic function that was in every Total War until its unexplained absence in Rome 2. And it was sorely missed. If we don't get Guard Mode back in Attila I'm going to be extremely disappointed.

You are right to be concerned. We should not worry so much about what is mentioned, but what is not mentioned.

CA`s excuse about the existing `guard` mode is a play on words and basically semantics.

[Butan]

Age of Empires had most stances you could need, including "stand guard" but not limited to. It had a skirmish mode (for all kind of units), and auto-engaging modes with infinite or limited range of engagement. And of course the "move to and engage en route" movement mode. And it is a decade old game...


In a perfect strategy game, micro-management should only be a choice of the perfectionnist playes: those who want to control everything. When it is imposed by the game, managing epic sized armies becomes a chore, and one of the big reason to play Total War games is because of epic sized armies battling each other in real time, so a guard mode is definitely in order. Remove most stupid magical buttons and you will have tons of space left to put more strategical buttons; even in the too big Rome 2 UI it would fit well, in Attila even more so.

Guard mode needs to make a come back, it will open up non-existent gameplay paths and lessen the weight of micro management, which will increase the pleasure of playing.

[:jason:]

guard mode is not on for ranged units. if i assign them a specific target they will chase them down when they go out of range. With guard mode, they would stop firing when the target is not in range and not chase them through my melee line.

[craziii]

guard mode is not on for ranged units. if i assign them a specific target they will chase them down when they go out of range. With guard mode, they would stop firing when the target is not in range and not chase them through my melee line.

that is why it is such a pain in the ass.

[Causeless]

The issue with the current implementation is that your men cannot both get a charge bonus and act defensively, whereas the guard mode button allowed for this.

If you want your units to charge down a hill a little, for the bonus, but then hold it defensively without your lines breaking, you can't. Your men will break the lines by chasing any routed enemies. This means you need to focus a lot of time on micromanagement and telling your men to stop chasing, instead of focusing on the bigger battle strategies.

There's also the bug that units which haven't been given an attack order (or are in the default "guard mode") are significantly weaker, even when ignoring the charge. This is a bug which still has not been fixed. So really, there's no way around it - you NEED to give attack orders, otherwise you lose the charge bonus AND your unit is weaker (because of the bug). This makes the entire implementation of guard mode in game as it currently is, on both the design and technical sides, massively flawed.