Carroccio Standard

[Anonymous II]

So, do you ever use the Carroccio Standard unit when playing as Venice or Milan? If so, what do you think is the best use of this unit? Defending the gates maybe?

me :afro:

[_Tristan_]

Yes, defending a gate or bridge...

In a field battle, putting it in the center of the line makes the best of the morale bonus and is a strong anchor point in the line... Those men just don't rout...

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Limited playing time in M2 so far, but the standard seems to give nearby troops a bit of an edge -- similar to the druid bonus in rtw -- especially to the militia troops. Not sure it helps the others as much.

I was wondering the following:

If I field a ballista crew, drop their weapon, and then have another unit fight the standard bearers, can my artillerists run up and steal their standard? If I do, is it an insta-win?

[Henry707]

Hello,

I always use them - if you have a line which you need to hold - get one. They are also great to have for city defence - they are cheap & they work!!

A Milanese army is not complete without one of these babies!!!

Henri

[khaos83_2000]

But they are considered as bulky units. Slow your stack down like siege weapons.

[PBI]

Carroccio standards are very useful as they will make even militia fight almost to the death; they seem to be as good as your general having a few extra points of chivalry. Also, they can be used as heavy infantry for assaulting walls if you have them drop the standard. Plus they can be recruited from a small city; the Milanese really are ridiculously good, they can train extremely good archers, heavy infantry, decent armoured spearmen and lance-bearing cavalry all from a small city.



If I field a ballista crew, drop their weapon, and then have another unit fight the standard bearers, can my artillerists run up and steal their standard? If I do, is it an insta-win?

Ballistas couldn't do it, you can only move them between their own type of siege weapon, i.e. they could steal another unit of ballistas, but not catapults. I suppose it might work if you have a standard of your own, but the standard is generally the last enemy unit left still fighting, so it would be unlikely to make much difference by that point. Plus, you'd be giving up your own standard in order to do it, so it's hard to see what you would gain.

[cassu]

If they slow you down like siege weapons it might be a good idea to add them. they wont slow you down so there is only + about it

[WhiskeyGhost]

standards are awesome support units, too bad i could never stand the movement penalty they give to unit stacks, or even use em properly (they always seem to die fast when i use em)

[Ratwar]

They can be very useful in Northern Italy. All the cities are close together, so the movement penalty doesn't really matter. Other than that though, they tend to get in the way.

[Lord Fluffy]

Here's another question about the standard. If you have your standard bearer drop the standard and fight, does it still confer the morale bonus?

[Anonymous II]

But they are considered as bulky units. Slow your stack down like siege weapons.

Yes, that's why I thought most people would find them most useful in defending the city gates. At least I do, I always build the 2nd level town hall ASAP when playing Milan or Venice to get them. :yes:


(they always seem to die fast when i use em)

Yea, they're a bit few soldiers per stack (only 24), so having at least two of them at any time might be a thing to remember.


I always use them - if you have a line which you need to hold - get one. They are also great to have for city defence - they are cheap & they work!!


Yes, they are very cheap, only 85 florins in upkeep, but you have to consider it a city unit, and they don't have free upkeep militia status. I therefore think it's "fair and square" that they are cheap. ;)

Thanx for all the responses, folks! :thumbsup:

[phonicsmonkey]

Very useful vs Mongols if you want to stop your line of militia spearmen from routing the moment they see the scary Khan and his lancers

[Rhyfelwyr]

Agreed. Carracio's are best for keeping in cities as they make all those Mongol hordes and stupid AI mini-stacks a lot less annoying. I've found they slow down my armies too much to use them in the field lot. Bridge battles are another use, there's quite a few bridges within a turn's movement from the cities in northern Italy.

[Emperor of Graal]

The Carroccio standard is best used for morale bonuses
They stop most units from routing in the battles close to the standard I keep at least 2 in every army
I make.
They aren't the best units ever but they are useful.
I put them in forts and near bridges aswell