Game Mechanic Question: Defense

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FannaFoFanna
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Joined: October 27th, 2019, 12:07 am

Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by FannaFoFanna »

I've scoured the forums and can't find the answer. Feel free to roll your eyes :roll: How do enhancers (Leadership, Illumination, etc.) work while a unit is defending? Example: Human Archer at end of movement at dusk is standing next to a Mage with Illuminate, so if the Archer was attacking it would get the "time of day" enhancement. A Troll walks up and kicks the Archer in the nuts. The Archer, thankfully, is wearing an iron codpiece and returns the attack. Does it make any difference that the Archer is standing in the Mage's Illumination? (The Troll is not Illuminated.) And whatever the answer is, I assume it works the same for Leadership, etc?
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Pentarctagon
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Re: Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by Pentarctagon »

Those effects are applied on both offence and defense. Also, for leadership for mainline units (like the Elvish Captain) they'll usually have an animation where they raise their sword whenever a unit they're boosting strikes.
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gnombat
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Re: Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by gnombat »

Note that there are some special attacks (backstab, charge, marksman) which do not apply when the unit is defending. These are documented in the manual.
Mawmoocn
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Joined: March 16th, 2019, 3:54 pm

Re: Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by Mawmoocn »

FannaFoFanna wrote: October 27th, 2019, 12:47 amDoes it make any difference that the Archer is standing in the Mage's Illumination?
It depends on your overall plan really, if protecting that area will give better advantages later on, then it makes some difference especially when other parts of your army are slow or need time to go to that location.

If you lack units or preparing to do your plan after your opponents turn, then it makes some sense, as it could give you some advantages (since mages of light heal units and increase damage only for lawful units), if your plan goes successful.

It’s better to use a melee oriented unit, only if you’re facing melee units, and the same for ranged opponents if you’re facing ranged units. You get higher damage retaliation (counterattack), when they attack your melee/ranged units.

Most of the time though, your enemies always attacks weak units that have lesser damage retaliation (counterattack) or wounded units.

Though if you mean does it increase your units defense/survival within your opponents turn, then it directly won’t do that, since only specific abilities can reduce damage or heal while attacking.

There’s no way you can defend (reduce damage) "normally" as only few units contain defensive abilities like steadfast (defensive ability for increasing resistances), special attacks like slow (successful hit halves move speed and damage of your enemy) and resistances.

Some abilities like first-strike (allows you to retaliate first, regardless if it’s your opponents turn) and drain (attack that heals), can be partially used as a taunt or threat, which in return can either make your opponent hesitate or retreat slightly when backed up by leadership and healers.

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otzenpunk
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Re: Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by otzenpunk »

FannaFoFanna wrote: October 27th, 2019, 12:47 am I've scoured the forums and can't find the answer. Feel free to roll your eyes :roll: How do enhancers (Leadership, Illumination, etc.) work while a unit is defending? Example: Human Archer at end of movement at dusk is standing next to a Mage with Illuminate, so if the Archer was attacking it would get the "time of day" enhancement. A Troll walks up and kicks the Archer in the nuts. The Archer, thankfully, is wearing an iron codpiece and returns the attack. Does it make any difference that the Archer is standing in the Mage's Illumination? (The Troll is not Illuminated.) And whatever the answer is, I assume it works the same for Leadership, etc?
Yes, Leadership and Illumination affect the affliction of damage from anybody standing in the afflicted zone. Illumination for example always increases damage dealt by loyal units by 25%, as long as it's not full daylight anyway. Additionally, it always decreases damage of afflicted chaotic units by 25%, at least if there's no direct sunlight present.

So if the troll attacks your archer, your archer's damage is increased by 25%, but of course the effect of 25% on your dagger damage is not as valuable, as 25% on your superiour bow attack. The damage dealt by the troll is not affected, as long as he's not standing in the illumination circle himself, in which case it would be reduced by 25% as well. As a result, any chaotic unit attacking a Mage of Light is always affected. The only case, where Illumination/Leadership doesn't do anything is, if your unit has no way of counterattacking anyway, for example your illuminated Cavalryman gets attacked by a Dark Adept or a Skeleton Archer with a ranged attack. (Which is not himself standing in the illumination zone.)
FannaFoFanna
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Joined: October 27th, 2019, 12:07 am

Re: Game Mechanic Question: Defense

Post by FannaFoFanna »

Thank you for the swift replies which clearly answered my question. @Pentarctagon, holy moly I've been playing this game off and on for ten years and never noticed that little animation ~face palm~. Regarding these enhancements, when attacking I can hit the "Damage Calculation" button and get all the info but that is not available (unless damage calculation info is available somewhere I don't know about) while defending which, based on your answers, amounts to counterattacking and therefore all enhancements apply. Again, thank you for your clear, concise answers.
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