The Vikings : good against what ?

[Draksen]

If u play as Danemark, you can, as soon as u have a fort, create Vikings. It seems to be a good advantage, especially at the beginning of the campaign. But later ?

Compared to other infantry, how do they "behave" on the battle field ? are they strong, with good moral ... ?

How do you use them ? How many viking-units do you use in your armies ?

Are they still viable later in the game ?

[pdoan8]

Their greatest advantage is mass number early in the game. Train them in Norway for the +1 valour then retrain them in Sweden for the weapon upgrades.

Stats wise, Vikings are FMAA with less armour and defend but twice as brave and have AP capability. Good Viking, who have earned some valours in combat, still can beat FMAA, Feudal Sergeant in the Mid stage of the game. If under a good general and fully upgraded, these good Vikings can put up a good fight with the later armoured combatants (where the Vikings take advantage of their AP capability).

Once I have access to CMAA, I would stop training new Viking unless for other use such as in an emergency situation or to add some number to the garrison/invasion force.

Early, I use as many Vikings as I can train.
Mid (when FMAA available), I use 2/3 FMAA and 1/3 Vikings.
Late (when CMAA available), mostly CMAA and FMAA with a couple of Vikings as fast flankers.

[Cooperman]

I use vikings anytime I want a unit to carve up the center of the enemies infanty formations while sending more valuable units round the flanks, they are cheap, easily replaceable and very effective.

[Leet Eriksson]

well i treat them much like i do with ghazi infantry.They are a bit slower though.

[Lion King]

i use them as cannon fooder, just like any other high morale cheap unit, i send them to stop the enemy moving into my archers, and while they slug it out i send a rain of arrows/bombs from my 10 or so missile units. the poor vikings die, but so does the whole enemy army that surrounded them. if there are any survivors, send some more vikings and repeat the process.
this is in Mythic TW, of course, where archers actually kill ppl.

[Nelson]

Vikings are cheap and as easy to get as peasants. They are a real bargain for the Danes, being useful in all periods.

[MizuKokami]

in early period, vikings are the bomb. can be built with just a fort, and are one of the strongest units in early period. as the danish, you can build them in every province you get, so you become capable of unleashing a flood of men through out the world. it's for this reason that inspite of the fact the danish start with only one province, and only a fort and baily, and not a keep like most factions start with, it was my easiest campaign so far. viking even do well against royal knights of the early period.

[Al Qasim Hussein]

I bribed various viking units long long ago in my HRE campaign and still have a goodly number of them left. It's well after 1200 and I still have them charge madly into other units w/ success. Of course their valor is pretty high now, and w/ some high star generals I've seen some impressive stuff.

I had a unit of about 45 Vikings (don't know valor, 6-star general) that took out a unit of 50-60 Byzantine infantry. I just threw the Vikes at them to hold them off while I was doing other things, and when I observed them next it was Vikings still in the high 30's, Byz.Inf. in middle teens and running for their lives. I was so impressed I promptly sent them charging into the rear of the units engaging my infantry along the 'main' battle lines. I cannot remember their success there, but I usually give my units a 'breather', or at least the chance to get in better position before striking again.