RTS: Kill Animations and Combat Effects

Development Character & Animation
1

Hi Everyone,

I haven’t been able to find anything via google but is there guidance on how to approach creating animations for:

  1. Kill Animations like in Wh40k Dawn of War 1 & 2?
  • ie- Mech crushing an individual unit with it’s hand. Doesn’t always happens so it’s random chance.
  1. Combat Effects like in Battle for Middle Earth 2
  • Larger Unit hits a squad of smaller units which flings the smaller units into the air and away from the larger unit. Causes damage but doesn’t kill so they do get back up. Randomized chance.

Any thoughts or guidance on how to approach this is appreciated. For reference, I am working with single units (AoE2 & C&C) as opposed to squads (company of heroes & total war).