New Unit stat: Courage

[Bael]

At the moment the only two things that distinguish units that have seen a lot of fighting from those who haven't is:

A - a high captain level (only affects leadership)

B - the possibility of getting 96% training instead of 85% (which is the max from training as far as I know).

So, why not have another aspect that affects cs and combat reaction: courage.

I envisage  it as being another variable in addition to the training/morale/cohesion/equipment equation. Some of it could be gained from training, but it would have a much lower cap than training (say, 50% or lower). It helps to know that you are skilled, and the mate on either side of you is also skilled and won't run away. However, the true test of courage, and strengthening of it, is in battle. So, to get up to higher courage levels you would need to get them battle hardened. This would help distinguish between those who have just spent their time training with lead-filled wooden swords, and those who actually have seen the whites (or reds/greys, depending) of the enemies eyes, and seen them off.

Thoughts & suggestions?

[Tom]

You ignored cohesion, which already does much of what you want, and battle is one - but not the only way - to raise that.

Also, courage really doesn't make much of a difference in a medieval style battle. Actually, in most wars up to today. I think we have a good number of soldiers here who can post their own experiences from actual combat. For all I know, when the !@#$ hits the fan, courage doesn't matter. You fight or you die, it's that simple.

[Forbes Family]

For all I know, when the !@#$ hits the fan, courage doesn't matter. You fight or you die, it's that simple.

Amen!

As to the suggestion I think what you are trying to say has validity, but when you take into account both cohesion and morale, that will pretty much take care of the "courage" trait. For instance if too many units get wiped out they run away from battle... with courage they wouldn't I'm assuming. But with banners they don't run either as it gives something to focus on.

[Gustav Kuriga]

I agree that cohesion does similar things as courage would, but while cohesion is discipline, courage is willingness to put oneself in harms way. Thus, as it is in the game, cohesion can be brought close to if not all the way up to 100% through training alone. Courage, as it is stated here, could not be trained. It could only be earned in battle.

I, for one, wouldn't do it exactly like the OP. Instead, I would have courage be a number representing training, cohesion, and morale put together. It wouldn't change any results, but would rather show how many morale shocks your unit could sustain.

[Bael]

Yes, I didn't put that much thought into the topic, just did it right after the post "Regions of Hope and Dread". Seems like it would be nice to differentiate between units that have seen war, and those that haven't. Whatever you might want to call the stat.

A similar idea has been brought up in this topic: http://forum.battlemaster.org/index.php/topic,436.0.html

[egamma]

Yes, I didn't put that much thought into the topic, just did it right after the post "Regions of Hope and Dread". Seems like it would be nice to differentiate between units that have seen war, and those that haven't. Whatever you might want to call the stat.

A similar idea has been brought up in this topic: http://forum.battlemaster.org/index.php/topic,436.0.html

We already have this stat--it's called "morale". Units with low morale are more likely to run away.
The other post, on "experience", is a duplicate of training.

[MaleMaldives]

We already have this stat--it's called "morale". Units with low morale are more likely to run away.
The other post, on "experience", is a duplicate of training.

Not exactly. The idea I think behind experience is that it can only be raised by fighting in battles unlike training where it can be raised extremly high with zero fights. Even though training goes up by fighting in battles, it is asking for an exclusive battle only stat.

[Richard Leonecoeur]

I think there is such a thing as individual valor, but it's an unaccountable thing. When a man is exhausted and keeps on fighting successfully, or manages to survive when outnumbered and actually inflicts casualties to the opposing force who is supposed to be superior, valor does play a role. But it's something you can't really account for. At best it'd be a random, temporary boost to unit Morale, Cohesion and CS for a round.

What I think would be neat, though, is a rallying cry from particularly effective captains or nobles. For nobles it'd be wise to restrict it to heroes and cavaliers.

Remember that it is largely training that keeps a man steady in the face of danger. A professional soldier might stand before the charging enemy, while the peasant pees himself and turns to run. But again, there can be moments of individual valor... Maybe they are encouraged enough to counter charge, where they're likely squashed by superior forces anyhow.

[Baeldeth]

It's often discipline that takes over when courage fades.  It's why training is so ingrained into soldiers.  An amazing example would be the napoleonic era.  If you weren't trained rigorously to, how would you stand in nice little lines while people shot you with cannon and musket?

Courage can happen on a small scale, and I suppose something like a soldier doing something that is extra surprising, almost like a 'critical' hit or something might be a way to implement it. 

ie. Soldiers surprising an enemy by some unexpected means." but that's only if you needed to put it in.