I played first run on hard with the imperative of no one is hurt( no one fall injured) Nightmare run, this demand condition was removed.
It would be nice if the tactics box does not behave weirdly or is not bugged.
The whole thing is supposed to be sequential but an instruction that does not suit the tactics box, ruins the whole execution of the routine.
A small example for a tank (non literal) coming from multiple tests to understand what was going on:
1-enemy: elite or higher:jump to 4
2-self:any:bolster
3
4-enemy: elite or higher: shield bash
5
6-enemy: elite or higher:assault
This set of instruction works and produces the expected execution: the tank engages the elite or higher over the rest of enemies with a shield bash, later assault etc Once the elite enemy killed, the tank uses bolster (at this point, it has to be added that it exhibits the auto attack instruction hidden somewhere as the tank does not only perform bolster but also attack)
It was tested during various battles and repeatedly (the same battle was fought several times to see if the characters follow the routine every time)
Runs fine.
Now the nice part, a "wrong" instruction ruins the whole set of instructions. One could think that as it is sequential, the wrong instruction would only matter when it is about to be executed. Nope, it ruined the whole set of instructions. This is what led me to perform tests because it was not that obvious.
Lets fill the gaps (that was done alternatively and simultaneously)
3- self:any: wait
5-enemy:elite or higher: taunt
At this point, the tank behaviour becomes erratic. The sub routine is simply ignored. The tank freezes at start of the battle, and engages the closest enemy while ever using shield bash or assault.
3 is hard to tell but is wrong in one way or another. 5 is tricky. Taunt is a self centered action and works with instructions like ally:attacked close range
Looked as if as long the condition is true the action is performed but no, it does not work like that.
Removing every other instructions to keep only this one and the tank never used taunt and kept acting weird
Now, the fix
3-
5-self:any:taunt
Works again as expected.
Self:surrounded by x enemies: taunt works.
For some reasons, while one could think the instruction is correct, it is simply not.
And what is best, it ruins the whole.
Now maybe the best bit. Using bolster anytime is a waste so
2-mana/stamina<25pc:bolster
Now, as this trigger can be false, the box will go down until finding a true condition before reset
So lets protect the sub routine with an exit before it
3-self:any:jump to 20
Again, ruined set of instructions, the tank behaves erratically.
An instruction like
3-enemy:any:attack the closest works to protect the loop.
Protection of subroutine matter if you want to preserve special abilities. As nightmare is most about exploiting elemental weaknesses and cross class combos…
Several remarks:
an instruction, valid and ready to apply, can be skipped for no obvious reasons. As I ran tests, the tank could shield bash, skip taunt, assault then taunt (no issue of stamina)
Another point is the the game looks for potential targets randomly. A battle begins but with at least two elite enemies or higher. The game chooses one target, the tank engages the target and suddenly, the tank starts to run accross the battlefield to take another elite, breaking combat with the previous elite. Can go on and on, the tank switching targets.
So if the game is paused to point at a specific elite, in hope the tank sticks to that target, no. No distance hierarchisation. It can be solved at the expense of an additional instruction.
Etc