Age of Strategy Forums

A tech invented at the barracks that gives the entire pikeman troop the ability to brace polearms.

Brace polearm is a special that cannot be used if the unit attacks that turn, but when it is active cavalry take damage when they move adjacent to the pikeman. This would give pikemen a stronger defensive advantage against attacking cavalry.

If it is too OP, we could say that special cannot be used if the pikeman moves OR attacks.

Tech cost could be 6 turns or so.

Discuss

Not many polearm techs or upgrades right now.
Is it first strike or does it damage any units that stand the tile right by them?

Any cavalry units that move adjacent to the braced pikeman take immediate damage. So a wounded knight cannot attack a braced pikeman, and a full health hussar would take damage no matter what before being able to kill it

That might sound a little OP.

Is it full damage?

I don't like the idea of a pikeman being able to charge at incoming cavalry to brace for their charge. Should be disabled after movement.

Must wait to turn for bracing.

I do not think full damage would be a good idea. Maybe 1/2 or 1/4 of damage

Also voulgiers should get the special as well. To determine whether a pikeman is bracing, I think it might be best to just make a few new braced images for pikeman, halverdier, and voulgier. But a simple effect symbol above the unit might be a little easier

"On my words. Raise arms and Brace!"

Tech image (also possibly the "spell" icon in game):



Yay or nay?

Braced pikeman image

Not sure what the size of the "active effect" icons are, but here is a 10x10 for the effect shown in corner of unit when it is "braced"

braced voulgier:

Yay.

And, here is the last image:

So, to compile everything:

Tech cost: 6. Can be researched in barracks

What it does: Gives pikemen, halberdiers, and voulgiers the special to "brace." A unit cannot brace if it moves or attacks, and if you use the special, the unit's turn is ended. It takes on the new braced image, and has an effect icon to show it is braced. At the start of your turn, any braced units immediately return to normal.

When a unit is braced, ANY enemy mounted units which move adjacent to the braced unit are immediately wounded for 15 points of normal damage that can be blocked by armor. So a fully upgraded knight would only really receive 10 damage. This applies if the braced unit is in a town center as well, but not in wagons and buildings etc.


Halberdier braced:

Pikeman braced:

Voulgier braced:

Tech image and spell icon:

Effect icon for top left corner:

What do you guys think?

It's ready, we just have to see what Daniel thinks.

Great I know the three techs I will b voting for this time

The images are gone.

Also I am not sure. It sounds a cool idea but it would take time to code so it might have to pend

here is an idea how this could work, wen pikeman transforms to bracing stance, it will have 0 speed, and an aura of 1 tile radius around it, like camel fear aura of mamelukes, any mounted units inside this aura gets 15 hp damage every turn , i checked burning effects json, this can work


although i dont know how to automatically transform him back to normal at start of turn... may b there is no other way but to waste an action to transform back again, thus giving the impression that units in bracing formation are slow in reality and cant atk fast (although they can move after transforming), and also with my idea, while bracing it will have 0 speed but 1 action so it can still atk, does u have to decide wether u want to brace and atk, or transform and move every turn

it could have clever strategic uses, like putting pikeman in guard tower and then bracing, so if my spacious chariots tech is implemented, and players send a melee unit in a chariot to atk the guard tower (as chariots have bonus against buildings), the pikeman could deal even more damage to chariot

I like the idea but i would change it a bit.
I have been thinking about a simular effect/ability namely the phalanx. It would work simular with just a few changes:
-only affects one selected tile
-unit jas a movement of 1 or 2
-works against cavallary and infantary
-high defence and attack from the front of the phalanx
-very weak from sides and rear

That would be very hard 2 code

Id say add a direction and different stats depending on it
Btw i know nothing about coding and stuff.

For now there is no "direction" thing in aos.
Even this will require completely new coding.

Then forget i sayd anything