AKA:
The Fight BookThis is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to all things cRPG - just a collection of tactics and techniques, primarily for infantry, that I've found to be useful. I'll probably add to it over time, so if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them.
Basic attacks:
These are the fundamentals, and should be treated with respect. Advanced techniques are worthless if you can't block and your swings strike only air. Practice these first and foremost, and only begin working on more advanced techniques after you've gotten a firm grip on the fundamentals.
There are three types of melee attacks available in cRPG: the overhand strike, the sideways strike, and the thrust. They each have advantages and disadvantages that can be exploited to your benefit. Some weapons only have one or two attacks available to them, however you should not let this discourage you from using them. You would be surprised at how well a skilled player can do with only those one or two attacks.
The overhand strike: particularly useful against enemies with weak head armor, as it has the greatest chance of hitting their head (which does extra damage). Against some enemies this attack can even cleave through their skull and kill with one blow.
The thrust: like the overhand strike, this is straight attack, which allows you to attack enemies in tight quarters without fear of hitting teammates or catching your weapon on something in the environment. The thrust is also typically the longest ranged melee attack, and can be useful for reaching out and striking an enemy before he gets into his own range. Because the thrust usually does piercing damage, it is doubly effective against armored opponents.
Sideways swings: useful because they are a round attack and they sweep across a wide area, making them more difficult to dodge without moving out of range. They're also very useful situationally - to attack an unsuspecting enemy as he runs through the doorway you're hiding behind, to attack around a tree or wall, ect. When fighting in a cramped area, you (and the enemy) will often only have room to swing on one side. Also, note that the left swing with two-handed swords is slightly longer-ranged than the right swing, and the right swing with polearms is slightly longer ranged than the left swing. Remember these things and use them to your advantage.
With these basic attacks, the most important thing is knowing your range and timing. Know how far you can reach; go into the duel server and whack some trees until you know just how far your weapon will reach with each attack, and how fast. Especially with longer weapons, properly utilizing your range can benefit you greatly. Particularly for newer players, using a long weapon to keep people away reduces the amount of actual blocking that you have to do.
Blocking in cRPG is easy to learn, but difficult to master. There are four manual blocks, each of which can only block one type of attack. Manual blocking is useful when being attacked by a single opponent, however you can not block attacks from two different directions at the same time. Shields can block any kind and any number of attack - strikes, couched lances, arrows - but they have limited health and slow you down. For this reason, it is frequently advantageous for a shield user to fight without his shield when confronted by a single enemy, or one wielding an axe. Doing so allows you to block without fear of breakage, and to move/attack/block more quickly.
Advanced techniques:
Most of these techniques are stand-alone, and can be used in combination with those above to improve your fighting ability.
- The feint: by right clicking to cancel an attack then left clicking to attack immediately after, it's possible to feint. This can be confusing or even overwhelming to some players, and by disguising your attacks you can throw off their timing and make it more difficult to block. However, it's important to note that feints are most effective with lighter, faster weapons, and that if you feint TOO many times the enemy may catch you off guard with an attack of their own.
- The parry & riposte: sometimes called 'chambering' or 'chamber-blocking.' By attacking in the direction of an enemy attack just as it hits you, it's possible to block their attack them immediately follow through with one of your own. This technique can be very tricky - it requires excellent timing, and if you fail there's no chance of blocking. It is most useful in duels against slower opponents, and as a last resort while fighting multiple enemies.
- The chamber: sometimes called 'holding.' Chambering is the act of holding your weapon in a ready position. This is useful because a chambered attack strikes more quickly – rather than moving your weapon into the ready position THEN swinging, you simply swing. If someone is within your range and your weapon is chambered, they're essentially unable to hit you. They can attempt an attack, but with quick reflexes you'll always beat them to the punch. By holding a chamber during an exchange of blows rather than immediately attacking as soon as you're able, you can also throw off your enemy's timing. This sometimes results in them releasing their block in order to counter-attack according to the established rhythm, leaving them wide open. Chambering also lends itself to 'in-one timing.' That is to say, killing an enemy with one well-placed strike. This works well on enemies with no helmet/weak armor, and injured enemies. Hold your chamber and wait just outside of their range. As soon as an opening appears (for example, just after a missed swing) you can rush forward and kill them with one blow.
- The spin move: turning into an attack. This technique is useful against cavalry, especially in combination with the jump attack. Bait them into attacking you by standing still or running in a straight line while using the 'view outfit' key to surreptitiously observe them. When/if they try to hit you in the back, quickly spin around and attack them at the last second. This move is also useful for spearmen. If an enemy is crowding you, you can turn away from them and in that way gain enough room to thrust properly and avoid glancing. When using a pike or long spear you can also run and jump out of the range of the enemy's swing, then turn in mid-air and spear them with impunity.
- The jump attack: you knew it was coming. This one is pretty straightforward – you jump at the enemy and attack them. You can jump from on high (stairs, ladders, walls, ect) for an element of surprise, or you can jump from flat ground. There is no momentum-based damage in cRPG, so damage-wise it doesn't make much of a difference. As a bit of an aside, I like to call this the "tremendous horse cut technique," as this attack can be used to dehorse or kill enemy cavalry as they pass (although lances outrange most weapons so doing so is risky). This attack can also be used on infantry, and even works as something of a shock-and-awe attack that you can use for a flashy and dramatic entry. As always, pay careful attention to your timing when using this technique.
- The double block: as the name suggests, this technique involves blocking two or more attacks simultaneously. Multiple attacks can not be blocked if they're coming from different directions - however, if they are attacking from the same direction it's possible to thwart them both with a single block. This is very contextual and just a little tricky, but most players should (and probably have) be able to pull it off, if only on accident. Especially useful when fighting spearmen/pikers, topping a ladder where multiple enemies are attacking down at you, and when two enemies use sideways swings on you at the same time.
- The kick: this attack can be very useful, but at times it also can be frustrating to use. You can't move or turn while kicking, which makes it difficult to aim - you have to predict the enemy's movements, or trap them in a corner in order to be able to kick them. However, if it DOES land, it staggers them momentarily, leaving just enough of an opening for a quick player to get in a free hit. Kicks are most useful against shielders, and when defending a narrow passage - stairs, ladders, doors, narrow hallways. You also sometimes bait enemies into a kick by backpedaling/running away and forcing them to chase after you in a straight line.
- Ducking: this isn't much of a technique – just a useful trick that you can use to hide or avoid arrows. When using a two-handed sword, hold a left swing and look down at the ground. This causes your character to bend over, and reduces the size of his hit box. Use this to hide in haystacks and take cover behind objects that would otherwise be too small to hide you.
- Footwork: footwork is VERY useful, and of all the skills outlined above you should pay particular attention to your footwork. With good footwork and a nimble character, a whole range of possibilities opens up. By utilizing your range, for example, it's possible to attack an enemy then quickly dance out of range before he can retaliate. You can also maneuver such that it benefits you and hinders them. For example – if they are attacking your left side, you can move to your right and attack them with a left swing. Because you're moving away from their attack and into your own, it's possible to hit first, even if you've just attacked. With good footwork, a quick characters can run circles around his opponents. Investigate this thoroughly.
Tactics:
Tactics are a wonderful thing. They can turn a poor player mediocre, a mediocre player great, and make a great player unstoppable. With the right application of tactics you can end a round with full health and several kills under your belt.
All you have to do is think. Use your head to put yourself in an advantageous position. Your mind is your most valuable weapon.
Above all, survival should be your number one priority. It might seem cowardly, but you can't help your team if you're dead - so never be afraid to run away from a sticky situation. If you're outnumbered and outmatched, then run! Likewise, you need to recognize when a larger battle is going badly and you need to bail before they over-run you. If you're concerned about your teammates, give them a heads-up by pressing [Q][F][Y] or [Q][F][X] in-game to shout "retreat" or "fall back," respectively. Go find someone to fight 1v1, or find a peasant to stab, or an archer to ambush, or a bigger group to roll with. This is ESPECIALLY true for noobs, many of whom tend to rush in and die early in the round. You're a noob - nobody cares if you're running away like a coward. They understand that you're out of your depth. If you find yourself dying too often, spend a few rounds doing whatever you can to survive until the end. Hide, hang back, run away, abandon your teammates – whatever it takes. Practice your survival skills and avoid difficult situations. Bide your time until the end of the round, when they will be weakened and weary. In the meantime you might find a good opportunity to get yourself a kill.
Generally speaking, it is beneficial to stay near your teammates. There is strength in numbers, and it's very easy for a lone wolf to find himself overwhelmed. A friendly spearman can protect you from cavalry. A friendly shielder can protect you from arrows. A friendly archer can keep that angry knight from running across the field and plunging his greatsword into your heart. Following the above – if you are a new player, try to find yourself a battle buddy. Check the scoreboard and see who the top players on your team are. Look for them and follow them around. You gain the benefit of their protection and can learn by watching them play. Likewise, when you eventually die, try to find the best player in the game to spectate so that you can learn from how they play. If you MUST play the lone wolf, try to lure single enemies away from the group for a fair fight, or to ambush/sneak up on them and then escape before the rest of the team surrounds you.
You can also use the terrain to your advantage. If you're being attacked by cavalry, run to an incline where they won't be able to move as well, or to some kind of cover (fence, tree, building, ect) that you can use to hinder their movement. It's easy for them to come too close too fast and catch on something that will make them rear, during which time they will be helpless and immobile. Many horsemen use shields, so if you can, try to get behind him and hit him in the back before he can turn away. If you're being attacked by infantry, try to find a place that can serve as a funnel so that you're only directly fighting 1-2 of them at a time. Stairs and doorways work particularly well for this, and also help put them in a position where they would be vulnerable to a well-placed kick.
Ultimately, the tactics that you use will be largely situational. The important thing is that you're paying attention and actively thinking of ways to improve your abilities. Every time that you die, you should ask yourself “what could I have done to avoid that?” If you got mobbed by a group of enemies, remember to retreat sooner next time. If you got shot by an archer, remember to stay near cover next time. If you got caught in an ambush, remember to proceed more cautiously next time. Ect, ect.
3-man fighting:
It's usually best to try to avoid situations where you will be outnumbered, but sometimes it is unavoidable. When you are outnumbered you not only have to deal more blows to kill the opposition, you'll also have to defend against more. For this reason, you should avoid direct 2(or more)-on-1 fighting at all times. Try to maneuver them so that only one can attack at a time. Backpedal, strafe, outright run if you have to – get them spread out enough that you can have at least a brief 1v1 exchange and help yourself that way.
Also remember that you should never be afraid to change targets. The fight will alternate between 1v1 and 2v1 fighting according to the circumstance, and you need to adjust accordingly. Sometimes you will find yourself backed into a corner, or overtaken by faster enemies, or surrounded by enemy reinforcements. When this happens, it can be very helpful to suddenly change direction and attack the second or third closest enemy. Especially during a lengthy running fight, it's easy to take them by surprise and land a hit before they can react. Not only this, but if you're quick enough it's possible to break through with a few swings and blocks and make it onto open ground again - at which point you can either flee or continue your running fight. As mentioned above, parrying can be effective when outnumbered and you need to increase your damage output for a decisive finish. The double block is also useful here. It's difficult to win what outnumbered, but possible. You may need to block several attacks in a row before finding an opening to retaliate, or tweak your build/gear, or just outright level-up in skill. But it can be done. Try to practice it in smaller, less populated servers where you'll be fighting more reasonable numbers of enemies.
Each fight can be broken down into one or more exchanges. For example: one player attacks, then the other, then the one again, then they break apart and the exchange ends. By using your head to avoid things like getting shot, trampled, mobbed, ect, you can gain the advantage for yourself and minimize unavoidable dangers. With enough skill and strategy you can come out of every exchange unharmed and with your opponent dead or injured. Whenever possible, try to enter the fight with a plan – preferably one tailored to the situation. If you're taken by surprise, try to think on your feet and figure out the best response as you fight. For example: when facing a shielder, try baiting him into a kick. If the enemy is good at blocking, try using feints and holds to slip an attack past his defenses. If you outrange them, use thrusts and wide swings to maintain the distance. Ect, ect.
Each battle can be broken down into a series of fights. If you can exchange blows and fight and come out of it unharmed, it was a successful exchange – even if you didn't kill the enemy. You survived to find easier prey, or a more favorable opportunity. In this way you can win every fight, and every battle. 5 or 50, if you approach the situation correctly you can defeat the enemy. Then, you will really be invincible.
Cavalry:
I will will try to break this section down a little. It's a pretty broad subject, and I have a lot to say about it. My hope is that this section will address the tactics involved in PLAYING cavalry and FIGHTING cavalry – so, either way, take from it whatever helps you.
When playing cavalry, your greatest strength is your speed. In fact, it is your only strength, and you have many weaknesses. However, a skilled player can exploit this one strength to great effect. For example: the speed bonus. This damage bonus can be applied to all of your attacks. When standing still, attacks from horseback will be weaker than attacks from the ground. However, when the speed bonus is applied, you are often able to kill or maim with one full-speed pass. On top of this is the ability to couch. Couching is the secondary mode for lances – sort of like a jousting/guided missile mode - which is only usable during a full gallop. A couched lance attack will kill all but the toughest players in one hit, and cannot be blocked manually. These can be difficult to aim, so if you find yourself missing often, try lancing some trees as you pass so that you can get a sense of the aim and timing. It's also important to note that a couched lance has a shorter range than a thrust, so you should avoid using it in head-on confrontations with other cavalry. Speaking of which – you should try to avoid confronting enemy cavalry in general. In fact, you should go so far as to go running to your teammates, who will be happy to pike them for you. Even if you killed the enemy, it would often be at great risk to yourself, or only after a lengthy chase. Do yourself and your team a favor and find easier prey. If you MUST fight them, try to aim for the horse rather than the rider. The horse's head is closer to you than the rider, and comes into range sooner. Therefore, a strike to the horse's head will land first every time. This is very important in a joust, where timing determines the winner. Because of the speed bonus, one head-on thrust is enough to kill a light horse and send the rider to the ground. Even if you only dehorse him and leave him standing in a field with his lance, you can consider it a victory. As a small note - most heavy horses, at full health, will not be killed by one thrust. You should take extra care when facing them so that the enemy doesn't simply allow his horse to eat the blow in order for him to get a free strike at YOU.
As cavalry, you must pick your battles very carefully. If you try to attack an enemy with a spear or greatsword or other long weapon head-on, you will almost certainly lose. Look for enemies that are unaware of you, or distracted. Hit them, then continue on your way. Don't stop to fight unless you are very skilled, because infantry are more agile and maneuverable than you. If you must stop, maintain a safe distance or circle the enemy while you wait for an opening. This is especially effective if they are fighting one of your teammates. Even if you never attack, circling the fight with your weapon chambered forces them to divide their attention. Cavalry also have the ability to 'bump,' or trample players and knock them to the ground. This deals a small amount of damage based on your speed, charge stat, and the enemy's armor. More importantly, it also leaves them vulnerable. Try to bump fleeing enemies or those that are mid-battle, in order to allow your teammates to easily score a killing blow – just take care that you don't bump teammates and do the enemy the same service.
Now, on to your weaknesses. A horse is a very large target – literally. Not only do archers love to shoot at cavalry, it's also very easy for them. A single archer can deny you a whole area of the map. If you ride within range, he will shoot at you, and as little as one or two arrows can kill a light horse. Also, as mentioned above, spearmen and other players with long weapons can deny you access to smaller (albeit more solidly defended) areas. For this reason it's typically best to avoid archers and spearmen, or to only approach when they are distracted or unaware. When being fired upon, zig-zag away in an unpredictable pattern, and show him your ass so as to present a smaller profile. Horses have very little health, and the speed bonus also applies to enemy attacks. All it takes is one hit, or a few lucky arrows to take them down. This is important to remember as cavalry, because being dehorsed leaves you downed and vulnerable for several moments. If you recklessly ride into a group of enemies, it's very likely that you'll be dehorsed and killed before you can stand back up. Likewise, even a lone swordsman or spearman can outrange your lance and stab your horse right in the face. Pick your battles! In the same vein, it's not always wise to rush in at the start of the round. Because of your greater speed, you can make it to the enemy well ahead of the rest of your team. Some players like to circle around for an early surprise attack – and it sometimes works. However, you must remember there are no teammates around to support you or distract them, so the element of danger is greater. Many enemies are aware of these surprise attacks, so be careful. If you find yourself dying early and often, start the round by finding a nice vantage from which to observe how the battle plays out. You may soon find a safer, more opportune time to flank.
P.S. Press [Q][Q][F] in-game to whistle. Whistling has a range of 40-50 meters, and calls the closest horse within it. Very useful for quick and dramatic escapes.
Disguises:
For only a small reduction is armor, you can gain the element of surprise.
Many of you skilled and experienced players have a favorite outfit (often composed of heirloomed items) which fits your preferences and play style and is easily recognizable. If you become well-known enough as a skilled player, you may even begin to develop an aura that instills fear in the hearts of your enemies and causes them to panic or flee when facing you. However, you will also become a target. People will want the glory of killing you, or to assassinate you and weaken your team. Your face will stand out in the crowd. Archers will try to shoot you, cavalry will try to trample you, infantry will try to mob you - and they will often succeed.
For this reason, it can be beneficial to disguise yourself with unfamiliar armor and weapons. This is a very underutilized tactic. By wearing a disguise, you can blend into the crowd and take the enemy by surprise. However, as stated above, you be forced to use normal, non-heirloomed items. You can wear a slightly heavier outfit with the same armor rating, and take a slight reduction in speed. You can wear an outfit that weighs the same but has slightly less armor. You can also wear something lighter and rake in gold while moving at lightning speed. In fact, your selection runs the gamut of normal armor, which is actually pretty good (gasp!). It's even fun, in my opinion. Don your peasant disguise and enemies will approach you carelessly, eager to score an easy kill, only to find that you are much stronger, faster, and more skilled than they expect. Of course, this is just one example of an effective disguise. Most kinds of arms and armor will work, as long as they make you appear unremarkable. Naturally, helmets that cover the face are ideal, and for best results you should switch up your disguise once every few rounds to keep the enemy guessing. You can also try camouflaging yourself if you're the sneaky type, however the utility of this is debatable. Look for clothing and armor that match the color scheme of the map and help you blend in with the environment. It's no ghille suit, but it may help a little when you're hiding in a bush or darting from building to building.
to be continued
