Lopsided Casualties

[Foreign Devil]

I just fought a battle where the casualties were somewhat lopsided. I was playing as the Byzintines- I had about 1200 men against an army of 4000. When it was all over, I had killed 633, taken an additional 644 prisoners, at a cost of only 87 dead. Granted, I was fighting peasants/urban millitia/horse archers/steppe cavalry with byzintine infantry/cavalry and kataphroktoi. Even so, I thought it interesting.

What are the most lopsided results of a battle you have ever had? And bridge battles count for less, for obvious reasons.

[rasoforos]

well it is quite common i think. especially if you are fighting one of those weak unit armies as you said. i got ration of 13-1 or 15-1 losses before as well...

[Ktonos]

My best when playing MTW is about 30 losses against aprox. 400 kills and 900 pows, but it was a normal result, if not a bad one for me, because I had 240 Chiv Knights against 600 peasants 240 archers 100 spearmen (initialy) and about 1000 peasants reinforcements. The spearmen fled before they engage at all, so its a normal result (meaning that it could have possibly happened in a real battle).

[rasoforos]

i love these 'slaughter the enemies peasants' battles. especially when i have a lot of heavy cavalary and some light to do the chasing. Makes you feel you teach those peasants who's the boss

[Ktonos]

Yeap It would be realistic if a peasant unit would root before the charge of heavy cavalry. An idea is that
(charge bonus)/2 would apply as a morale penalty for the unit being charged at.

[Earl of Freshly Mowed Grass]

Moo hahaha

I had a fight where I killed approx 700, captured 500, and lost 73. It was also a cheap vs expensive unit, but it was fun, because I like killing.

[A.Saturnus]

I had one of this peasant slaughters where I killed and captured 1500 and lost 40. I used a new army build with regard to effectivity, most units highly armoured and increased weapons. I feel ashamed that I lost men at all.
However the best relative result I ahd was a invasion in Sardinia where I attacked the garrison (a ballista) with 1 fanatic. I won 0 to 8.

[solypsist]

I've actually managed a battle where the enemy started to flee before actually making contact, at which point I sent out the cavalry....

over 600 enemy dead (not including captured men) and 0 losses for me. of course, they were rebels....

[Knight_Yellow]

well i dont know about sp i think 2000 kills 150 losses but in mp i think ive got the record for kills in 1 battle it is losses 1000 but 2965 kills, before u ask how thats possible lets just say valour 4 militia seargents surrounded two enemy armies and flanked, so it was like the enemy where completely boxed in and when they routed they ran into my men muhahahha only 150 got away. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[NinjaKilla]

On-line mine is 1366 or sommat. My ally, KenchiTerutora had to go have a bath so left me to fight the battle on my own Haha, gee I miss olde Shoggy.

[smoothdragon]

In SP, it is real easy to rack up a lot of kills. The Russian provinces are often filled with thousands of peasants/archers and are no match for chivalric knights with full armor, weapons, 4 honor, and led by an 8 star general http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif. My best so far is around 3500 kills, 2000 captured, and 400 dead. The secret is to annihilate the enemy lines, and then to pull far back and wait for the next line to come instead of scaring them at the reinforcement point. This gives them confidence to get on the battlefield, and gives you an ample opportunity to stick it to them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[AndersSchm]

I fought one of those peasant massacres in my HRE game.. I engaged the peasant masses in the woods with my SAPs and lined up all my heavy cavalry by their spawn area. As they fled out of the trees I charged them - only let 6 people escape off the field http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Nelson]

Like soly said, sometimes the AI makes a poor decision to stand and fight and then regrets it on the battlefield. When the battle begins it turns and tries to march away. Charging into the rear of these retreats can net big kills and no losses at all.

[Daveybaby]

I know it doesnt really count, but yesterday as the English (Early, Hard) i fought off a crusade from the italians (~1600 men) on a bridge in Ille de France. Killed 1420, lost... TEN a 142:1 kill ratio Now that is extreme, even for a bridge map.

It was a weird map. Only one bridge, and it was to one side of the map rather than in the centre - there were cliffs on the other side of the map instead of the other bridge. Also there was a kind of hilly spur right next to the bridge, on which i could arrange 2 units of pavise arbalesters and 1 longbow to fire almost parallel to the bridge giving direct fire along the entire length of the bridge. Another 3 longbow at the end of the bridge behind 3 units of billmen to make sure nothing got across, plus some mounted segeants and feudal knights in reserve.

It was a slaughter. The kill rate of the arbs was horrific, every unit trying to cross routed before my billmen even got to defend. It got to the point where i had to tell my archers to hold fire because units were routing too soon and taking other units with them before they got halfway across the bridge.

The 10 men i lost were arbs out on the spur who were killed by a unit of archers on the other side of the river. Once i noticed i pummelled the archers with longbows for a few rounds and they moved off.

The best bit was that even once their general was killed, they kept coming back for another go, just adding to the death toll. Once they finally fled the field for good i sent my cav across to mop up as many as i could. Kind of too easy, but very satisfying to inflict such slaughter.

Oh - just thought - probably a couple of hundred of the 1420 were executed prisoners, captured by my cav in the final rout - i thought it would be a shame to let them live after they got so near to death trying to cross the bridge.

[Al Qasim Hussein]

Bridge battles are where its at. I haven't got results as good as some posted here, but once when I was playing as the HRE I held Aragon and the Spanish and Almohads TEAMED UP - believe it or not - to attack me. Aragon, as you may know, is THE bridge province. I've never not got a bridge on that map.

At any rate, some 4000 combined units faced off against my 800 men, most of which were wisely artillery and/or missile units. I posted one feudal sargeant at each bridge, and loaded up the rest of my units at the westernmost. The interesting thing about this battle was the death of the generals almost immediately. Archers and crossbows wasted them on the bridge (they never even glanced at the eastern bridge, i guess) but the troops kept coming. some 3000 casualties/prisoners later both armies finally routed and ran away. I lost roughly 70 feudal sargeants, but considering it was them alone in front of the bridge holding off the horde, i was impressed.

Isn't it great to see units start routing on the bridge and running backwards, slamming into charging units, and causing everyone to die? Oh yes, its amusing.

[Satyr]

Well once I was defending a single bridge. I put feudal spear units (what ever they are called) and lined my archers up on the shore. He rode cataphracts right thru my lines and an additional 4 companies were slaughtered by cats and ghazi infantry. I lost 1200 troops and killed 127. By far my worst defeat.

My only consolation is that this was my first battle post-patch and I didn't know till then how much improved cav and swords were against spears. Oh, and there general was 8 frikkin stars and 13 valor.

[Daevyll]

345 enemies killed, 0 casualties http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

My army consisted of 6 Jannisary Archers, 8 Jannisary Infantry, 2 Jannisary Heavy infantry in my starting lineup.

None of my units ever got into melee, all kills were made by arrows http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Ktonos]

Quote[/b] (Nelson @ Dec. 09 2002,18:58)]Like soly said, sometimes the AI makes a poor decision to stand and fight and then regrets it on the battlefield. When the battle begins it turns and tries to march away. Charging into the rear of these retreats can net big kills and no losses at all.
This usually happens when AI is on the defence and,just like the human player,it doesn't know of what units your army consists. It just knows the number of the attackers. Rarely does that on the offence. And when it does it always is the terrain that makes it retreat.

[TheViking]

my best was when i had 11 shooters 4 musk 3 arbs and 4 longbow, 3 MS, and 2 chiv cav. 920 men if im not wrong, facing a Turkish army with 3000+ men of good and averege units, I had a 1 or 2 star gen the enemy 5 i think.

I won that fight lost about 20-30 men most got killed by the shooter behind.

The enemy got away about 500 men, I killed about 600-700 and captured the rest wich i killed anyway so i didnt had to face them again.

[Ckrisz]

Just won my first really lopsided victory post-patch. Playing as the Egyptians, facing a 1,700-man Crusade from Spain in Constantinople. I had 900 men.

Had two big advantages: I had a motherhuge hill behind me, with another immediately flanking it. I sent two Armenian cavalry up that one and parked everyone else atop the big hill. The Spaniards came obligingly onwards, trudging up the hill. My Saracens came screaming down and smashed the Knights of Santiago leading the way and locked up the rest of his Order Foot and Feudal Sergeants in a big melee. Looped two units of Ghulams around the right flank and my Armenians came down the other hill right into the rear --- the Crusaders broke and my Saharan cav and Ghulams took over 600 prisoners between them. The peasant reinforcements were smashed in their turn --- had enough time to set up a moving ambush with my cavalry.

Lost 83, killed 500+, took 1100 prisoners. Very few Spanish escapees.

[Naagi]

Had the Byzantine Katapraktoi general solo take out over 200 Almohad Urban militia once. Was really upset about this, since he then got away and i was going to have to fight him again for the castle. I auto'd it and won with still about 100 casualties.

Naagi http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[Ckrisz]

Byzantine generals are just ridiculously tough, due to their insane star rating and valor. They can often crumple whole armies by themselves.

[Foreign Devil]

It doesn't hurt that Byzintine royalty gets full-strength units.

[TheViking]

The most expensive win i had 1:542

The English King got a way and only him in a fight. He was hiding in a castle, 3rd type of fortress. I didnt have any siege engines. B4 i got into the keep i had lost about 400 and the rest i lost while i was fighting the King. I won but it wasnt cheap http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Nelson]

Viking, your post reads like the lead in for an ad from the local siege workshop.

"Want to save hundreds of men on that next assault? Then drop by Trader John's Engines of Repute. Everything from ballistas to bombards for sale or rent."

[Ckrisz]

My worst defeat happened just before my greatest victory and can be placed at the feet of those damn royal Kats. Was invading Greece, had about 800 men to 1400 Byzants. What I failed to notice was the right flank of the Byzant line was made up of three Byzantine cavalry units. I thought four spearman units would be enough to deal with them --- WRONG They crumpled my spears and rolled my whole line.

Byzants lost about 240 men. I lost 750. Damn patch ...

[hundurinn]

I sended a crusade with 1500 men and i attacked a rebel providence and they had 5000 men. It sound like a miracle but i beated them and like some rebles they didn't have only pesants but feudal knigths and other good units.

[RunAway!!]

Disclaimer: This fight was between a peasant horde and what was pretty much the best units in my army...

So..I'm having fun, I decide to take out the rebels in Khazar, and get myself a good trading province. I train up 2 units of byz. inf., two units of treb. archers, and take my king and two princes, and their kataphraktoi. All goes well, I rout the rebels, taking no casualties. 2 years later, a massive peasant rebellion. 2900 peasants in total decide they don't like my leadership. I really don't like it when a dumb farmhand thinks they know how to rule a kingdom better than me, ya know? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

The Byzantines set up in charge formation: the Kataphraktoi on the flanks in wedge, the swordsmen spread wide in the center, the archers hoping there will be some peasants that break through the lines for them to fight. In typical peasant fashion, they are spread across the field, with the general strangely leading in the front. The battle starts; the trumpets blare; the Byzantines go charging across the field. At first, it looks like they may be swamped; its about 1200 peasants against 200 byzantine infantrymen. Then the Kataphraktoi arrive. Within seconds, the enemy general has been slain like the cowardly dog he was; and peasants are fleeing across the field. These peasants are so scared that they're fleeing in all directions; about 300 end up running back into my archers, the rest flee through some woods; I end up capturing around 800. Then the second wave comes. If possible, these peasants are even dumber than the first ones. They form up in a big square; which is then conveniently surrounded by Kataphraktoi. The archers; disappointed from the earlier fighting, take this time to use up some of their ammunition, but its not fair killing someone if he can't fight back, is it? Once again, a blare of trumpets, and peasant bodies are lying everywhere. Another 700 or so captured in this fight; and its the final straw for the peasants; they take for the hills.

All told; 1750 casualties for the peasants; 42 for the byzantines. Afterwards, my king, although he gained two stars, was rather mad about losing 15 Kataphraktoi, so he executed the other 1150 that were captured. What really angers me though is that he only got "Scant Mercy" for slaughtering the peasants.

[Musashi]

My best kill ratio ever happened last night. I should have taken a screenshot for proof but...

I was playing the turks, defending Syria from Egyptian forces coming in from Arabia. I realized that my position kind of sucked, but at the very far forward deployment position I could deploy a half hex and be at the top of a ridge more or less, so I deployed as far forward as was possible. My infantry was all Saracen Infantry (With a 4 star commander) backed by desert archers (Because Syria couldn't produce Ottoman Infantry yet). The Egyptian force outnumbered me probably five to one, and I was rather nervous, but I figured I'd take the chance on the forward deployment and see what happened.

So I hit begin battle and it turned out that he was just a few yards away from my deployment My archers immediately opened fire, and I was terrified I was going to get overwhelmed with a mass charge. However...

The fact that he was attacking and therefore was not deployed into a proper formation yet when my archers opened fire did serious morale damage. Moreover, he was using 4 units of Bedouin Camel, 8 units of peasants, two units of Nubian Spearmen, one unit of standard archers, and only one unit of Ghulam Bodyguard. Because his troops were all such bottom of the barrel stuff, he couldn't convince the infantry to charge, and obviously leading a charge with Bedouins is suicidal. On the other hand he couldn't pull back out of archery range because half his infantry would have routed if he had them turn their backs to my archers.

His archers were wiped out quickly, killing only one man in the process, after which his forces milled about trying to drum up sufficient morale for a charge until he just finally withdrew.

Final score: 1009 kills to 1.

-Musashi

[solypsist]

oh here's one.

http://solypsist.homestead.com/files/lopbat.jpg

[Edratman]

My best kill ratio happened when I accidently dropped a governer title on a feudal knight unit down to one man and he had zero acumen. To retrieve the title I sent him into a province with 3 French units of spearman and peasants. I hit the autobattle and was shocked when I got the victory notice. He killed 220+ and captured another 60 or so. After the battle he had 9 valor (unsure what he started at, but it was 2 or 3 at max).

[Muneyoshi]

1043 kills to 2 losses (Thats 521.5:1 for those of you who are slow http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif ). Sure it was a byz army ranging from h4-6 facing rebel peasents, but hey, they started it.

[Leet Eriksson]

my best so far when i was against a massive french army while playing as the danes,lined my vikings up and charged the french general,the AI somehow placed him in the front http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif,all of a sudden at point blank contact the enemy general died,so i dispatched whatever mercenary cavalry i could get my hands on and made them rout the entire french army5 enemy casualties and almost 1200 prisoners a hundred or so french escaped.did'nt bother ransoming them becuase they were high quality units(Chiv seargants and FMAA)i only lost 3 vikings http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif.that was the wierdest battle ever

[Jaret]

My strangest (&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif battle was pre-patch playing the english.

Normandy was defended by 23 (&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Hobilars (4 star general). Of course the french attacked me ... with 1000 Peasants and 120 Archers I formed a single line and placed my Cav upon an hilltop. The Enemy General was with the Archers. I maneuvered around a little ... to make the enemy run for his victory. The Archers were stupid enough to seperate from the Peasants ... and I caught them in the open ... killing the enemy General and routing the Archers ... most of them were taken prisoner. After that I had a clash with the peasants, charging them downhill.

In the end ... I had lost 5 (&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Hobilars, killed 236 Enemies and too about 600 of them prisoner.

Since then I never, ever had build a single unit of peasants ... and always disband them when I bribe some.