Attack Enemy "preview window" ?

[stefankr77]

Hello ! I just had an idea about how to make planning an attack easier: Now, when an enemy unit is in range of an own unit, and I am not sure whether to attack the enemy unit or not, I click with the cursor on the enemy unit to place my unit next to it and to make the Attack Enemy window appear. There I can see the different possible attacks, chances to hit etc. and I can confirm the attack by clicking on OK. But if I feel my unit should not attack after all, I have to press cancel, and my unit will travel back to its last position.
If I do this with several of my units, this results in quite some useless travelling...

Can't one just implement some preview windows showing the attack/defense values when you just place the cursor over an enemy unit for 2 seconds, or when you press a key ? If you decide to attack, you would just click on the unit as usual and confirm by pressing OK in the window that appears. This would make it easier to plan attacks, especially if one unit has the choice between several enemies to attack !

I am still quite new to Wesnoth, so maybe I just missed something or there is an easier way, but that just came to my mind. What do you think ?

[Sapient]

Once you get more accustomed to all the different units, you will be more confident about your plans. I usually move next to an enemy first (because I want to specify which hex to attack from). That way, if I cancel the attack, my unit is right there and I can decide later very quickly.

[Dacyn]

I usually move next to an enemy first (because I want to specify which hex to attack from). That way, if I cancel the attack, my unit is right there and I can decide later very quickly.

huh? how does that help? what if you decide to attack someone else instead?

[romnajin]

I think he means it's easier to just do that, then hit "u", I guess.

[Viliam]

I guess the problem with this idea is that if the enemy unit is near enough, I can attack it from different hexes. On the selection of a specific hex I attack from, the following things depend, which influence the outcome of combat:

- what is my terrain (what is my defense)?
- do I stand on an illuminated place (what is my damage)?
- do I have support of a friendly unit with leadership?
- do I have backstab?

[guest]

I guess the problem with this idea is that if the enemy unit is near enough, I can attack it from different hexes.

Please note, that the click-on-enemy-to-attack -functionality already allows to choose the hex to attack from. It selects the attacking hex from those possible that is closest to your mouse position when you click.

On another point, moving first and then attacking (or not) isn't such a good idea with fog/shroud on, unless you delay updating them.


What I would like to see, however, is this:
- When you attack with your horseman at an enemy orcish archer...
...if you miss, how much damage can the orcish archer do in ranged retaliation next turn (can't see it in the attack dialog, because horseman has no ranged attack)...
...and if the retaliation is during the next round, when it is dusk (i.e. generally a different time of day), how much will the retaliation then be?

[JW]

I guess the problem with this idea is that if the enemy unit is near enough, I can attack it from different hexes.

Please note, that the click-on-enemy-to-attack -functionality already allows to choose the hex to attack from. It selects the attacking hex from those possible that is closest to your mouse position when you click.

On another point, moving first and then attacking (or not) isn't such a good idea with fog/shroud on, unless you delay updating them.


What I would like to see, however, is this:
- When you attack with your horseman at an enemy orcish archer...
...if you miss, how much damage can the orcish archer do in ranged retaliation next turn (can't see it in the attack dialog, because horseman has no ranged attack)...
...and if the retaliation is during the next round, when it is dusk (i.e. generally a different time of day), how much will the retaliation then be?

That's just something that you kinda have to know right now...

...basically just kill the archer. =)

[guest]

That's just something that you kinda have to know right now...

Yeah. And most of the time I'm happy about it, nowadays, and don't need any fancy calculus. Sometimes, however, figuring out the resistance + time of day modifications would be easier with some help.

Even showing (in the attack dialog) a grayed-out section for the ranged attack (that the horseman doesn't have) would help in showing the ranged retaliation.

...basically just kill the archer. =)

I prefer to, yes.

[stefankr77]

Thanks for the interesting replies so far. I hadn't taken into consideration what Viliam pointed out; but this shouldn't be a problem as one can choose the hex to attack from, just like guest said. Just point the cursor to one particular area of the enemy unit's hex, and the "footprints" will indicate to which adjacent hex my unit would travel to attack...

There can still be some window with attack/defense (or even other) information, and the values shown would change acc. to which area in the enemy unit's hex you put the cursor on... It could be some window/label just like the one that pops up when you put the cursor on the unit attributes/type etc. on the right sidebar.

Happy new year to you all !!

[Eleazar]

Please note, that the click-on-enemy-to-attack -functionality already allows to choose the hex to attack from. It selects the attacking hex from those possible that is closest to your mouse position when you click.

Wow, i never realized.
An example of Wesnoth working so intuitively that some aspects of the UI are not even consciously noticed. That's quality craftsmanship.