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| Thread: [HoMM2] Extra movement during vertical attacks | |
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Ritzilopochtli
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 03, 2025 06:57 PM |
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[HoMM2] Extra movement during vertical attacks
Hi everyone,
In this thread I would like to share with you an incredibly interesting bug in HoMM 2 combat pathfinding described in an article by user AlexSPl which was published on an excellent Russian fan site dedicated to H1-H2 - HandBookHMM.ru (https://handbookhmm.ru). Link to the article itself: https://handbookhmm.ru/sekretyi-vertikalnoy-ataki.html
In short, under certain circumstances - when only one hex of a 2-hex stack is reachable by the attacking unit - a player can order a normally impossible attack from the top down on the large creature, which will allow the attacker to travel a distance which is up to double its speed or even move and then make a ranged attack when blocked by enemy melee in one round.
I couldn't find anything remotely similar covering this topic in the English internet, so, being a native Russian speaker myself, I decided to translate the article from Russian.
Translator's notes:
1. All images and save files are taken directly from the original article. Save files were originally from a Russian localization, but work in an English GOG copy and reproduce the same results. Please note that save files (if you choose to replicate the results yourself) should be loaded through Multiplayer > Hot seat > 2 players > Original map.
2. Originally save files were named C1, C2, C3; I renamed files for convenience; otherwise they are intact; you can download them from there: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/ihv7edggLCC2WA
3. I rearranged the text and images a bit otherwise kept the original structure.
4. A few of my own notes to the original text are notated as such: TN:.
5. Given that this post is already pretty large, I'll post the translation in several separate posts as they need to include pictures as well (and I'll need to quickly fix them if formatting goes wrong).
Below is the translation of the original article
Secrets of a vertical attack, or how to increase the unit's speed without magic
Introduction
In this article we'll talk about vertical attacks in Heroes of Might and Magic 2 conducted against units taking up 2 hexes on the battlefield. We'll define a 'vertical attack' as a melee attack conducted by a unit against another unit when the cursor takes a form of a vertical sword.
We'll distinguish between a top and bottom vertical attacks. A cursor corresponding to a top vertical attack looks like a sword pointing down, and in case of a bottom vertical attack it looks like a sword pointing up.
Units taking up 1 hex on the battlefield can also be attacked vertically - this attack is only available to 2-hex units - but this case isn't particularly interesting as it doesn't have a surprising behavior.
Vertical attacks can be conducted against any hex of a 2-hex unit: if you move a vertical sword cursor left and right, you can see that the left and right hexes of the targeted 2-hex unit are highlighted in turn. When the attacker is a 1-hex unit it doesn't matter which hex - left or right - is chosen for the attack, so we'll not make a distinction between a vertical attack on the left and right hex, and just call it a 'vertical attack' in Part 1 of this article.
However, when the attacker is a 2-hex unit, there are certain differences between a left and right vertical attack, that will be covered in Part 2 of this article.
Part 1. 1-hex units vs 2-hex units
It's evident that a vertical attack can be conducted when at least one middle hexą of the targeted unit is unoccupied, and the attacker has enough speed to reach this hex before the attack.
ąTN: here 'middle hex' means the middle hex in the row above or below the 2-hex unit which borders both its left and right hexes
However as practice shows, a vertical attack can be conducted under less obvious circumstances, and might not even end up with the attack from the middle hex!
The following three rules encompass all possible cases when a vertical attack can be conducted.
1. If both middle hexes of the targeted unit are within reach of the attacker, then a vertical attack can be conducted from either of them. In other words, both a top and bottom vertical attack are possible.
2. If only one middle hex of the targeted unit is within reach of the attacker, then a vertical attack can be conducted only from the hex within reach. In other words, only a top or bottom vertical attack is possible.
And finally, the most interesting rule.
3. If within reach of the attacker lies only one hex of the targeted unit, then it becomes possible to conduct a top vertical attack on the hex which is out of reach of the attacker. In this case a vertical attacks becomes possible even if the top middle hex is occupied. Moreover, such an attack doesn't necessarily ends with a strike from the top middle hex!
1st rule is self-explanatory and doesn't require any commentary. The following screenshots illustrate two other rules.
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In this case the top vertical attack is unavailable according to the 2nd rule: the wolves' top middle hex is out of reach of the minotaurs, while the bottom middle hex is available for an attack. Therefore, only a bottom vertical attack is possible there. But just as the bottom middle hex is occupied by any unit˛, the top vertical attack becomes possible according to the 3rd rule.
˛TN: Put, for example, any of single-unit goblin stacks in the bottom middle hex. Then order the minotaurs a top vertical attack on the wolves - they'll move 5 hexes (despite their speed being 4) reaching the penultimate dotted hex and attacking from there.
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Here the wolves' right hex is out of reach of the minotaurs, so according to the 3rd rule, they can conduct a top vertical attack on it. However in order to get to the top middle hex the minotaurs should take the red-dotted route. Reaching the hex marked by an X, the minotaurs loose all movement pointsł but get to continue walking since the chosen attack route isn't finished yet.
łTN: here movement points are maximum amount of hexes a creature can make according to its speed value
As a result, the minotaurs end their turn with the automatic attack on the wolves walking 8 hexes in the end! Not a shabby 'Haste', and without the spellbook too! 
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A few questions arise.
1. What if the attacker spends all his movement points without reaching the target in the second run? Will it get a third run?
2. What is the longest distance a unit can walk during this 'forced march'?
3. Can there occur a situation when the attacker will endlessly wander the battlefield because it can't finish the vertical attack?
Fortunately, the maximum distance of the forced march is limited to double the amount of the unit's movement points. Having spent all MPs the unit stops, and - if it doesn't trigger positive morale - the turn is passed to the next unit in turn order.
In this screenshot you can see an example of the maximum distance of the forced march which doesn't end with an attack. The minotaurs stop on the hex marked with a second X.
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Ritzilopochtli
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 03, 2025 07:11 PM |
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Cases of vertical attacks by ranged units
The distinct feature of the ranged units conducting a vertical attack is that they can walk away and conduct an automatic ranged attack if on the way to the middle hex they stop on the hex which doesn't border any enemy unit.
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Here the elves can attack the wolves from three different directions, two of which are obvious: from the hex they are standing on and from the unoccupied hex one row above. You can notice that the wolves' right hex is unavailable for the attack... or is it?
Turns out that in this scenario there is the third attack direction shown by the red arrow. If you pick this one, you can see elves start coming down the way which leads around obstacles to the wolves' top middle hex, then they stop when their MPs end, and make a shot since the hex they are standing on isn't blocked by enemy.
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In this scenario, on their way to the wolves' top middle hex, the elves stop on the hex blocked by a goblin, so they can't conduct a ranged attack. Because the attack must be carried out, the game is again looking for a suitable hex to attack from, and so the elves get a 'second wind' returning to the original position and conducting a melee attack. It looks pretty funny.
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Similarly to scenario #2, the elves end their run on the hex blocked by goblins but instead they continue going up as they pick the shortest possible route to attack the wolves.
Part 2. 2-hex units vs 2-hex units
As noted earlier, 2-hex units behave differently depending on which of the two hexes of the enemy unit they are attacking, so from here on we will also differentiate between a left and right vertical attack.
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These screenshots demonstrate the difference between a left and right vertical attack. Red dots show the cavalry's position after the attack. In the second case the cavalry walked one hex further.
2-hex units follow the same three rules of vertical attacks but adjusted for their size: as the attacker takes up 2 hexes, not only middle hex of the targeted unit should be unoccupied, but also the hex to the left or to the right of the middle hex.*
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This screenshot demonstrates the 3rd rule: the wolves are within the cavalry's reach (the cavalry can conduct a horizontal attack) but the wolves' right hex is unreachable for the direct attack; therefore the cavalry can conduct the top vertical attack during which they will walk the red-dotted route up to the X-marked hex, then walk some more to conduct an automatic attack on the wolves.
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*Nevertheless according to the 3rd rule the top vertical attack is possible even if the top middle hex is occupied. In other words, the fact that the middle hex is occupied is ignored during an attack initiation but can't be ignored when the attack is conducted which leads to funny situations like this:
Here the cavalry has to make the maximum forced march around the obstacles. The vertical attack doesn't end with a strike as the cavalry spends its double MPs (6+6) before it can reach the hex from which it can attack.
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Unfortunately, the cavalry in Heroes II don't get the jousting bonus Try ordering a vertical attack as shown on the screenshot below.ą
ąTN: The cavalry will move 6 hexes to the left and up, stop in the peasant's row, then return and hit the wolves horizontally from the front because after the first run the game will have checked that this is the closest attack route within the 6-hex distance
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As for vertical attacks by flying creatures, it's simple: all three rules apply to them as well.
Then why in some cases 2-hex flying units attack not as expected?
This is because when ordering a vertical attack by a 2-hex unit, you can direct the cursor both at the left hex (left vertical attack) and at the right hex (right vertical attack).
During a left vertical attack the middle hex of the targeted unit must be unoccupied, as well as the hex to the left of it (assuming we're the attacking side, and so are positioned in the left side of the battlefield).
During a right vertical attack the middle hex of the targeted unit as well as the hex to the right of it must be unoccupied. If just one of these hexes is occupied, an automatic attack is conducted instead - that is, an attack which is considered optimal by the combat AI.
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LordCameron
Famous Hero
Veteran of the Succession Wars
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posted May 03, 2025 07:32 PM |
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Oh my god. You are saying the elves moved and shot? I did that when I was kid and thought I'd figured out some other button press technique that I then forgot. As I got older I thought I'd just imagined or dreamed it.
Also it's kind of weird that you can move further than you should be allowed, but not infinite distance. What's up with that?
Reminds me of the Tactics things in Homm3 where your unit will circle the battlefield to get into position if the obstacles are laid out in a funny pattern.
Thanks for the write up!
____________
What are Homm Songs based on?
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Ritzilopochtli
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 03, 2025 07:40 PM |
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LordCameron said:
Oh my god. You are saying the elves moved and shot? I did that when I was kid and thought I'd figured out some other button press technique that I then forgot. As I got older I thought I'd just imagined or dreamed it.
I linked archive with the saves for all three situations in the OP (minotaurs for 1-hex melee, elves for 1-hex ranged, and cavalry for 2-hex melee), you can download and reproduce the same situations in the hot-seat mode.
LordCameron said:
Also it's kind of weird that you can move further than you should be allowed, but not infinite distance. What's up with that?
Coding flaw somewhere. I'm kinda curious to look up how the fheroes2 engine handles the situations like this.
LordCameron said:
Reminds me of the Tactics things in Homm3 where your unit will circle the battlefield to get into position if the obstacles are laid out in a funny pattern.
I didn't even think of it. But in case of the Tactics phase units are obviously given infinite movement to allow that.
Quote:
Thanks for the write up!
I'll take credit only for the time spent translating I referenced the original author who described this behavior in the OP.
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Ritzilopochtli
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 03, 2025 09:07 PM |
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For a better illustration I also made my own custom map, and recorded a video. I tested two scenarios where the titan can only reach the roc's left hex, and so it becomes possible to order a top vertical attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8pu3_jvg2M
In the first scenario, the roc blocks the passage between the two battlefields obstacles. The titan walks all the way down (6 hexes), the game recalculates the attack route and decides to move him back. Reaching the nearest hex to the left and below the rocs, it conducts a melee attack.
In the second scenario, the roc doesn't obstruct the path. The titan walks 6 hexes again; the game recalculates the attack route and decides to use the ranged attack since it's the shortest (requiring zero moves) path to attack the target.
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LordCameron
Famous Hero
Veteran of the Succession Wars
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posted May 03, 2025 10:20 PM |
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Ritzilopochtli said:
Coding flaw somewhere. I'm kinda curious to look up how the fheroes2 engine handles the situations like this.
Unless I'm missing something, doesn't seem like you can do a straight up or down attack in fheroes2. I've just been fiddling around with the battle map mode
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Ritzilopochtli
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 03, 2025 10:28 PM |
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LordCameron said:
Unless I'm missing something, doesn't seem like you can do a straight up or down attack in fheroes2. I've just been fiddling around with the battle map mode
Me too, I didn't manage to reproduce it in fheroes2. Well, it makes sense - it's an obvious bug, so why would they implement it.
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LordCameron
Famous Hero
Veteran of the Succession Wars
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posted May 03, 2025 11:53 PM |
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Ritzilopochtli said:
LordCameron said:
Unless I'm missing something, doesn't seem like you can do a straight up or down attack in fheroes2. I've just been fiddling around with the battle map mode
Me too, I didn't manage to reproduce it in fheroes2. Well, it makes sense - it's an obvious bug, so why would they implement it.
For authenticity of course!  I wonder if this would come up often enough to be useful in actual gameplay, especially for getting cheeky shots off with archers.
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VARN
Tavern Dweller
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posted May 06, 2025 09:47 AM |
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Crazy stuff, thanks for sharing it!
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