How to use Pangea songs?

Beorne · #1 December 14th, 2006, 06:36 AM

I'm a player of EA Pangea. I'm trying to use the powerful nature 1 songs but I'm not able to cast them. I see that they have a range 0 and aoe of 15. But even if I put my caster very near (2 or 3 squares) to the front line he can't cast them.
What does this mean, the only way to cast the songs is to be first line and soon completely sutrrounded by the enemy and die heroically?
Or be flying rear the enemy lines, cast it and retreat (Pan has not good flying casters ... no one apart a strong hero and empower a harpy scout seems bit too costly).
Or I am missing something? Someone ever cast some song?

calmon · #2 December 14th, 2006, 09:32 AM

I tested one dryad in fronline and some satyrs as guards for him. The dryad start to use the songs when the enemies are on the frontline attacking the guards.

Maybe a little late but at least the spells work (tune of Fear and growth active seen)

Beorne · #3 December 14th, 2006, 10:07 AM

Ok, I wasn't in doubt if it is bugged or not, I'd like to know how to use them effectively ...

Actuarian · #4 December 14th, 2006, 11:57 AM

They sound great but don't seem to be particulary useful spells.

Twice, early in a game, I put the caster in the front row, set my melee troops to hold and attack, and scripted the caster to cast flying shards for a couple of turns and then cast one of the 3 spell songs. Both times the AI overrode the script and kept casting shards even though the enemy troops were definately in range.

I really wanted to see how the spell worked, so I attacked a province with no archers(I also had no archers), and set my troops to guard commander. The AI still overrode the script and kept casting shards.

calmon · #5 December 14th, 2006, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Actuarian said:
I really wanted to see how the spell worked, so I attacked a province with no archers(I also had no archers), and set my troops to guard commander. The AI still overrode the script and kept casting shards.

Like i wrote i tried the same and to me it works fine. Do you fight special opponents like undead? Try normal independents even with archers.

Actuarian · #6 December 14th, 2006, 12:32 PM

I was fighting some barbarians with my army of hoplites. That seems about as plain as you can get.

Actuarian · #7 December 15th, 2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Actuarian said:
They sound great but don't seem to be particulary useful spells.

Twice, early in a game, I put the caster in the front row, set my melee troops to hold and attack, and scripted the caster to cast flying shards for a couple of turns and then cast one of the 3 spell songs. Both times the AI overrode the script and kept casting shards even though the enemy troops were definately in range.

I really wanted to see how the spell worked, so I attacked a province with no archers(I also had no archers), and set my troops to guard commander. The AI still overrode the script and kept casting shards.

The first two times I had the troops scripted for hold and attack. The caster was scripted for shards, shards, attack, tune of death, tune of fear.

The third time turns out to be a case of user error

The spellcaster was in the default position on the battlefield and not on the front row.

Still, it seemed like in all three cases (definately the first two) the enemy troops were within range 15 by the time the song spells were scripted to kick in.

Arralen · #8 December 15th, 2006, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Actuarian said:
Still, it seemed like in all three cases (definately the first two) the enemy troops were within range 15 by the time the song spells were scripted to kick in.

ha!

The error is (nearly) always in front of the computer

The songs have range of "0" squares, but 15 areas of effect.

This means the effect hits 15 areas around the caster - what is very unlikely to include one 15 squares away.
How the distribution is calculated is not fully known AFAIK, but I would guess it works similar to a 15-area fear or cold aura effect, but only temporary. There's some information about the working of (fear) auras by one of the devs which sheds some light on the distribution of effects, but I wasn't able to dig it up again.

However, you can safely assume the songs have a 'effective' range of 1-3 squares.

PS: use Pans to cast those spell songs ..

Dedas · #9 August 27th, 2008, 05:07 AM

Songs are not crap at all, you just have to use several singers at the same time. The fatigue song for example is utterly devastating if sung by 2-3 dryads at the same time. I've taken dowen SC's that way.

Beorne · #10 August 27th, 2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dedas

Songs are not crap at all, you just have to use several singers at the same time. The fatigue song for example is utterly devastating if sung by 2-3 dryads at the same time. I've taken dowen SC's that way.

But how to effectively usew them in a normal battle? With flying units?