Combat
Combat in Gloria Victis is non-target action combat with directional attacks and blocks.
This page is not meant to be an exhaustive guide about how to improve in combat, it is an explanation of the basic principles of combat beginning with the UI.
The Aiming Reticule
The white dot on the center of the screen. Keeping your reticule on your enemy will keep your enemy from getting a hit at an angle you cannot block.
The Power Bar
Each weapon type has a unique power bar that is made up of green, yellow, and red zones which indicate the strength of the attack. Stronger attacks deal more damage. Hold down your attack button to see the color distribution. If you hold down your attack too long, the bar will grow and then shrink and then leave you with a black box. This is the weakest attack of all.
These 3 color zones indicate the strength of your attack with green being weak, yellow medium, and red strong. A strong red attack takes longer to prepare than a weak green attack.
The amount of damage you do to an enemy within each color zone is static, meaning that you do the same amount of damage at every point within that color. Use this to more precisely time your attacks.
When blocked, weak green attacks will stun the attacker for a moment, leaving him open to a counter-attack. It is important not to "spam" weak attacks for this reason. Conversely, getting a quick hit off for a small amount of damage can be worthwhile if you can land the hit.
The attack indicator
Underneath your character there is a triangular indicator that shows which direction you are currently attacking. The small dot in the pie slice indicates which way you are moving your mouse.
The Block indicator
The block indicator is a crescent shape that pops up when there is an incoming attack. The indicator tells the direction but not the strength of the incoming attack.
The color of the block indicator can be changed, but by default an unblocked attack will show up red, while a blocked attack will show up bright green. This indicator is a vital part of combat awareness, and may be more helpful to focus on in some cases than the animations of the enemy. Choosing which attacks to block and which to allow through is an important aspect of fighting. Not every attack needs to be blocked.
Directional Attacks
Melee weapons may be swung in 4 directions: from the left, from the right, overhead and stab. Directional attacks are determined either by mouse movement or by keybinds set in the Options menu.
Some weapons are best used in specific ways - spears are best for stabbing, for example - while others have more well rounded utility. Mouseover a weapon icon to see that weapon’s directional attack modifiers and damage type in each directional attack. Higher modifiers will result in more damage.
In order to block attacks, players will need to counter with either a shield block or the appropriate directional block with a weapon.
Keybinding directional attacks, particularly the stab and overhead attacks, is highly recommended.
Attacks may be chambered (parried) instead of blocked.
Directional Blocking
Weapons have a much smaller blocking angle than shields and must intercept the attacker’s swing at the proper angle in order to effectively block. There are 3 directional blocks: Left, right and center, and they are executed by mouse movements or keybinds.
Directional blocking with a weapon can provide excellent coverage for skilled two handed fighters. Many players find it especially helpful to keybind their blocks, but especially the center block because it blocks both stab and overhead attacks.
Attacks may be chambered (parried) instead of blocked.
Chambering
Chambering is the act of interrupting the enemy’s attack with a counterattack. This will cancel their attack and enable you to deal damage. To chamber, begin a weapon swing that mirrors your opponent’s just as they are about to release their swing. There will be an audio indicator and "chamber" will appear on screen when you successfully chamber an opponent.
