Army composition complexity ?

[Draksen]

When building your army, do you usually use :

- only 1 type of unit
- 2 types
- 3 types
- more, I like complex and flexible armies.

[Leet Eriksson]

I like it complex to reduce casualites,1 unit armies can win but with more casualties.complex armies can reduce casualties if you employed the right strategy.

[rasoforos]

well you need cavalry ,you need spearmen , and you need units with swords as a base , and you can go more complex after that. i believe your poll should start from: 3-4 , 4-6 , 7+
...1 ,2 ,3 , 3+ is not very realistic

[MonkeyMan]

My Armies tend to be a combination of spears, archers, best heavy mounted, best foot, fast mounted. Sticking to the same types is good though, it tends to mean you only have to repair 1 unit of each after a battle, so i will choose a type from each of these categories and make armies of these combinations.

[Musashi]

2-4, depending on who I'm playing as.

For instance, as the Russians, I use nothing but Halberdiers and Boyars, because Halberdiers turn cav into hamburger and beat down sword units as well, and Boyars serve as both archers and heavy cavalry.

As Byz my defensive armies are often nothing but Varangian Guard and Trebizond Archers, although sometimes I'll add two units of Byz Cav or Kataphraktoi. An offensive Byz army is often nothing but VG and Byz Cav, although sometimes I'll drag a couple units of Katas along for punch. Of course, I end up having a unit of Kata in almost every army just because that's where all my good generals come from...

As the Turks my armies are generally Jan Heavy and Jan regulars, sometimes backed by Sipahis of the Porte or Kwazimawhatsits, but often not.

As a catholic or non-Turkish muslim faction my armies would probably be more diverse but I rarely play catholic or non-Turkish muslim factions. The one Catholic faction I've really played as was Italy and once I got Gothic Knights up and running I generally fielded armies of all GK and Pav Arbs, because the GK when dismounted are the best infantry I could hope for...

-Musashi

[ToranagaSama]

You're talking single player right?

What type of Campaign? I've played all campaigns save one on Early. How many units are you talking about? A full 16 unit stack?

If so, I never imagined using 16 units of the same type http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif Sounds pretty boring, so does 2-3 types.

Early Campaign:

2-3 Archers
2-3 Spears (not peasants)
2-3 MAA
2-3 CMAA
1-2 Horse Archers (Crossbows are very cool)
2-3 Heavy Cav

All armoured

A stack's composition will vary according to circumstances.

Balance, Balance, Balance

[Jaret]

The most effective Army I ever had was :

Line 1 : 4x Almuhgavars
Line 2 : 4x Longbowmen
Line 3 : 2x Gallowglass, 1x Billmen
Line 4 : 2x Mounted Sergants, 1x Jinettes (from Navarre)

( note : crusaders_unit_prod modded ) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I was under attack in Burgundia (me playing the english).
As the huge enemy force approached my line, my Longbows started to pepper them heavily. As they cam close to their charge range, my Almuhgavars started throwing Javelins into them. As both forces clashed together, the Gallowglass joined the 1st. line on both flanks, while the Billmen joined the Center. Both mounted Sergants circled around the flanks charging the enemy from both sides. The Jinettes moved arount into the enemys back and started to throw their Javelins. By that time the enemy started routing ... 90% of them were smite by the Jinettes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif .

[Musashi]

Yes, full stacks of 16. But you have to understand my tactics.

I use the half-square, half-hexagon, full-square, and full hexagon exclusively. Even on the offense. Because of this I need a lot of line troops, so I have 4-6 units of archers and 8-10 units of line troops as a minimum, with possibly 2 or so cav units, or else just two more units of line troops.

Exact composition depends on whether it's a campaign army or a defensive army (Or a floater...) but that's the general formula. I don't do fancy flanking manuevers, no tricky hiding in the trees. I just build a strong defensive formation and either let the enemy break against it if I'm on defense, or slowly advance it until I engage the enemy if I'm on offense.

It's yet to fail me.

-Musashi

[pdoan8]

I usually use 4 types of troop in each 16 units army: Spear, Melee (Shock, H2H), Missiles and Cavalry. Each type may have some variations depending on faction, fund, period, troops availability. Arty counts as special type. Army composition also vary depending on each situation. My basic balance army would be: 4 spears, 4 melee, 3 missile/mounted missile, 4 MC/HC/LC (or mounted missile for defense) and the commander.

[Musashi]

I find that at the high levels, spear units with the sole exception of SAPs are not as good defensively as the best shock troops, or the best shock/spear hybrids. VGs, for instance, will totally outperform any spear unit other than SAPs at repelling cavalry, and as a bonus will also annihilate any infantry unit you care to throw at them. Hybrids (Poleaxe users) such as Urban Militia, Militia Sergeants, Halberdiers, Billmen and JHI are far better than equivalent level spearmen at driving back heavy cav because of the armor piercing properties of their weapons. Urban Militia outperform peasants and normal spearmen, Militia Sergeants outperform Feudal (And even Chivalric) Sergeants, Halberds and Billmen absolutely decimate cavalry and can be relied upon to acquit themselves well against shock troops as well, and JHI, well, 'nuff said.

For that reason I rarely bring a split spear/shock force, but rather choose the best hybrid or shock unit I have and use them exclusively.

-Musashi

[FesterShinetop]

Well when is the Army Composition complexity Poll part II coming? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Seems most people use more than 4 types, as do I.

[rasoforos]

well the result was to be expected...

[Mr Frost]

I like to have the right tools for the right jobs .

Except for Byzantium or Alamohad , I like a strong spear line {the best 4 I can get} , then some anti-armour infantry {usually 2} , an allrounder to plug holes etc like a Man at Arms {2} , 4 of the best Bows/Crossbows{arbs} I can get {when I have Mounted Crossbow available in an early game , I substitute 2 foot archers for 2 of them} and four heavy hitting cavalry {best I can get} .

When Byzantine , it's 2 Kataphractoi {usually 1 is the carefully nurtured high ranked "decendant" of those uber generals the early Emperors spawn http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif} , 2 Pronoi Allegion , 2 Byzantine cavalry or 2 of four Tresibond Archer or Bulgarian Brigand , 2 Alan Cavalry if I can get them and even imagine the enemy might have a catapult , 4 Byzantine Infantry , 2 Varangian Guard Ubersoldats {http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif) and two Tresibond Archers or Bulgarian Brigands .

If Alamohad , I'll start out with Ghullam Bodyguards , AUM and Desert Archers , then after I have Spain I'll start getting some sophistication ... but I've not taken them very far yet for some reason , so I'll have to figure out what suits me best with them .

I'll adjust to specific situations before I commit to the end year button , but I never stray far from the total package army .

[A.Saturnus]

I just need heavy shock cav. There`s nothing more fun than charge anti-cav units in the back and run them down when they run. Of course arbs or crossbows are a must, but I also use mounted archers or - preferably - crossbows, cause I can wear down slower units whereever I want. I usually use big spearmen formations to take the main assault. Better spearmen units are large and usully hold out long against most foes. When a large fighting zone in the center occurs, I send in my MAA and the halberds that protect the flanks otherwise. That makes 6 unit-types. With muslim factions I use also skirmishers. This way, my army is always as flexible as possible.

[hoom]

Spears for a defensive line due to numbers and shields
Missiles behind normally 1 to 1 numerically with spears
2+ cav
Hybrid/polearms or anything else of a melee variety for strengthening/attacking weak spots.
Often due to the large numbers of different units available and the technology development, within each type there may be 2 or more different unit types.

[ick_of_pick]

Byzantine- 8x kataphaktoi, 8x klivinarioi

and thats it...