Turks vs. Pavs

[Skomatth]

I've been playing the turks a lot lately and have been doing quite well with them, except for archer duels. I can upgrade and take any combo of archers I want and they can match pav arbs while they're firing but ultimately the arbs have more bolts and I have to attack or withdraw.

I was wondering how any of you guys would suggest to dance the arrows with the turks (besides not getting into one in the first place).

I'm going to try to upload some of my turkish replays. Maybe they will inspire some people to move away from the boring 5, 4, 4, 2 setups.

[Kraxis]

Well... That can certainly be a problem.

Many players don't use focusfire, they just let the arbs fire at will. Therefor take your Turcoman Foot (invariably the best at soaking up arbfire, in Loose they outperform the pav Arbs) and move them further ahead and let other units fire.

But normally I stop firing at ranged units that are under 40 men left. Then I concentrate on more juicy units, such as Foot Knights, Knights and other mounted units. Fanatics can also be good targets (at V4 they can be nasty, but at V0 they are not dangerous so check them before firing).

[vexatious]

Kraxis-

How can you tell the valor of enemy units? Or do I misunderstand your comment re: targeting fanatics?

[Skomatth]

I posted a replay featuring advantages of the turk's speed and how taking out archers with alans can contribute the turks victory.

Will upload the turks repelling a rush and one losing but in which everyone had a lot of fun.

[Cheetah]

Quote[/b] (vexatious @ Dec. 22 2002,12:08)]Kraxis-

How can you tell the valor of enemy units? Or do I misunderstand your comment re: targeting fanatics?
You should count the little rectangular flasgs the units are carrying. These are very little so you might not see them from a distance. Each flag represents a valor upgrade.

[Major Robert Dump]

Attack first, shoot later. Kill archers with janiassary infantry, they make good melee.

[Kongamato]

Arrrghhh...

I HATE pav arbs I have had no success against them at all.

What I try to do is use a unit of cav, running down the line, to scatter the arbs if they are still in skirmish mode. The result is a lot of dead horses and a morale reduction for your army.

Lately I tried to just move my 7 or 8 archery-capable units close enough to shoot the enemy melee units. This causes the enemy to rush and crush my pathetic forces.

I would try using Turcoman Foot as missile sponges and putting more archery hybrids behind them. Do not try to kill the arbs themselves, as their armor and shields will waste your arrows. Aim for the enemy melee units instead.

[Postino]

Quote[/b] (Cheetah @ Dec. 22 2002,07:10)]You should count the little rectangular flasgs the units are carrying. These are very little so you might not see them from a distance. Each flag represents a valor upgrade.
THANK YOU CHETTAH http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/flirt.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif


learn something new everyday.

on the subject, i will just be repeating what has allready been said, mostly. i usually upgrade the armor of my turcoman foot, as opposed to their morale, stretch them in a line 2 deep and move them in close to hit the foot units behind the pavise. leave a light cav on both ends and some jan foot, both just out of range and hope i tick off the enemy enough to lunge my turcomans. the turcomans aer on skirmish, jan's on hold. draw out enemy cav and melee all of them enmasse. then send the light cav cav to disrupt his pavise.

oops, shouldnt have said that...

[Kraxis]

Postino that tactic mimic my tatic a lot... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

Lure with the Turcomans and kill with the others. Just it can be dangerous to get too close to the enemy arbs if you are not in Loose (Turcomans are already in something close ot Loose, so they cover a massive amount of land). And try to give them at least 1 Valour, it is cheap as there is a costreduction in MP and Custom when concerned with bows (200 in the case of shortbows, though I haven't seen dersert archers be so cheaps as 50 to upgrade), but the armour is certainly a must for the Turcomans. And they can even be used as a sponge against heavy infantry charges, they great def will soak up a lot of the enemy strength before you commit the JI.