How have the new military traits changed the way you play?

[sprucetrap]

This one's pretty self-explanatory. Have the new military character traits changed the way you play at all? If so, how?

[BattosaiSlayer]

I take combat a lot slower now. I check my leaders' and my opponents' leaders' for bonuses before marching off to battle. Before it was just a matter of 'mass as many troops as possible and throw them at the enemy and damn the pingpongs.' Now with certain leaders getting bonuses to certain troops and situations, there's incentive to slow it down and develop some sort of plan.

I didn't actually play too much last night actually. I was too busy exploring the new effect/trigger commands and possible modding opportunities.

[Hokibukisa]

Ditto to battosai, I was pleased to this surprise ending, which I was for sure I would lose horribly.



I didn't even know it could happen, so it def got me looking at commander traits.

Also the AI assaults holdings a lot now, so they are much more of a threat and conquer a lot faster.

[RabidAnubis]

Ditto to battosai, I was pleased to this surprise ending, which I was for sure I would lose horribly.



I didn't even know it could happen, so it def got me looking at commander traits.

Also the AI assaults holdings a lot now, so they are much more of a threat and conquer a lot faster.

Those were some badass soldiers.

[Pelarys]

Ditto to battosai, I was pleased to this surprise ending, which I was for sure I would lose horribly.



I didn't even know it could happen, so it def got me looking at commander traits.

Also the AI assaults holdings a lot now, so they are much more of a threat and conquer a lot faster.

That's awesome, I didn't think they affected the game that much.

[TheChronoMaster]

In general, martial stats and traits matter a TON more now, as do troop quality and defensive terrain.

[NezzeOne]

I'm -a looot- more cautious about charging head long into combat.

But at the same time, I've been a lot more confident in standing my ground against a numerically superior enemy. I was happily surprised when my army of 10,000 angry Andalusians stood, fought against and defeated an army of 14,000 angry Galicians supported by holy orders.

[Zealuu]

It brought an element of actual strategy (beyond "have the most dudes") into warfare, so I'm liking it. Checking my traits, the traits of my flank leaders (if I have any), against the enemy commanders and trying to manoeuvre so that I have as many factors as possible going for me: Attack/defense bonus, terrain, martial stat, and so on - it's a whole new game. And it allows smaller, but higher quality and better lead armies to defeat larger ones; the stuff good stories are made from. As the Sultan of Mauretania I've been in some really pitched battles against the Byzantines, as part of a Sunni Jihad for Armenia, where my 4000 men somehow managed to not just survive, but actually defeat something like 8000 greeks. On the other hand, I've also been on the receiving end of dice rolls like that, but fortunately against smaller enemies, mostly neighbouring emirs.

I'm still not sure what some of the traits actually do, though. Like "Unpredictable Leader" which gives you +30% "experimentality" or something - which means what, exactly, in practical terms?

Also - is it just me, or does the warscore you get for holding the target of a war increase much faster now than before?

[John Hadley]

I haven't really changed the way I fight at all. I only fight if I am numerically superior by a good deal. If not I run away, disband my army, or surrender the war to protect my forces. If the battle is close enough that commander stats could swing it I don't want to be in it anyway because I will waste troops. You lose a lot of troops if you have nearly the same size army as the enemy, but lose very few if your army is twice as big or more. The less troops I lose, the less often the commanders (who are often important personnel like my chancellor, steward, or my heir) die, and the more often I can go to war to claim more territory.

[TruSoulja]

It brought an element of actual strategy (beyond "have the most dudes") into warfare, so I'm liking it. Checking my traits, the traits of my flank leaders (if I have any), against the enemy commanders and trying to manoeuvre so that I have as many factors as possible going for me: Attack/defense bonus, terrain, martial stat, and so on - it's a whole new game. And it allows smaller, but higher quality and better lead armies to defeat larger ones; the stuff good stories are made from. As the Sultan of Mauretania I've been in some really pitched battles against the Byzantines, as part of a Sunni Jihad for Armenia, where my 4000 men somehow managed to not just survive, but actually defeat something like 8000 greeks. On the other hand, I've also been on the receiving end of dice rolls like that, but fortunately against smaller enemies, mostly neighbouring emirs.

I'm still not sure what some of the traits actually do, though. Like "Unpredictable Leader" which gives you +30% "experimentality" or something - which means what, exactly, in practical terms?

Also - is it just me, or does the warscore you get for holding the target of a war increase much faster now than before?

Yes, I'm more inclined to use my own ruler (who has a high martial skill) in battle now. Plus if he gets a scar, it's a status symbol among Muslims!

[The_Blind_One]

The new changes to combat are excellent! Although I am not fully aware of how they exactly work, it is quite evident that the bigger army is no longer the better army anymore.

I take my army composition and generals much more into consideration. I reward people of the realm with good martial stats to landed titles, so I can use them as generals now. Before it was always -stewardship and -learning but now martial makes a good choice as well.

[xGhost4000x]

The new changes to combat are excellent! Although I am not fully aware of how they exactly work, it is quite evident that the bigger army is no longer the better army anymore.

I take my army composition and generals much more into consideration. I reward people of the realm with good martial stats to landed titles, so I can use them as generals now. Before it was always -stewardship and -learning but now martial makes a good choice as well.

Don't forget to match them up with high martial women to ensure continued supply of high martial characters.

[Zarine]

Ditto to battosai, I was pleased to this surprise ending, which I was for sure I would lose horribly.



I didn't even know it could happen, so it def got me looking at commander traits.

From experience, it's not the commander traits but the tactics changes which have bring you this result.
10 days of good tactics for your side vs 10 days of bad tactics for enemy side = your result.
And this is somehow quite common with the 1.06 version.

[Marorin]

From experience, it's not the commander traits but the tactics changes which have bring you this result.
10 days of good tactics for your side vs 10 days of bad tactics for enemy side = your result.
And this is somehow quite common with the 1.06 version.

It could be(although not only, as morale play a huge role too), but then again - the commander's emplying the right tactics depends on their martial skill and traits .

[Dr_Vile]

Biggest change, aside from carefully planning out strategies (no, I can't intercept with this stack, that stack'll get better bonuses) is that I now go for Absolute Crown Authority, since I can then pick my own generals for the centre and flanks. A nightmare to keep the vassals happy, but worth it for the tactical advantage.

[grumphie]

i believe you can do that with minimal +

also, how in hecks name do you check the enemy commanders traits before you are in battle?

[Zireael]

In my games, I changed my breeding program slightly. I go for genius/quick first, military traits second... and I pick Martial tutors for my heirs instead of Stewardship.

[Mergoth]

Comparing the traits of your commanders against the enemy ones? How to look at tratis of the enemy commanders? I mean how to know which commanders are leading an army?

[Dr_Vile]

i believe you can do that with minimal +

Just checked, and you're right. Low CA allows me to do that. *headdesk*
Ah well, took me eight generations to get it where it is, no sense in changing it now.

[grumphie]

Just checked, and you're right. Low CA allows me to do that. *headdesk*
Ah well, took me eight generations to get it where it is, no sense in changing it now.

and you gave all your vassels plenty of chance to get progemiture.

congrats, you messed up your realm for nothing!