HI units have 70% defense in Castle terrain

[Chief_Chasso]

Why does Heavy Infantryman (HI), Shock Tropper, and Iron Mauler only have 50% defense rating in castle terrains? Most other units have at least 60%. This is espesially puzzling since it states in the units description "...best employed in static defense of fortified positions..." I think at least one of the best fortified positions in Wesnoth are castle terrain, but the HI line of units gets sub par defense?

Is this because of multiplayer "balancing"? I'm afraid of the answer...

[Maiklas3000]

Heavy Infantry line units are best employed in static fortified positions, because they are slow. Due to articulated armor, HI have high resistances, but are not good at dodging, so they get a 50% defense rating in castles. The Spearman line is what you're looking for. They have 60% defense rating in castles, but lower resistances than HI. Think of HI as being in full plate armor and Swordsman being in chainmail. The descriptions says, "Heavy infantry are brawny fighters clad in full plate..." versus for Swordsmen, "An experienced soldier will often save enough to equip himself with a suit of scale or chain armor..."

[HomerJ]

...and yes, multiplayer balancing too.

Greetz
Al

[Velensk]

All defenses are relative anyway. A heavy infantry with his 50% defense is still generally tougher to unroot from a castle than a spearman with its 60%. If there was a terrain where drakes got 50% defense they'd be a lot more resiliant on it than a lot of units that might get 70% defense there.

[Dixie]

"...best employed in static defense of fortified positions..."

It didn,t say "Nobody is better at dodging blows in these positions", it said "they are at their best in these positions". It doesn't necessarily mention defense (although it is of course a factor), and it didn,t mention any sort of unit comparison. Now if they had 70% defence on snow, it would be weird indeed. But alas, such is not the case, they indeed are at their personnal best in castles and forts.

[Chief_Chasso]

Ah... I forgot to factor in resistances and the fact that HI are not suppose to be dodgy. It now makes sense. Thank you for the relies.