AMBUSH MAYHEM?

[Moonknight]

I agree that Assassin Group Ambush should not stack with other Assassins, very powerful indeed.

[Chazar]

I think it would be very confusing if GroupAmbush would stack for Ghosts but not for Assassins. Otherwise I agree: a cap on GroupAmbush at 70% (or 75% to be in line with the strength cap) is reasonable and less confusing. Also, reducing the Assassins progress from 10% to 7% or 8% per step, or making this cost progressive, seems also to be a good idea.

However, I believe the ambush problem derives from the assassin being an excellent fast-levelling all-rounder: he is fast, he can do ruins right away, and he easily takes neutrals guarded by a any single unit very well (using ambush and scouts/crows). This in turn means that Assassins level quicker than other heroes. The other heroes can only do one thing (Paladin is slow, Valkyrie cannot do ruins, DreadKnight is slow and cannot do ruins, HorseLords cannot take cities, Barabarians do not scale with stacks).

Since the assassin levels easily, what should I buy, besides +4 movement for just 10points, that also help me with levelling further? City-Chaos is much worse than GroupAmbush, given the price. Consider this example battle:

Attacking: lightCav, lightCav, heavyCav, heavyCav, scout, assassin with 10% group-ambush & 7 city-chaos
Defending: lightInfantry, heavyInfantry, heavyInfantry, spider - in a city with wall 10

The win chance is 57%. On the other hand, if you spend the 30 points for +6 city-chaos on +30% GrpAmbush instead you get a win chance of 74% (+1 city-chaos, 40% group ambush).

So it is a no-brainer, especially since I get 10% GrpAmbush at each level, whereas I don't get anything in the second level for the city-chaos route due to the 15 point step cost - again making levelling easier with group ambush. Furthermore group ambush helps everywhere, whereas city-chaos only works in cities. Duh.

Make city-chaos cheaper, and make group ambush more expensive, and we will see it much less, especially if Assassins then level as slow as other heroes.


PS:
Add another attack crow and the difference increases to over 20%. Exchange the defenders for 3 spiders and you get a bad 40% win chance with 7-city-chaos,10%Group Ambush, but a good 81% with 1-city-chaos and 40% group ambush. It is almost always better. Only if the wall 10 city is defended with 9 or more light infantries, the city-chaos starts to become better.

[CasseTout]

Let me start with a disclaimer: I'm still a beginner and I have not win a ladder game yet.

I will agree that Ambush should have a maximum lower than 100% and leave room for failure.
But I would like to preserve the stacking capability of the Assassin.

In my case I experienced the defense more than the attack side of the Assassin.
When you are been crushed by your opponent and your units are no threat to him the stacking capability allowed me to get some breathing room and rebuild my defense.

Without the option to stack Assassins I will be limited with 10% Ambush and have limited chances to level up my Assassin (remember that I'm been crushed by my opponent). You still need enough gold to get a chance to get new heroes but when you are falling apart the Assassin(s) gives you hope

I can see the advantage on the attacking side as well but if Ambush had a maximum it will not be as powerful. Well, it is powerful but does not have the 100% chance to kill it all.
Not sure if 70% Ambush max is a good number but about 1/3 chances of failure sounds good to me since it is adding value to build stronger units.