Editing Breath attack

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'''Breath attack''' is a [[special ability]] that allows a creature to attack creatures positioned on two hexes adjacent to one another, inflicting individual damage to the creatures on either hex. Creatures that are two hexes wide do not suffer double damage from the breath attack. Although creatures with breath attack specialty cannot directly attack allied creatures, they can—similar to {{Cnu|Lich|Power Lich|name=Liches and Power Liches}}' [[Death Cloud]] and {{Cn|Magog}}s' [[Fireball Attack]]—cause damage to allied creatures located on the second hex. In other words, breath attack will also damage the hero's own troops if they are standing directly behind the attacked hex.

Damage for each attacked stack is calculated separately. {{Cn|Black Dragon}}s' [[hate]] against {{Cn|Titan}}s works even if the latter were not attacked directly (if they were in the second hex of a breath attack). Thus: if a hero's Black Dragons struck allied Titans in the second hex of their breath attack, the Black Dragons will still deal 150% damage to the Titans.

'''Creatures with breath attack:'''
* {{Cnu|Green Dragon|Gold Dragon|name=Green and Gold Dragons}}
* {{Cnu|Red Dragon|Black Dragon|name=Red and Black Dragons}}
* {{Cnu|Firebird|Phoenix|name=Firebirds and Phoenixes}}{{-wa}}
* {{Cn|Rust Dragon}}s{{-wa}}
* {{Cn|Azure Dragon}}s{{-wa}}
* {{Cnu|Mechanic|Engineer|name=Mechanics and Engineers}}{{-wh}}
'''Dragons without breath attack:'''
* {{Cnu|Bone Dragon|Ghost Dragon|name=Bone and Ghost Dragons}}
* {{Cn|Crystal Dragon}}s{{-wa}}
* {{Cn|Faerie Dragon}}s{{-wa}}

== In-Depth Explanation ==

When attacking from any of the six primary hex sides, breath attack also attacks the hex behind, in the direction of the attack.

[[File:Dragon breath 6 directions.png|600px]]


A special case arises for breath attacks by two hex wide creatures, since they can be positioned centrally above or below the target hex and attack vertically.

[[File:Dragon breath verticals.png|400px]]


In this case, ambiguity arises as to which of the two hexes behind should be subject to damage.

Resolution of the ambiguity '''depends on the approach vector of the attacking creature'''... specifically, '''the hex to the rear of the approach vector will be subject to damage'''.

If the attacking creature approaches from the left for a vertical attack, the hex behind and to the left will be subject to area damage.

[[File:Dragon breath left approach.png|600px]]


If the attacking creature approaches from the right for a vertical attack, the hex behind and to the right will be subject to area damage.

[[File:Dragon breath right approach.png|600px]]


Within the special case of vertical attacks, another special case arises when the '''approach vector''' of the attacking creature is '''''also''''' vertical. In this case, resolution of the ambiguity '''depends on the facing direction of the attacking creatures army'''... specifically, '''the hex to the rear of the army's facing direction will be subject to damage'''.

If the attacking creature approaches vertically for a vertical attack and the attacking creatures army faces right, the hex behind and to the left will be subject to area damage.

[[File:Dragon breath vertical approach army right.png|600px]]
 

If the attacking creature approaches vertically for a vertical attack and the attacking creatures army faces left, the hex behind and to the right will be subject to area damage.

[[File:Dragon breath vertical approach army left.png|600px]]


=== Notes ===

* {{wh}} [[Mechanics and Engineers]] cannot attack vertically, as they are 1-hex creatures.

== Dragon Breath Exploit ==

This exploit is a result of:
# AI will always attempt to minimize the retaliation received.
# AI will always use the Breath Attack to maximize damage, if possible.
# Fire breath does not work when attacking vertically on the creatures on the right side of the attacked unit. 

[[File: Dragon Breath Exploit.png]]

If a stack of units strong enough to survive a Dragon's single attack stands at the <span style="color:red">red hex</span>, and another, weaker stack of units (that can die to a single attack by the Dragon) stands at either of the <span style="color:orange">orange hexes</span>, the Dragon will attack from either of the sets of <span style="color:green">green hexes</span>, but ''will not burn the unit on the <span style="color:red">red hex</span>''. AI believes this attack will trigger the Breath attack reaction, but it does not. 

Note, that either (but not both) of the <span style="color:orange">orange</span> and <span style="color:red">red</span> hexes can have 2-hex units, as long as '''the back of''' the first unit is on one of the '''<span style="color:orange">orange hexes</span>''' or '''the front of''' the second unit is on the '''<span style="color:red">red hex</span>'''.

== [[Mechanic and Engineer]]'s breath attack direction {{wh}} ==

Mechanic's and Engineer's Breath attack, when attacking a 2-hex creature from the middle hex directly above or below them, does not follow the direction of the sword-arrow, but rather the direction of Mechanic's or Engineer's movement. The following image shows the problem in detail:

[[File: EngineerBreathDiagram.png]]

If the Engineer (or a Mechanic) approaches the 2-hex enemy standing on the <span style="color:orange">orange hexes</span> and attacks it from the <span style="color:green">green hex</span>, starting her movement from the left side (<span style="color:gold">yellow path</span>), she will burn whomever is occupying the <span style="color:gold">yellow hex</span>. If she approaches said 2-hex enemy from the right instead(<span style="color:teal">teal path</span>), she will burn whomever is standing on the <span style="color:teal">teal hex</span>. If she starts her movement from a hex on the same file as the <span style="color:green">green hex</span>, the approach direction determined by the pathfinding algorithm will determine whether she burns the <span style="color:gold">yellow</span> or the <span style="color:teal">teal</span> hex. This path may vary due to creature and obstacle placement. With no obstacles or arena edges to consider the path will tend to go right first, then approach with a leftward vector, but there are many variables to consider. If she starts on the <span style="color:green">green hex</span> itself, she will always attack in her facing direction, even if the sword cursor was pointed the other way. 

In the setup above, the Mechanic (or Engineer) ''cannot'' burn enemies located on the <span style="color:darkgray">'''black hex'''</span>. 

{{User commentary|
HotA is most likely aware of the [[Breath attack#Dragon Breath Exploit|Dragon breath exploit]], but decided not to fix it as a result of it being rather niche and mostly used for tactical advantage. 

The AI can play rather well around breath attack, so do not expect to bait enemy dragons into retaliation onto their own stack.
}}{{end of user commentary}}

[[Category: Creature specialties]]