Please balance the AoE attacks

[TacticalMaster]

It could only be me being temperamental about this, whether it should be a feature or whatever how you describe it, but I should suggest a "balance" gameplay.

Please balance out the AoE damage dealing.

LOWDOWN
The reason I am suggesting this is because I get like 2-3 Beak Things as I travel throughout the Vain jungles. And even if I have a platoon of 15 units, at least half of them will go injured. All because of the "AoE effect". And most of them aren't even blocking whenever the AoE effect applied. The blocking unit will block the attack, but what about other units around it? No matter how high their defense rating is, they will never block the AoE...

And AoE effects...are unblockable. I don't know whether it's supposed to balance "solo vs group fighting," but it's frustrating to me whenever I get Beak Things (plus Gorillos) every 15 seconds prior to engaging.

SUGGESTION
So what I'm suggesting is that we need the AoE attack, if possible, to ONLY apply if it does in fact hit the target. Thus, sending out the AoE affect to the receiver taking damage and spread around it and applying to others within proximity inside the AoE circle around the receiver in its given radius. If the attack is blocked, well, it does nothing. AoE must not apply to that.

Or, if the "Talents and Special Skills" system is applied to the game, them maybe we could give the unit the ability that allows them to go into a blocking stance whenever there's an imminent AoE effect coming towards them.

Or. just get to work on the dodging skill. Maybe that could help in reducing the AoE frustration if the imminent AoE effect receiver is about to get AoE. Negating the damage by jumping back out of the way. That'd might help.

LAST COMMENTS
So, I written all of this just for the opinion and thoughts about this "AoE system". But please balance out the AoE effects. It's hard on me whenever I get more random animal encounters every few seconds and half my units only end up getting hurt because of the AoE effects.

[Zeal]

Well this is odd... The non-blocking of aoe hits from things like beakthings was a major issue I complained about myself a year ago, but I've recently fought beakthings, surrounding one of them with 8 units, and i was thrilled to see that every one of them in front of the beak thing did in fact raise their weapon to block the attack, and all of them in fact succeeded in doing so, not just the one being directly attacked.

Suffice to say it's a bit odd seeing this, because I was certain this was already addressed.
What build are you running?

[TacticalMaster]

I suggested this in build 0.93.1 [Experimental].

[Berzerker Jay]

I wonder if it's maybe only an issue if the characters aren't targeting the attacking Beak Thing (or Gutter? I thought they were being called Gutters now, or maybe a joke flew over my head?) as I think I've seen both happening. I also can't think of times my AoE hasn't landed on bandits and the like surrounding my target, but I haven't consciously tested this.

[swillo]

it you get a block up you can block beak thing attacks. one on one I have little trouble blocking, it's when you have a group and the attack targets someone else that I see most of the AOE damage done. Often the one targeted doesn't get hit but everyone around them does. Same happens with bandits and others. One character blocks an attack but the others in the "splash zone" don't. They get hit but the target doesn't.

As long as it works both ways, and it does, I'm good with it.

[Smiley]

Haha yeah those inquisitor squads can easely rape 60 weaker soldiers.

how do i know i have like a 100 characters while running em between villages i use 1 big group.

honestly most of the new guys just get 1-2 shotted by em. my stronger more capable soldiers kill em off though but still. SInce there are no formations in the game and micromanaging combat is time consuming
i often get a red nr spam while running with 40 people bodygaurding 1 guy just becos they are all stacked together.

Formations/ spreading out in combat would definatly reduce this but also instead of just rushing towards the first enemy they see if u attack or they rushing towards ur stack with noone of ur team automaticaly responding to hostiles (negative faction standing) would help.

Well its easier manageble with a small squad but for the future. A bit more ai intelligence would be nice. Cos if theres 1 enemy left its like my 35 people standing in a circle swords drwans towards the enemy

[Mattk50]

I think the issue with AOE right now is that characters fight closer together than they used in, In the older kenshi days fights got way more spread out more easily so the effects of aoe were minimized, but now different formation code is in and the aoes get way further than the actual weapon models do. It should probabaly be tuned a bit.