Skill Analysis - Infantry

Infantry skills


EDIT: added the defensive aspect of roar boths at the top and in the analysis

I will always assume a level 4 skill.



I group skills in different classes, cause it makes it later easier for me in evaluation

- Killing Skill (increasing damage you deal)

-- "always" with a certain chance

-- in special situations

- Survival Skill (reducing damage you receive)

-- while attacking

-- while defending

- others





Infantry Commander

Increases damage in 20% of all cases. Let's simplyfy and assume we can only hit twice. That would mean we double our damage in 20% of all cases.

Effective damage increase: 20%

Skill group: Killing Skill / "always" with a certain chance

Pro: 20% effective damage increase, can hit different units

Contra: each time you also receive damage



Roar

Increases damage in 20% of all cases if damage is high. Let's simplify and assume we have a Laurel Crown. That would mean we increase damage by 50% in 20% of all cases.

Effective damage increase: 10%

Skill group: Killing Skill / "always" with a certain chance

Pro: 10% effective damage increase, you have a higher chance of a killing blow, also works when being attacked

Contra: you will need a moral item



Shield Wall

Reduces damage received by 50% in 24% in defending situations

Skill group: Survival Skill / while defending

Pro: when you are "surrounded" by enemies

Contra: "just" 50% reduction



Ambush

Reduces damage received by 100% in 25% in attacking situations

Skill group: Survival Skill / while attacking

Pro: 100% reduction

Contra: only once per round (except you have infantry commander=



Let's compare a few common units for the next skill analysis

2 stack Legionary --> 58 to 77 damage --> average 67,5 damage

4 stack Legionary --> 72 to 94 damage --> average 83 damage

2 stack Swordsmen --> 44 to 62 damage --> average 53 damage

3 stack Swordsmen --> 48 to 67 damage --> average 57,5 damage



Tunnel

Increases damage against city defenders by 20 flat.

Depending on unit type 20% to 35% damage increase

Pro: damage increase higher than Roar and Infantry Commander

Contra: limited to attacking cities



Intercept

Increases damage against archers by 20 flat

Depending on unit type 20% to 35% damage increase

Effective damage increase (assuming 25% of all enemy units are archers): 5 to 10%



Formation

80% Chance of ignoring fortifications (they reduce damage by 10%)

Effective damage increase (if you encounter a fortification) 8%

Pro: 8% in special situations

Contra: seldom useful





Skill comparison



Ambush vs. Shield wall

Very similar. Ambush is probably slightly better in conquests and campaigns, as you try to avoid defending situations. You can place your genereal where you want. Shield Wall is better in decisive battles, as the AI moves them often into the middle of the enemies.



Infantry Commander vs. Roar

Infantry Commander is double as effective to Roar and needs no item to be reliable, and I just assumed a chance of a second attack. Clearly better than Roar in conquests and campaigns. In decisive battle things are the other way round. It's sometimes important not to receive not too much damage so your generals reach the next stage. And Roar can strike back any time when being attacked. Conclusion: with a moral item like Laurel Crown Roar is better in decisive battles. Without Infantry Commander is still better



Tunnel:

More important to a city killer than Roar and probably Infantry Commander. Otherwise useless.



Intercept

#4 in damage increasing skills for infantry



Formation

ignore this skill