Better/More detailed Marshals?

[Penchant]

Yes, I like it too! I don't know about the kind of bonus-malus, probably both morale or CS would do the work, maybe the easier to code? 

To 'get' Leadership you can battle... or train it in your academy! I know, an exotic concept! 

This is only a rough idea:

A Marshal with 5% Leadership could command 1 unit (basically, his own!) for each 5% he would command 1 unit more... with a 50% Leadership a Marshal could command an army of 10 units. Bonus/Malus, for every unit over the max. it will take a -5%, for every 2 units below, it would get a +5%?

A High Marshal will command 1 army from 0% to 25%, 2 armies from 26% to 50%, 3 from 51% to 70%, 4 from 71% to 80% and 5 from 81% to 100%... bonus and malus?... maybe for every army over his limit a -5%, and every army below, a +5%? ... if there is no High Marshal the limit would be zero.

I that its a little low on the marshals one. Instead of High Marshal while we are discussing for simplicity could you use the title general? Your percentages sound good though with the general one.

[Poliorketes]

At first I though it was a bit too low for Marshals too, but if you want it to have any effect in the gameplay, it can't be much more higher... maybe one or two units more, at best!... I think...

[Penchant]

At first I though it was a bit too low for Marshals too, but if you want it to have any effect in the gameplay, it can't be much more higher... maybe one or two units more, at best!... I think...

How about the same thing except a marshal starts at 4 or 3 nobles instead of 1, but it has same progression and same bonus/penalty. You can't call the guy a marshal if he only leads his troops.

[Indirik]

Well, you *could* call him a Marshal. That doesn't mean he's a good one. If his leadership really is that low, then maybe he shouldn't really be leading.

[Poliorketes]

Yes, he would be the WORST marshal possible.  But they could command not only his unit, but much more!... BUT with a 'malus'. 

He could command an army of 4 units, but with a 'acceptable' malus of -15%!  ...Or an army of 8 units with a horrible -35%... etc...

He would be a really bad choice for Marshal!  But he could 'do the work'... and not bad for a noble with NO 'military experience' (as 5% is the initial value for the Leadership... I think).

[Penchant]

You both have valid points which makes feel like you are right. One thing I think should be a requirement, in order for one of the armies to count as an army that the general is leading in battle there must be 50%+ of the army there so that one unit of a different army comes and then it causes them to lose the battle.

[Poliorketes]

You both have valid points which makes feel like you are right. One thing I think should be a requirement, in order for one of the armies to count as an army that the general is leading in battle there must be 50%+ of the army there so that one unit of a different army comes and then it causes them to lose the battle.

mmm... I have been thinking about it... you are right, even more... the malus thing is a good idea, but don't work!

If we make 'bad' marshals, what we make of units alone, without armies or marshals?... we put on them a malus even worse than if commanded by a inept marshal? and when we have a little army and a bunch of units? or four units alone, fighting monsters? etc...

The malus thing was good, but it's too complicated, probably too hard to code and almost for sure very easy to find exploits...

We need something much more simple!


Marshals Version 2.0!

We can use the Leadership of Marshals as a 'direct' bonus on the CS's units of his army:

Marshal Leadership / units presents = CS bonus, rounded down (5%) ... (if you want to 'hit' blobs harder, it could be rounded 10%)

A Marshal with 5% Leadership is almost useless, the only way to 'give' a bonus would be to command only ONE unit (himself): 5/1=5% CS bonus

A Marshal with 50% Leadership is a good one: 50 / 10 = 5% bonus, 50 / 5 = 10% bonus, 50 / 2 = 25% bonus, 50 / 1 = 50%!
He could be give a 5% CS bonus up to 10 units, (11 units would get a 0% because the rounding) and a wonderful, but not very usable, 50% if only ONE unit present.

Units without army, or without Marshal, 'work' as usual.


Generals (High Marshals) Version 2.0!

They work the same way than Marshals, but they give their bonus to Marshals Leadership!

General Leadership / Marshals presents = Leadership bonus, rounded down (5%) ... (maybe this is a too big bonus, and it must be 'toned down' a bit?)

So, If a General has a 50% Leadership, and has 2 Marshals with their armies, He would give a 25% Leadership bonus to his 2 Marshals... So, this Marshals would give a bigger CS bonus to their units!

As always, units alone, or armies without Marshals, would receive no bonus.

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I think this way is much more 'usable', easy to code, and much less 'exploitable'... and works as good as the first version. 

[Poliorketes]

BIG EXPLOIT: One units armies! Big Blobs of one-units armies... 

[Poliorketes]

This time I got it!!!...  ... I think ... I hope ...

Marshals Version 3.0!

We can use the Leadership of Marshals as a 'direct' bonus on the CS's units of his army:

Marshal Leadership / 5 = Number of units the Marshal can command efficiently, if overcome the Marshal is overwhelmed, so no bonus.
Marshal Leadership / 5 = Bonus CS his units get.

A Marshal with 5% Leadership is almost useless, the only way to 'give' a bonus would be to command only ONE unit (himself): 5/5=1% CS bonus for one unit.

A Marshal with 50% Leadership is a good one: 50 / 5 = 10% bonus, if his army is 10 units or smaller.

Units without army, or without Marshal, 'work' as usual.


Generals (High Marshals) Version 3.0!

They work the same way than Marshals, but they give their bonus to Marshals Leadership!

General Leadership / 20 = Number of Marshals the General can command efficiently, if overcome the General is overwhelmed, so no bonus.
General Leadership / 2 = Leadership Bonus his Marshals get.

So, If a General has a 50% Leadership, and has 2 Marshals with their armies, He would give a 25% Leadership bonus (50/2=25) to his 2 Marshals (50/20=2.5?)... So, this Marshals would give a bigger bonus to their units!

As always, units alone, or armies without Marshals, would receive no bonus.


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We could use 'rounding' to tune it a bit more.

Well, I think this would work... I hope!... 

[Charles]

I like this.  Somehow I would like to see the vice marshal included in this.  Perhaps the vice's leadership / 2 could be added to the marshal's leadership when both are present.
I am sure all numbers need to be adjusted so that bonuses are meaningful without being the only thing that matters.

[Poliorketes]

I like this.  Somehow I would like to see the vice marshal included in this.  Perhaps the vice's leadership / 2 could be added to the marshal's leadership when both are present.
I am sure all numbers need to be adjusted so that bonuses are meaningful without being the only thing that matters.

It would be no problem, the vice-Marshal would add a bonus of 1/3 or 1/4 of his Leadership to the Marshal Leadership. 

Of course, probably all numbers must be adjusted, but if the 'mechanism' works, the rest it's only minor matters!