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View Full Version : Spearmen/Pikemen/whatever..need help!



Rowan11088
01-27-2003, 00:09
thought I'd repost here, the Newbie hall isn't giving me any answers.
OK, I think I must be using my spearmen and the like wrong. Right now I just got attacked out of the blue by the Hungarians and the Italians, and I have to fight against both of them at once. THey have a slight numerical advantage, but most of their army is archers, horse archers, mounted crossbowmen, etc. Anyway, I'm in Austria and have some sweet hills to mount a defense on. I set up my feudal sergeants in front in rows, 3-4 ranks deep like it says you should. I put the spearmen behind them as a last resort, put militia sergeants all around to charge with, and some peasants behind for good measure. I also have 80 archers in back. ANyway, as they charge up the hill at me (very steep), I have one group of feudal sergeants charge down at the militia sergeants. Easy victory, they get creamed. But then, when I have them charge at horse archers, my sergeants get creamed Why? it says they defend well against cavalry I thought maybe the problem was that they were charging at them instead of stricly "defending", so I let another group of mounted crossbowmen slam uphill into my feudal sergeants. The feudal sergeants didn't seem to really fight much. When I put my cursor over them they were "standing", not fighting, and it looked like only the first row was sort of fighting, and on top of that they were losing...what's with this? How do I get them to "defend" against cavalry?

Leet Eriksson
01-27-2003, 02:07
watch your militia and peasants if they start running then your serjants would tooalso counter cav archers with heavy cavalry when possible.i never really tried spearman against a cav archer unit,but from what you are saying its getting scary http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif

Lord Of Storms
01-27-2003, 03:08
Put your spearmen in a wedge formation and when they attack have them hold formation and watch what they do to those horse archers .

el_slapper
01-27-2003, 11:33
And look at the fatigue level. Once they have charged & wasted their first opponents, they're not that efficient anymore. Plys they're downhill, now.....

A.Saturnus
01-27-2003, 12:53
Wait a minute, mounted crossbows "slamming" into feudal sgts? I`ve never seen the AI do this. Even if their ammo is depleted they would try to flank you, sure it haven`t been knights? Or MAA with four legs? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

PS Have no answer but am Duke now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

econ21
01-27-2003, 13:38
I'm with Saturnus on this - what you describe is beyond anything I have experienced.
The way to beat horse archers is with foot archers (or fast light cav); I can't believe they will charge spears unless in extremis (no arrows etc).
Your spears can die if the enemy flanks you and you don't notice it; if they are "standing" in a fight, just select them and attack the unit that is fighting them.
When spears defend and use their rank bonuses, you should see the back ranks moving. Nonetheless, as one of the developers has recently said here, it is usually best to charge cav with spears and get the nice initial charge bonus. Align the unit correctly first, so as to benefit from the rank bonus.

Alrowan
01-27-2003, 14:12
hmmm.. another thing, try hold your line and let them come to you. Or for safer measures, take some light cav with you

Geoffrey_FiztRogers
01-27-2003, 15:49
also do not forget that if they are archers they are probably peppering your men with arrowsd and lowering there moral