With AoE II DE “The Viking Sagas” introducing more advanced mechanics such as the Hearth Troop’s opening javelin attack followed by melee combat, could older thrown-weapon units receive a similar treatment?
Instead of unlimited weapons, give them a small number of very powerful ranged attacks, then automatically switch them to melee:
• Elite Throwing Axeman — 2 axes
• Elite Mameluke — 5 scimitars
• Elite Gbeto — 4 throwing weapons
• Elite Chakram Thrower — 5 chakrams
• Elite Genitour — 4 javelins
• Elite Jarl — 3 axes
The limited volleys should be more lethal than their current attacks to compensate. After exhausting them, the units would fight in melee.
This would preserve their iconic identity while making them more believable and adding a new tactical decision: when to use the limited but deadly volleys.
The Hearth Troop already shows how well ranged-to-melee combat can work in AoE II DE. We would love to see this concept expanded to older and future units.
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All ranged units in the game have had unlimited ammo since the release. I don’t think such a significant change would be healthy.
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I see your point, but we’ve already seen this kind of mechanic introduced in the new DLC. I think it could open up some amazing opportunities for the franchise
It’s hard to balance though (see Fire Lancers). If more Melee units with occasional ranged attack are added to the game, they need to be made one at a time, not half a dozen at once.
I also don’t think existing units should be changed so drastically.
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Chakram is not a melee weapon,you cant use it effectively to fight hand to hand.
On the overall idea a hard no as it just over complicates things.
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The issue with this design is that units with that would be absurdly snowbally. If the ranged attack does not too much damage (which I guess the new javelines will, then it can be an interesting addition for a unit, especially slower infantry could become more resiliant against ranged units, but then the mutlicharge should be specialised with bonus damage)
I think how it is currently handled with one (not too massive charge [see how coustilliers had to be nerfed]) or infinite ammunition is juet better for balance. In general charges carry that snowball potential with them, that’s why I was against it when it first came up with the coustlillier.
Now as we have this mechanic ofc there is the potential to add it to some units, but we should be very selctive on which units. Units that can be made from standard buildings like the fire lancer are way more problematic than castle UUs.
(adding such an effect as a UT could be an idea though, maybe the varangians UT ?)
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Throwing knives and throwing daggers are designed deliberately for throwing. They’re very unwieldy in melee combat because they are designed for a more aerodynamic missile support use
I suppose the Skirmisher needs to thrust his spears in melee too?
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Your numbers are an extremely low cap and wouldn’t justify the inferior damage of chakrams (who are pretty bad already), axemen or a core skirmisher like genitour who absolutely needs range to do its job. For Mameluke and Gbeto might be fair but i’d still give them enough to kill at least 2 units they are supposed to deal with normally. I don’t think allowing those units to deal more damage would be a viable solution, burst damage doesn’t fit AoE mechanics in general and/or it will be nerfed because clearing half enemy army before it can work properly doesn’t seem proper in a strategy game imo.
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