Answered Light Melee troops wiped - despite light melee monument in place

[SunshineFantasia]

My light melee monument doesn't seem to give ~75% extra attack value. Auto-fighting in the spire, I tried twice -both my barracks light melee and the training ground melee hounds were almost wiped out on the first attack. Doesn't happen when I increase the light ranged unit 50% increase or the mage multiplier. Just the light melee despite it showing increased attack 75% and having more than enough troops to outdo the other side. I have got to the top the tower several weeks running, using one or two troops only for each attack, now the extra oopmh isn't working for the melee troops. They are almost decimated on the first wave.

I had the same thing happen, when I gained a Dwarven armourer - it didn't seem to give any extra power to my troops.


Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[kurgkurg]

Light melee is very terrain-sensitive because they need direct contact for attacking. There is possibility that their movement is impeded and even weaker enemies can destroy them with a better-range attack if your LM can't hit. Still, they are good to use in some fights, but if terrain is bad, then they can't be used in this fight.

 

[m4rt1n]

Check that the enemy troops are suitable to use light melee against, heavy ranged and heavy melee will destroy light melee units, also terrain can be an issue, hidden from view on the app and in autofight.

This page may explain a little more https://en.wiki.elvenar.com/index.php?title=Battle

I have requested many times that a terrain "pop up" or similar be available in the app and on autofight PC when selecting troops for battle.

 

[SunshineFantasia]

Thanks but I'm not fighting battles on the field (thus terrain is irrelevant) and I'm fully aware of the combat pentagon, but it's effectively useless when using auto-fight in the spire. When I first started fighting in the spire, I used the pentagon, but found that trying to work out the troops required was a lost cause, for auto-fighting in the Spire, not on the field - I gave up for quite a while, because the pentagon only works for those who fight manually on the field. Then I read a lot of threads and watched a lot of online videos from players and found the best strategy for 'fighting without knowing how to fight'. 90% effective and 10% negotiation is a price worth paying.

I don't play on an app and how can they be hidden on auto-fight, you click auto and win or lose.

As I mentioned, the strategy which I have found most usefu against the AI, is using one single troop x 5, or 2 troops to cover depending on the opposition. As also mentioned, it has been successful in getting to the top of the tower for months, with minimal negotiation required. Having the extra 50% for light range or heavy range, or mage has been successful no matter what the oppostion, the strategy keeps my troops above the necessary units required for second level (or third level attack). I use the same strategy for the first 8 battles of the tournament and haven't lost a battle yet.

However, the light melee 75%+ extra attack does not work, it does not give any advantage and my troops are wiped out in the first auto-battle - when they shouldn't be, even against fewer numbers of the right opposition for light melee - any of them (tried them all in successsion) then decided this particular one is like it works against my troops, not for them.

I am also using the mage multiplier and heavy ranged power-up, with the same strategy - thpse are working as expected, reducing casualties to minimal.

It was the same with the dwarven armour that I gained when I upped a level to Embassies, it didn't work - it didn't protect the troops and I wondered what the heck it was for.

I just want to know why one particular boost for attack doesn't work at it should, when all the others over the past months have been effective. This is the first time I've used this one, usually I stick with light range, heavy melee or heavy ranged 50%+ attack, but the MA decided not to gift me one this week, instead I got stuck with 75% of nothing.

 

[SkyRider99]

Thanks but I'm not fighting battles on the field (thus terrain is irrelevant)

It is my understanding that there is always terrain present, whether auto-fighting or manual. Just 'cos you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.

when I upped a level to Embassies

Difficulty levels and costs increase as you progress through Research and upgrade your city. There is a formula that calculates a player's City Advancement Level (CAL) :

https://minmaxgame.com/city-advancement-level-model-2020/

There may be other factors affecting your Light Melee troops effectiveness. I have found that Light Melee are cannon fodder, unless fighting mostly Light Range archers, or occasionally Mages.

 

[BlueBlou]

Very few occasions where a whole field of light melee will win in the spire.. Mostly the dogs for me. As one can’t revisit the same combination if you won, difficult to say at times what would have worked better. Going light range might work better even in cases where you would think light melee should do it. A friend of mine used to say that there are basically two choices, blossom mages or ranger. Worked for him, but not true all the time for me.

 

[MinervaOz]

As @SkyRider99 says, terrain is always present and always matters - it's just that you can't check it without going into a manual fight, which you can't do on the app. (We've asked for it to be displayed on the main fight screen many times). If you lose a fight you would normally expect to win, it's almost always due to unfavourable terrain.

Difficulty of individual battles in the Spire and tournament is not affected by city progression (it's cost that increases). (Except when progressing to Orcs, as that's when 3-star enemy troops are encountered in the Spire.)

I agree with everything else that's been said about light melee troops and add: boosting their attack is of limited value because they have low initiative - they move after most enemy troops, so will take a hit even from troops they can easily defeat. (Barracks LM also move slowly - they can be wiped out before they even reach the enemy. If autofighting I would only use dogs, maybe with one or two drone riders if there's several LR in the enemy mix.) You need defence boosts to limit the damage. The reason mage and LR boosts work so well is that those troops move early and can do a lot of damage before they're attacked.

 

[SkyRider99]

because they have low initiative

Motivationally challenged?

 

[Jake65]

Motivationally challenged?

They'd make excellent government employees
(apologies to any forum members who happen to work for a government, I meant all the other employees, not you )