0006295: Change to combat: NPC monsters and undead

[TragerM]

Summary   0006295: Change to combat: NPC monsters and undead
Description   I think it's high time this was addressed... yes, this is a suggestion, but I feel it fair to mention here..

Monsters or undead taking the player's side, when they show up, doesn't make sense.. it SHOULD be:

All player sides (enemies or allies or not) fight against the monsters or undead
THEN
Player battles commence...

It's rediculous to have a battle you're going to win (attacking or especially defending) and have a random event where undead show up and boom, you're suddenly outnumbered and you lose the battle.
Additional Information   Am in Belu, for game world where I saw this, but seriously, real world you wouldn't be chumming around with the undead or monsters unless there was a valid RP justification that actually was worked toward...

At worst, code 3 to 4 way battles, and maybe if monsters and undead are in the same region, they team up against the players, before the pure player combat happens.

[JPierreD]

Place them in the middle of the battlefield, attacking whoever is closer! 

[Chenier]

Make them show up last, picking on the weakened remaining forces. 

[Nathan]

I completely agree, PCs should not fight on the side of monsters/undead.

However, the amount of work needed to fix this is probably rather large in order to fix such a small problem.

Simple solution: scout ahead. If there are monsters/undead in the region, let your enemy deal with them.

[fodder]

... but the thing is.. you aren't really fighting it. you are driving/herding them towards the enemy

and then fighting them next turn

[egamma]

I completely agree, PCs should not fight on the side of monsters/undead.

However, the amount of work needed to fix this is probably rather large in order to fix such a small problem.

Simple solution: scout ahead. If there are monsters/undead in the region, let your enemy deal with them.

What if you're defending your region? It's natural for the monsters to attack. It's natural for the enemy to attack.

It would be great if the map placed the defenders in the middle, with the monsters on one side and the humans on the other, and the defenders in the middle. If they have a castle they could defend both sides.

[De-Legro]

On FEI we actually missed a chance to smash an army we were at war against so that we could join forces tackle a small rogue force. I don't see the point of investing time into fixing this given how complex the battle system interactions currently are. Much better to just overhaul the entire battle system which I believe is still planned for some time in the future.

[TragerM]

there's no way to scout what was not there to start with...

region was clear, armies on both sides moved in, and bam... monsters decided to show up (110 of them)... not a fun day...

that's where a lot of the frustration comes from...

At worst, have a "monster phase" where players fight the monsters
then have player phase, where players fight

Each battle can still take away hours, and could lead to some interesting problems (like start the new day, and oops, all hours burned... your butt's stuck)

[Chenier]

there's no way to scout what was not there to start with...

region was clear, armies on both sides moved in, and bam... monsters decided to show up (110 of them)... not a fun day...

that's where a lot of the frustration comes from...

At worst, have a "monster phase" where players fight the monsters
then have player phase, where players fight

Each battle can still take away hours, and could lead to some interesting problems (like start the new day, and oops, all hours burned... your butt's stuck)

Indeed. Have the rogues fight after the main fight.