Why can't axemen clear Forest/Jungle ?

[WarKirby]

This is just a thought that's come to mind. Axemen have.... axes. A powerful and heavy edged weapon, good enough for cutting down trees.

I'm thinking it would be nice to give axemen (but not swordsmen) the ability to cut down forest, and possibly jungle, in the tile. Maybe they could do it at a slower rate than workers.

It would be mostly just a little thing for flavor, although it could have some tactical implications. Most notably, if the enemy is coming at you in the wearly game and you haven't developed much yet, you could use your axemen to hurriedly cut down forest tiles adjacent to cities, so they can't be used against you. Axemen being pretty much impervious to random attacks from wild animals and most barbarians.

 

[popejubal]

For the same reason why the Army Corps of Engineers doesn't run our country's trains. Just because they have something that looks or sounds similar doesn't mean that they do the same job.

Axemen carry a war axe. That's a lot different than the one used to clear forests. You can take down a tree with a butterknife too. It's just a lot more work than with the right tools.

 

[Guale]

A battleaxe is not well suited to cutting down a tree. It is specially deisgned to cut a human in half, slicing through metal and flesh which is very different from wood. A tree cutting axe has a heavier head and more weight on the back end of it than the front. A battleaxe is much much more balanced throughout.

 

[Lade]

As the guy above me pointed out, they are designed for killing, not chopping down wood, if you used a battleaxe to cut down trees it would dull very quickly

 

[kumquatelvis]

Also, I believe letting axe men chop down trees does something weird to the AI which was why that option was removed (it used to be possible, long ago).

 

[WarKirby]

Something wierd?

Do elaborate

 

[kenken244]

Well, first off axemen never could chop forests, (at least not since I started playing in mid-Light) but it was a problem with the AI not knowing what to do with units that could build improvements but not roads. There used to be hunters that could build camps and dwarven UUs that could build mines and forts.

 

[Kyroshill]

How does the AI hook up mana? Do workers do it or mage and adepts?

 

[Kael]

Something wierd?

Do elaborate

The AI has problems with units that can perform build actions and be used for combat. It causes CtD's and hangs.

Though many people give good reasons in this thread, the most important one in my mind is just that Axemen don't need a boost. They are plenty good as they are.

 

[OzzyKP]

Plus it would mess up the axmen vs. swordsmen flavor differences.

 

[Demus]

just give swordsmen the ability to prepare fish, and you're set .

 

[JFSebastian]

just give swordsmen the ability to prepare fish, and you're set .

Benihana style?

How does the AI hook up mana? Do workers do it or mage and adepts?

I seem to recall seeing workers doing it for the AI, but that was a while back. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Blackmantle]

Well, first off axemen never could chop forests, (at least not since I started playing in mid-Light) but it was a problem with the AI not knowing what to do with units that could build improvements but not roads. There used to be hunters that could build camps and dwarven UUs that could build mines and forts.

Well, that's wrong to a certain extent since Orc Axemen could just do that (and I'm certain of that beyond doubt.). Simmilar to the dwarven units you described and Forts... But it was axed (pun intended of course ) shortly after it was introduced (wasn't it during late phases of fire? I'm a tad bit uncertain about the timeframe...).
The reasons have been mentioned here by you, Kael and others here...

 

[Kyroshill]

I seem to recall seeing workers doing it for the AI, but that was a while back. Can anyone confirm?

I always see things like 7 AI workers all happily working on the same raw node.... except when I mouse over, it says that each worker is building a different node (Nature, Body, Air, etc) .... WTH?

Just seems based on Kael's response that it must be workers that hook up AI mana.....

Weird!

 

[Kael]

I seem to recall seeing workers doing it for the AI, but that was a while back. Can anyone confirm?

For the AI workers hook up mana (and upgrade raw mana into the mana types) for exactly the reasons stated above.

 

[smusebaer]

Axeman can chop down treeants... thats enough for me..but it would be great if killing treeants could give prod. bonus like chopping down woods...

 

[smusebaer]

Axeman can chop down treeants... thats enough for me..but it would be great if killing treeants could give prod. bonus like chopping down woods...

 

[Grantor]

First, you are assuming that there are equivilant numbers of people in an axeman unit as there are in a worker unit, which is probably not the case.

Second, clearing a forest is a lot more work than just cutting down the trees.

• Cut down trees
• Transport wood to nearest city
• Remove all of the stumps
• Stabalize hillsides and slopes that once were tree covered
• Clear the forest underbrush

What axeman would be able to spend months doing this and maintain his training in warfare?

Things axemen do when not attacking nearby units

• Train in warfare
• Post sentries to warn when enemy units are nearby
• Set-up and take down camps
• Maintain existing armor and weapons
• Protect supply lines from the nearest city

 

[Thunder_Gr]

First, you are assuming that there are equivilant numbers of people in an axeman unit as there are in a worker unit, which is probably not the case.

Yes, Axemen are propably more!(Remember the worker graphics show 2 people, Axeman graphics 3)

Second, clearing a forest is a lot more work than just cutting down the trees.

• Cut down trees
• Transport wood to nearest city
• Remove all of the stumps
• Stabalize hillsides and slopes that once were tree covered
• Clear the forest underbrush

What axeman would be able to spend months doing this and maintain his training in warfare?

Things axemen do when not attacking nearby units

• Train in warfare
• Post sentries to warn when enemy units are nearby
• Set-up and take down camps
• Maintain existing armor and weapons
• Protect supply lines from the nearest city

Well, I guess you miss the fact that even modern armies are used to do clearing and rescue work, and even so, they maintain their combat readibility?

 

[Deon]

What's the point in arguing when the main arguments were set?