Slitherine

I was considering buying this game but read a review criticising some of the mechanics. Primarily it stated that it was not possible to attack an enemy unit with combined arms, i.e two or more units. Having some time back played tabletop wargames with figures, one tactic was to bolster a unit's attack value by supporting it with another, thus outnumbering the enemy and so giving a better chance of success.

Is this criticism of the game correct, or is it in fact possible to select two units to jointly attack an enemy?

OldFocker wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2024 5:19 pm I was considering buying this game but read a review criticising some of the mechanics. Primarily it stated that it was not possible to attack an enemy unit with combined arms, i.e two or more units. Having some time back played tabletop wargames with figures, one tactic was to bolster a unit's attack value by supporting it with another, thus outnumbering the enemy and so giving a better chance of success.

Is this criticism of the game correct, or is it in fact possible to select two units to jointly attack an enemy?

Multiple units can attack one unit, theoretically up to 8, as the game is on a grid system - not that you'll see that happen very often! Doing so gives them a bonus in Melee combat, with the bonus increasing for each additional unit up to 3 units, but there is no such bonus in the Impact phase.

OldFocker wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2024 5:19 pm I was considering buying this game but read a review criticising some of the mechanics. Primarily it stated that it was not possible to attack an enemy unit with combined arms, i.e two or more units. Having some time back played tabletop wargames with figures, one tactic was to bolster a unit's attack value by supporting it with another, thus outnumbering the enemy and so giving a better chance of success.

Is this criticism of the game correct, or is it in fact possible to select two units to jointly attack an enemy?

Did the review you read criticize the game for not allowing the player to select two or more units to literally attack simultaneously with only one mouse click?

Because in this game you can certainly attack an enemy unit with more than one of your units in one game turn, it's just that each attack is a separate action.

The probability of a successful combat for each of your units goes up if they outnumber the enemy, but also depends on whether they can attack an enemy unit from the flanks or rear (especially deadly if the enemy unit is already in close combat with another of your units), their quality (superior veteran troops vs. raw recruits), armor, weapon types, terrain type, elevation, etc.

Each game turn is roughly 15 minutes long, and given that this is ancient warfare, I think that although the idea of two or more units attacking within minutes of each other is quite reasonable ("Flavius, when you hear my horns blowing, take the enemy in the flank"), the idea that large units manuevering on a battlefield could execute simultaneous attacks with split-second timing is kind of stretching it, in my opinion.

The one thing I would add is that the impact phase is counted as 1v1 regardless of multiple enemies in melee (correct me if wrong). That struck me as a little strange when I first played the game. However, the melee phases do factor in multiple enemies as detailed above.

The game review was critical in the aspect of two units being unable to simultaneously attack one enemy unit:-

a/ there was no possibility of moving two units together to attack one enemy unit; they each had to attack individually.

b/ since each unit has to attack individually and not jointly the combat resolution is flawed because it doesn't allow a combined arms (two or more units) to overwhelm the enemy.

But according to SnuggleBunnies (above post) the reviewer is incorrect in his assertion.

OldFocker wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2024 4:34 pm The game review was critical in the aspect of two units being unable to simultaneously attack one enemy unit:-

a/ there was no possibility of moving two units together to attack one enemy unit; they each had to attack individually.

b/ since each unit has to attack individually and not jointly the combat resolution is flawed because it doesn't allow a combined arms (two or more units) to overwhelm the enemy.

But according to SnuggleBunnies (above post) the reviewer is incorrect in his assertion.

The simultaneous element is just in the melee. You can’t attack a unit from the start together (as in impact). In the melee phase there is a bonus for multiple units in melee to be precise.

The game review was critical in the aspect of two units being unable to simultaneously attack one enemy unit:-

a/ there was no possibility of moving two units together to attack one enemy unit; they each had to attack individually.

b/ since each unit has to attack individually and not jointly the combat resolution is flawed because it doesn't allow a combined arms (two or more units) to overwhelm the enemy.

That is a odd criticism as the game greatly advantages two units attacking one if the second attacker can charge from the flank or rear.

Perhaps he is someone who prefers games like Hearts of Iron or Total War where all combat is happening simultaneously...

The best games trying to simulate continuous combat in turn based are Jagged Alliance & XCOM (Interruptions), Master of Orion 2 (stats recalculating mechanics and missiles/fighters extra phases), Wizardry 7 (spells fire off even when all critters are dead). In Field of Glory you have flanking bonus thats activated only when troops begin their turn at the flanking tile. That also works for Impact combat, not melee exclusively. The fact that horseys can't wrap around and attack on the same turn even if they are eligible to simulate the fact that they don't have ultra speed. Then there is the fact that troops access threat map at the real time.

Attacking one unit with two is certainly possible and aids both units in their combat resolution. A common dilemma in the game is whether to send an assisting unit to aid another with a head on attack (what will immediately boost both units rolls) or try to set up a flanking attack what is much more damaging (but could take several turns to set up and in turn lead to your own flanking unit becoming flanked). Flanking tends to be the better option with manoeuvrable infantry or cavalry but with unmanoeuvrable units the flanking could take too long to set up (and by the time you have your friendly unit is toast) and the best bet might be to throw them straight in.

Like always with this game, many tough calls to make..