Cavalry Break Off's

dazzam · Post by **dazzam** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:41 am

I've noticed that a cavalry unit engaged in a combat with cavalry do not break off but if they are engaged with infantry then they can. This seems to make sense. However if they are engaging both infantry and cavalry then they can break off. This doesn't make so much sense. Is this part of the game design or is this a bug?

Morbio · Post by **Morbio** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:48 pm

It does seem to be anomalous.

You could make a case that the cavalry could break off from the foot, but they should be persued by the cavalry and remain engaged at the new break-off point.... possibly taking damage during the pursuit - similar to a rout persuit, but with smaller losses?

I wonder what the rationale is for this behaviour?

mceochaidh · Post by **mceochaidh** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:18 pm

I think it is game design that if cavalry is mele with only cavalry, it will not break off, but can break off if in mele with both cavalry and infantry. I think that the cavalry broken off from should pursue, but this is not the case as I understand it from a previous post.

dazzam · Post by **dazzam** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:24 pm

My understanding is that the tabletop rules allow for cavalry to break off if engaged with infantry and unlikely to win the combat. My guess is that the programming logic gives the cav a chance to breakoff if things look a bit dicey but forgot to account for other troop type that the cav unit may be engaged with.

TheGrayMouser · Post by **TheGrayMouser** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:22 pm

In the TT, cavalry will break off if half or more of their opponents(counted by bases in contact i believe) are steady foot.. They pull back their exact charge distance so that they may charge back in the next turn... Cavalry does not break off from other cavalry (although they can in the new REN rules)

I am guessing allowing cavalry to break off from other cavarly would add a great deal more complexity (especially since there are reg cav, lights, cats and knights to deal with, as well as chariots etc) Each would likly need a tweek in the rules as it would seem unrealistic to have a one size fits all mechanism..

As for allowing cavalry to purse break offs? Might make sense in some circumstances but could be a real nitemare in the pc game..... Think how much people hate anarchy already and now you wopuld be introducing a new type of anarchy

....
What they should do is introduce the TT rule that if a cvalry unit attempts to break off (which is mandatory in the tt) and it CANT, it drops an immediate ohesion level.

dazzam · Post by **dazzam** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:44 pm

My suggestion would be simply that if cav are engaged with cav then they can't break off..whatever other troops are engaged.

mceochaidh · Post by **mceochaidh** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:45 pm

I would suggest that cavalry in mele with cavalry, knights or other mounted heavy or medium troops should not be able to break off even if also in mele with any infantry; I would not include light horse and would still allow cavalry in mele with light horse and any infantry to be able to break off.

I think that the natural inclination of mounted heavy or medium troops would be to follow such a break off, so it should either be that the mounted troops breaking off would be followed by the enemy cavalry OR they should not be allowed to break off.