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[Mech#4]

You can, but it's not really the best system that could be used in my mind. The flag doesn't really tell you where the units are going to line up to (Behind the flag, on the flag) and isn't really usable on a wall or in tight locations. Having a shadow of the units or circles indicating general placement would be useful.

I'd probably tie in the more complex manoeuvrers into the mini-map. Bring the map up full screen with boxes depicting the units, numbers indicating unit count and flag shape for type. Simple commands like "Hold here" or "Follow me" could still be done via the keyboard.

[Descan]

I'd like the ability to make battle plans that your trips carry out as well as pause the game while making them. So you can update it on the fly.

[starscream]

What I find interesting is that the game makes it a point to make Mercenaries expensive "only if you don't have the right units" kind of guys.

And that other games USUALLY treat mercenaries the same way. Medieval 2 total war sometimes made them useful but it was pretty rare.

Yet in real life... Mercenaries were quite often better then the regular army.

Mount and Blade is sometimes weird.

perhaps if you compare mercenary companies vs regular armies.  the mercenaries in m&b are just another unit type.  you can play as a mercenary company that kicks the ass of any of the royalist units.

[scrdest]

What I find interesting is that the game makes it a point to make Mercenaries expensive "only if you don't have the right units" kind of guys.

And that other games USUALLY treat mercenaries the same way. Medieval 2 total war sometimes made them useful but it was pretty rare.

Yet in real life... Mercenaries were quite often better then the regular army.

Mount and Blade is sometimes weird.

perhaps if you compare mercenary companies vs regular armies.  the mercenaries in m&b are just another unit type.  you can play as a mercenary company that kicks the ass of any of the royalist units.

And hell, Mercs the units *are* better than the regular army, on average - if you had the proportions right, a levied army is predominantly formed of very low-skill footsoldiers, mostly peasant recruits and tier 2 footsoldiers. Meanwhile merc troops are tier 2 at worst, with Watchmen who are combined infantry, and it goes up to Hired Blades who are just a notch below regular heavy cavalry troops. M&B has to abstract it away a bit because of the size of armies it can support.

[miauw62]

You don't need to manage proportions if half of your army dies in combat every week

[da_nang]

You don't need to manage proportions if half of your army dies in combat every week

Meanwhile, the rest of your army is in your castle and you are yourself stuck in the middle of Khergit land with your horse and weapons stolen.

[EuchreJack]

You don't need to manage proportions if half of your army dies in combat every week

Meanwhile, the rest of your army is in your castle and you are yourself stuck in the middle of Khergit land with your horse and weapons stolen.

Been there.  Basically need to get captured/rescued from Khergit lords until you are close enough to the edge of their lands to make a run for it.  It is far worse in mods where move speed and player health are connected...

[Vendayn]

So, playing 1257 (the dev version that I'll be uploading soon. I personally like it a lot more than the new one they have and it has less bugs)...

Started off with no one, and then joined Byzantines right away. It is actually better (at least in 1257) to start with no faction, because if you join one in character creation...you lose reputation with some of the lords if you talk to them. On the other hand, joining after making a character (can even join right away)...you actually have a chance of gaining reputation. I think its a mount and blade thing...in any case...

Before they could elect a marshal, I kinda gamed it and got all other lords to take Constantinople right away. I'd have waited and do it less gamey, but I wanted  to get over with it. I tend to always target it first in each game, and haven't had a chance to do an actual long play through. It was a success, except....all the lords are super weak now...so...actually kinda weakened them. Guess that is the downside of doing it gamey (without cheating). In any case, the empire (most of the lords) is slowly gaining varangian guards in their ranks. So, outside of the beginning where we'll get pretty badly outnumbered...should do rather well later on.

From this point on though, I'll act as an actual vassal. I don't want to be some godlike leader that tells everyone to do stuff. That is the marshal's job or the emperor, and I don't really want to be a marshal or a leader. So, I'll play it as one who just follows the "rules" and does what he is told. Which means, I'll follow an army around to attack...but won't initiate any wars or attacks myself. I will however in times of not following the army...protect villages from attacks or attack imposing lords I come across.

Should be an interesting game. And be my first super long one with 1257, before my hard drive died...then my 2nd attempt my GPU died...3rd attempt another hard drive died...so haven't had too much luck playing an actual long game But should be able to do a really good play through.

[Glloyd]

So, playing 1257 (the dev version that I'll be uploading soon. I personally like it a lot more than the new one they have and it has less bugs)...

You have a new version?

[Vendayn]

So, playing 1257 (the dev version that I'll be uploading soon. I personally like it a lot more than the new one they have and it has less bugs)...

You have a new version?

Yeah, I tried it and it was rather broken ...granted it IS considered a beta test. Its the SVN new anno1257 that DrThomas and his partner have made. The other version they made I didn't really like either that they have up for public (kill the peasants version)...but I'm not gonna rant about it as they did a lot of work. I personally don't like that work, but they still did a lot of work. So I give them some kudos for that.

But if you want to try an older, a bit unfinished, but less buggy version that Othr made:

https://mega.co.nz/#!8AhjUJAQ!yLytWcXH9ZwxlAuHfy_yXEMTaVBa_LU4hLDBS1VH98A

It has its problems too though. Like, a bunch of "buildings" not being able to be built (city properties) even though they show up. (edit: But buying guild businesses and all the manor stuff works fine.) And music plays pretty rarely (though its epic when it plays...the music got taken out of the newer versions. The rarity may be a plus/negative depending on the person). And possibly on outdated PCs, the much much larger (GIANT, the size of saturn...okay maybe not...but its huge) map can be laggy though in my 100 hours of playing I never noticed anything that lagged on the map. Campaign AI works fine. Campaigns are a lot longer due to the larger map (con/positive depending on person), which makes a lot less blitzing. Empires don't blitz into huge blobs like they do on smaller maps. Possibly the caravans could cause lag (caravans got taken out in the newer versions), but not for me. There is a lot more stuff going on in Othr's version on the map...newer ones felt really empty and barren. But could cause lag for some people.

One huge negative is unlike new versions, you can't turn off weapon breaking so gotta scrounge the battlefield. Probably the one thing that might make it or break it for you. Guess it depends how hardcore you are...personally kinda find it annoying, but tons of weapons on the battlefield to pick up anyway. That and the custom cities/castles aren't in that got put in the newer versions.

Tournaments are a lot better. The betting option is a tad bugged in that you can bet 5000 but its just in the wrong place on the list...only thing that is "bugged". Otherwise it works as it should. However, you can do William Marshal Style which is a huge tournament orgy...I mean brawl. That got taken out in the new versions (dunno why, it wasn't bugged at all and the betting thing is fixed just by editing the menu file so that can't be why)...

The BEST part of Othr's version for me is the actual battles themselves. Which are completely broken (in my opinion) in the newer versions. Which really is what mount and blade is about. You can give orders to your troops before you enter a battle (got taken out in newer versions) AND there is TONS of formation options. AND THE AI isn't broken. They don't always 100% go right into square shield formation and do stupid stuff like in the newer versions...AND they actually attack instead of just stand there until you attack (like in newer versions). Literally I could stand for an hour and no one would attack in the newer versions...not ranting, but it is fact lol. The AI is a lot better and smarter. Also archers don't suddenly end up going into melee in sieges and disobey all orders, they actually work like they should. Othr had the best combat I've personally played in a single player Warband mod. It got totally nerfed and skinned alive in the newer versions of 1257.

One thing with battles. Cheats sorta work in battles, some people complained they couldn't ctrl alt f4 and everyone dies or ctrl f4 or whatever. I tested that, and they only do (mostly) 1 damage each time you press it...not a problem for me, but guess people find it annoying they can't cheat. I found most enemies died, but a lot of enemies still lived...personally don't care, but on the forums people complained about it. So thought I'd include it here.

[Neonivek]

What I find interesting is that the game makes it a point to make Mercenaries expensive "only if you don't have the right units" kind of guys.

And that other games USUALLY treat mercenaries the same way. Medieval 2 total war sometimes made them useful but it was pretty rare.

Yet in real life... Mercenaries were quite often better then the regular army.

Mount and Blade is sometimes weird.

perhaps if you compare mercenary companies vs regular armies.  the mercenaries in m&b are just another unit type.  you can play as a mercenary company that kicks the ass of any of the royalist units.

And hell, Mercs the units *are* better than the regular army, on average - if you had the proportions right, a levied army is predominantly formed of very low-skill footsoldiers, mostly peasant recruits and tier 2 footsoldiers. Meanwhile merc troops are tier 2 at worst, with Watchmen who are combined infantry, and it goes up to Hired Blades who are just a notch below regular heavy cavalry troops. M&B has to abstract it away a bit because of the size of armies it can support.

Yeah but with a top tier expense.

[Chiefwaffles]

It's probably more expensive to hire trained and equipped soldiers than it is to convince some farmers to join your army for promise of adventure/food/whatever.

[Neonivek]

To admit there is one reasoning that they could be so expensive other then "We need to make mercenaries more expensive"

The normal units just charge what they think is fair but they aren't in it for the money they are in it because that is their life and they believe in your cause.

Mercenaries want money.

Still wish they were comparable for their prices though. Knights Templars for example would be more accurately represented by the "Caravan guards" and those guys were awesome.

[andrea]

also, it should be noted that mercenaries are already trained to a degree when you hire them, and in some situations you just don't have time to take a peasant and turn him into a knight, you need a knight NOW.

[Neonivek]

also, it should be noted that mercenaries are already trained to a degree when you hire them, and in some situations you just don't have time to take a peasant and turn him into a knight, you need a knight NOW.

Yeah that is the point and one of the reasons why they cost so much and are incredibly ineffectual for their price.

If you are in a place where archers are HORRIBLE... the mercenaries are way better... as well you can just have a bunch of them immediately. As well they have no national ties so they won't stab you in the back.

It is a convention of balance or at least sense of gameplay. It breaks reality because it is a gaming convention.

Heck the only units I wish had more upgrades are peasants and peasant women... They are nearly impossible to obtain so why not make them special?

And some bandits.