Stupid Stealth Question

[TwoBits]

I'm hoping for a quick answer - can enemy scouts/spies detect stealthy units, with a "hide" order (including stealth units under their command), in your own territory?

I'm just thinking about the ability to mass stealthy units (I know, most of them suck, but not all) undetected on a neighbor's border, either to spring a trap if you suspect an invasion, or if you wish to pull a surprise attack of your own (and violate that NAP in a major way http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif).

Is that feasible? Are there other ways for an enemy to 'indirectly' detect hidden stealth units in your own territory (something to do with supply, perhaps?)?

[lch]

Nope. You'll have to rely on your PD or units which are patrolling to detect stealthy units, otherwise stealth would be pretty useless.

[johnarryn]

Yes, this is a feasible strategy. Before the patch I would mass tons of EA Ulm Steel Maidens and Warriors Maidens on an enemies border and declare my intention to attack... the next turn I could strike without the enemy having any indication of my numbers or where i was going to attack.. and since your guys are hiding in your own territory, they have no way to detect your troops.

[TwoBits]

Thanks, johnarryn! You said, "Before the patch..." though. Has something changed since then?

Ulm was definitely one of those nations with decent stealth units that I was thinking of. Very good for pulling a surprise, either on offense or defense.

[Gandalf Parker]

It can also be handy if you can position a stealth army on the far side of his territory. Draw his armies one direction, and then hit him hard on the other side.

Sometimes you can slip a stealth army into his interior. Often only the capital has high PD. Stop next to his capital and at the best moment attack it. Recruit mercs there, set the taxes at 200%, pillage, blood hunt, anything to drive the unrest over 100. That way even if he gets it back he still cant recruit for awhile. You might not be able to hold that province but the loss of funds and the time it takes to get you out can cost him the game.

Guerrila Warfare works well also. Armies that take a province then fade out to show up 3 or 4 provinces away and take another. Setting the PD high, recruiting locals, taxing heavily, etc can make it a real thorn in the other guys territory. Maybe even hold it long enough to get a castle built.

[TwoBits]

The folks I play with tend to favor high PD, so raiding with a stealth army is very risky, unless you have outstanding stealth troops (some kind of glamour boys, probably).

I'm just trying to think of ways to use stealth while in your own territory. So is it confirmed then, that there is no way for an enemy to detect your stealth units, as long as they are hidden in your own lands?

[Jazzepi]

I'm not sure, but I think Eyes of God might detect them if the person had domininon in your lands.

Jazzepi

[johnarryn]

I said "before the patch" because the patch removed stealth from the Warrior Maidens (archers)... not exactly sure why, I hadn't heard anyone complaining about how EA Ulm was overpowered, but regardless it was done.

[Sombre]

Probably because the female troops were that much better than the male troops, leading to people playing the conan based EA Ulm as a kind of weird amazon nation.

[lch]

And what's wrong with that!? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[johnarryn]

Ich has a point. Also, i dont think taking stealth away from the Warrior Maidens is going to stop anyone from using them, or make anyone use more of the male troops.

[Edi]

That's true. The male warriors need a boost of 2 to attack, minimum. Possibly also 1 more point of ambidexterity, though that is thematically more problematic, seeing as how assassins only have adex 2.

[MaxWilson]

Is there a thematic problem with warriors being more skilled than assassins at certain aspects of fighting? Sure, assassins are better at sneaking and locating targets and casing the joint and maybe brewing poisons, but as long as we don't assume ambidexterity includes non-weapon-related tasks like writing with either hand I think Conan types can plausibly be just as ambidextrous as spy-types.

Of course it doesn't actually matter unless you Gift of Reason them and start swapping weapons.

-Max

[Edi]

True that.