The current Strategus and Strat Battels are quite stare.While they are both basic Concepts they offer alot of opportunitys but make it complicated too actually use them.
For exampel u can form a Formation,like a Shieldwall,with other Players but they is no Help the Game provide u too do it.Same "Problem" with plenty of other Stuff too.
Diplomatics or playing Bandit in strat etc... too actual do such Stuff consumes a huge amount of Time and are complicated.
Thats 1 Reason why most players not interested in Strat...
There are plenty of Ideas u can connect too create a new Battelmode for Strat but manys of them also would influence it indirectly and improve Strategus on the Map.
First i will state Ideas which i think could be connected very well:
-Battels are fought in several Rounds (Waves)
-Limited Tickets per Player per Battel
-Tasks u gotta achive too win a Battel akay Conquest mode
-different Batteltypes like Fieldbattels,Ambush,Caravan Raid etc.
-genreally more involvment of "Siege"Gear
-new Reinforcement System
-Maps that fit too the Terrain of the Position at the Stratmap
-Mercenaris that use their own Equipment
-improved Commander options
-improved Bataillion mechanics
-fixed retreat Option
-Horses just can be Reared with 2nd Spear mode
-limited amount of Troops per Player
-some Sort of Skill System too improve Actions on the Map
-more availabel Actions on the StratMap
-make it harder too get shiny equipped Troops
-Fiefs gotta be repaired after taking Damage
-addabel Buildings too improve the Fiefs
-Create Battelgroups at the Map
-repairabel Equipment
-get strategus closer too SP
-Territorrys with Borders
-Delineate time regions on the Strat map that correlate to real life time zones
If u put these things togehter u could create something like this:
Basiclly u splitt big Battels with Thousands of involved Tickets in many smaller ones or Rounds,that will create plenty of free Slots in the Rosters and give more Players the Chance too take part in Battels and also open up plenty of Opportunitys too add more Depth in the Battels.
Like in Siege u need too capture the Flag too win but first u need too take the Walls too open the Gate.Too take the Walls u will need too have an Siege Tower,place Ladders or make an Catapult too destroy the Walls and so on...u should make this kind of Tasks more important,epic and harder too achieve.
I think of the Game Chivlary in this matter ,just the basic concept of splitting an Battel in several tasks
,or how it was suggested OVER 9000 times CONQUEST MODE.
Also Teeths Suggestion would fit in perfectly ,limited Tickets per player per Battel(Round). Furhtermore it gives an Option too add RP and so a 2nd Skillsystem besides the 1 we have already.If u besiege someone u should do more then having one epic Battel u need too have Engineers too gain access too the Castel then u need s1 too actually break through or if u rob a Caravan u need someone who can set an Ambush etc..
Many Peeps support the Idea of making an max. Cap of Troops one Player can have. Instead of one Guy controlling Thousands of Troops he should have max. Cap of 300.
I would choose a fixed Cap over higher Upkeep because that will prevent Exploits.Renown is already introduced that can add a Bonus too the Cap besides 1 or more Skills maybe.
Add the Option too create Battelgroups consists of several Players too create large Armys.If the respawn System would be changed from induvidual Respawns too reinforcement Waves ,Battelgroupss would be resonabel as u would need too be in the same Battelgroup like the Player that have the Battel too reinforce him.That needs too be done before the Battel and u have too be close too him too create or be added in the Group.Also this Group could have an Range if s1 left it hes out auto so Skills and Roles could set the Range wider.
If the different Players that are part of the Battelgroup can have Roles u have an perfect Option for MERCENARIS.They just need too have that Role in the Battelgroup.With that Role
they fight with their own Gear.They just abel too spawn one time in the Battel and when they died they are injured so they have an penalty next Battel or they wait till they are healed.So even an independant Player could have an strong 1 time Army like for Exampel an Caravan Raid.But there would need to be harsh Penaltys for defeated Mercs too prevent Exploits, probably damaged Equip,less Athl. and IF if they fight too many Battels in a row.
That will decrease the Power of Big Clans and raise the Power and Options of the Small Clans and independant Players.It hinders Inactivity and just let the Guys who actually play the Game being succesfull.This is Keypoint A ,Keypoint B would be a Skillsystem.This Skillsystem need too splitt the Effectivity of Actions of each player.Keypont C are different availabel Actions.
So Clan A want too take a Castel of Clan B but since it is an Castel he will need Thousands of Troops but now 6 or more Players of this Clan need too move this Army and actually take Action instead of 1... like in SP... .
The Attack was planned well so Clan A created a Battelgroup for it.They have an General,Quartermaster,Siege Engineer. Scout,Blacksmith and a Medic.
The General gives a Moral Bonus so no Troops desert and the Troops of the created Battelgroup move fast also he hire Mercs and set the Battelgroups range by his Skillz,the Quartermaster lowers the needed Upkeep for such big amount of Troops and also lowers the crates for equip and take care of prisoners so they not flee,the Engineer take care of the Siege Gear ,the Scout provide the Spotrange and also some speed ,the Blacksmith repairs broked Equip and the Medic heals wounded Troops and hired Mercs.
The Roles can be done however just need too add reasonabel Bonuses too the Battelgroup so u want too have them in urs.
So u have an 2k Army of Clan A that will besiege the Castel of Clan B.Too create such an Force they needed like 5-7players 6 of them are an active part which without that Army loose alot of power+ number of Mercs.So a big Faction of lets say 50 players have an Army Cap of ca.18k without Bonuses too actually take Action with them ,if every1 plays active and if they have too much Fiefs they not will be abel too defend them if they play too agressive ,and so active Small Clans and Independant Players have alot more Options other then being Vassals or none.
A small Battelgroup of 7 players would be equal too 7 of a big faction so every active Foe u have on the Map counts.
1 Idea was too create an Option too set Armycamps.Armycamps would give the Defender an fortificated Position on the actual Battel.With Pikewalls,Siegeshields,Healing Tents etc..
More such Actions could be Ambushes with Fortificated Positions of the Attackers and Nighttimebattels which would reduce the Dmg of Archers.
Actions u choose on the Stratmap but influence the Battels and the Tactics and Playerclasses a Commander use and so add plenty of new Dynamics+Depth too Strat.
If they are connected too a Skillsystem they add even more Depth and RP.
Another suggestion of Bjord is too let Fiefs take damage after a Battel.The Factors could be used Sieg Gear and captured Flags within the Fief.If u add upgrades like Buildings too improve the Fiefs which u pay with PPs this Buildings could be damage- and destroyabel and so take Effect on the Fief.
Also the Loomed Equipment Production could be handeld with it.Different Types of Equipment afford different Types of Buildings and Levels of them too get the Discounts and +3 ones.Others raise the Prosperty and Population.
so it will be alot harder for the Big Factions too get them and make Free Traders alot more important.Also they would like too prevent them from being attacked even more and so leeds too more Fieldbattels.
U once tried too implement the Strongholdmode too strategus
That would be my Solution too make Fiefs progressive influenced by the Players.
My suggestion for strat 4 would be too make all Fiefs too Villages and let the Players decide where they raise a City or a Castel.But that affords helluvaalot Maps ^^
Since all Fiefs are Villages u need no Votes because they easy too take for everyone.
When a Fief reach a certain Lv. consists of certain Buildings,Population and Prosperty .the owner can choose the Type of what they want it too be.With a Battelmode that set Tasks too win a Battel and consists of several Rounds,Waves or smaller Battels u even could create Citadells and really strong fortified Castels without makin it impossibel too conquer them.
Let Fief holders(Kingdomes) gain Taxes determined by Population and Prosperty since they need their Members for their Armys.
Kingdome Borders was suggested before so Fiefs would influence each other and are Options for plenty of new Mechanichs like Taxes,corruption Rate and less Upkeep for Members of that Kindome/Faction.
The first Lv a Fief reach is where u can choose if the Fief stays a Village gets a Castel or City.Villages could produces some Goods ,but most important, Food for ur Kingdome and have certain addabel Buildings for it.So u couldnt make all ur Fiefs too Citys and Castels or u run out of Food.They can have less Army that stationed there ,less Population and nearly no Fortifications other than Citys and Castels.
-Citys need alot of Ressouces too grow so u need a coupel of Villages in ur Kingdome or constantly raid or buy alot of Food of Traders elsewhere too get 1 and hold it at that Lv.
They produce huge Amounts of Trade Goods and some Food by theirself and its the Place too sell ur Stuff they also can produce some Loomed Equip if u build the certain Builduings , but they can have the Highest Population and Prosperty so the Owner probably will concentrate on that too earn more Taxes.They can have strong Fortifications which addabel.
They also can hold big amount of Troop at less Upkeep.
Since many Caravans would head for them they would be a Magnet for Mercs and Bandits.
Maybe they could have Builduings which produce Loom stuff over +3 just accesabel for Mercs.Since that would make an reasonabel Advantage for Mercs which just have 1 Ticket in Battels and attract them even more.
-Castels will produce the most LoomEquip also produce some Food and can have very strong Fortifications.They most likley will be build at important Positions so if some want too take the castel he need a huge amount of Troops for it if the owner concentrated at Fortifications and less at loomed Equip.They have some more Population then Villages and can station bigger amounts of Troops If the owner builded more Barracks.
So Castels are mainly exist too defend important Positions and produce Equipment.They also lower the corruption of an Kingdome which lessens the Taxes.Courruption of the Kingdome could be determind by numbers of Fiefs,Population,Prosperty,Troops in the Kingdome and certain Builduings of the Kingdome maybe even by Skills of the high ranked Members of the Faction.If u fighting in enemy Territorys ur Upkeep could be a bit raised so defending is easier givin small Factions even more Advantage and adds even more Tactical Depth on the Stratmap.
Basiclly i think an Improvment of Fieldbattels ,is too make them more like Siege.As i said above, Siegemode already gives naturally Tasks u have too do too win the Battel too get the Final task done which is too capture the Flag....
The best u could do is too make it simply more epic
.One Factor could be more new tactical Siegegear like for exampel Battering ramps and Ballistas on Towers too give Map makers more Oppurtunitys.Stuff like that would add automaticlly more Goals that gotta be done too win the Battel and adds more Dynamics in the Battels theirself.
Also Siege kinda already use Wavespawns because its happens naturally through the Tasks.Also in the Strat Battels its already like this because the commanders command too attack in Waves and not one by one.So the Game should start too adapt what the Players already do because they can ,and improve it.
Too improve Fieldbattel such adapt the nature of Siege.Conquest mode do this ,instead of a Wall u gotta take ,however u do it,u will need too take the Flags.
Too bring more Dynamic and Mechanics into Fieldbattels other than just big Blobs fighting TDM style u need too improve the Enviroment they take place in and add Varity too how the Tasks look like instead of capture a Flag and Varity in the Oppurtunitys the Players have too achieve them.
Strategus is perfect for it because it naturally creates such Tasks u just need too adapt them too the Battels.A Caravan Raid for exampel do this.The Goal is too rob the Caravan and so naturally creates a Scenery for the Battel.Just use that Scenery like Siegemode do it.Even if u just use Conquest mode which is about Zone control like Siege ,really good Maps just could do it.With Positions u can Fortificate like Village Maps and Hills.With improved Healing Tents and Wavespawnsystem u create natural Tasks for the Team that try too take or destroy that Position too win.
My Idea for Strategus would be too connect big Battels with the Stratmap too create more such Scenerys like a Siege or a Caravan Raid.And then adapt the Concept of Conquestmode too it which is flexibel enuff too tweak him too every Scenery.
Well imagine u have splitted big Armys in several small ones but through the Battelgroupsystem they are still act as 1 Force and with a Skillsystem more Factors are added.
Back too our Siege:
Clan A attacks the Castel of Clan B.With the current System it would be 1 singel Battel too take the Castel.But i imagine too splitt this Battel in many ones through creating severel Scenerys.Instead of 1 Battel for 1 Castel represented on 1 Map u could splitt The Castel simply in 5 Parts with 5 Maps or how much u ever want.Like 4 Maps represent the South-,West-,East-,Northside and the Inner Ring of the Castel the Inner Ring is the Part too conquer too get the Fief.So u need too win 1 Battel too be abel too attack the inner Ring and so win the Fief.
Thats the Basic of my Concept.Someone suggested too introduce Armycamps in Strategus,so if its attacked the Defender gets a Fortificated Position.
Now imagine Clan A set Armycamps arround the Castel
.Like the Castel got 5 Positions u can attack ,the Army of Clan A also got several Positions because of the Battelgroup System.If u introduce Armycamps u could add Actions too them the owner can do.Like Build a Trebuchet Position too bombard the Part of the Castel u want too attack.
Such Factors will create natrully different Scenerys and Dynamics.
Then u take in the new Reinforcement System so every Battel can turn out too really large Fights or stay small ones.In the end it just would be a number Game of the Factors:
-Troop Caps
-Maps
-Skills
-availabel Actions
-Numbers of Scenerys/tweaked Conquest Mode
Also this seems too be perfect for it
http://forum.meleegaming.com/strategus-general-discussion/a-different-strategus-and-stuff/Another big Thing too improve any Strat Battel is too create Comander tools and improve Bataillion Functions.
Both is used too the maximum both is none existing ingame.
Bataillions currently just have the limited function too roughly mark Positions and attack Directions .
But they should help the commander of a Battailon too better organize his guys and so improve the Tactical Depth in the Battels.
I think the Voicecommands are completly useless because of TS but they could be used a bit like in SP.Like a commander can set the Movementspeed for his Bataillon.
Shieldwalls are the only really Formation that get used.They already improved through the Bonus they give but break apart as soon as they start too move..
So if the commander could set the movement speed of his shieldwall that would help alot too move in Formations.
Also its complicated too fortifie Positions.So some Tool too actually mark the Positions where Siege stuff gotta be placed would make it alot less complicated and raise and improves the use of Tactics in Battels.
Idk bout that but it could be something that just the certain Battailon can see.Generally a tool too mark Positions better and also set Waypoints would improve the Tactics massivly and make it less complicated too use them.
Too help peeps who take command it would be very usefull too give them an aerial perspective too some point otherwise they not have the overview and so its complicated too command and decrease the Tactical Depth of Battels...
Too generally improve Tactics u cant do much else then give more Opportunitys too create newones and improve the ones that already exist like Shieldwalls...
U just can create new ones with new Content..like make a 2nd mode for certain Weps and just them abel too stop Horses and more Opportunitys too fortificate Positions with placed Pikewalls,Obsticals and Ballistas.Create new Maps maybe with such Positions already existing.Riders fell of Horses when they Stopped at high speed.Conquest mode stuff...
and iam sure there are 1 million more such things floating in the Forums.
If u think that post was too long just think of Jokers xD
greetz OD