Archers in wedge formation?

[Psyco]

Something that i have often wondered http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif is if the wedge formation is good for archers. The front rank of the archers are better, so wouldn't the wedge make you have more men in the front, but in a compact design (only $300 after rebate).
does anybody know if this is right or not?

[PoLsKa_HuSaRiA]

Wedge formations for archers aren't good in my opinion, because less archers will be able to fire at one time. If you have a solid line of 2-3 ranks deep, more archers are likely to get a shot in. Keeping them in wedge will only allow the first few ranks to fire. If the enemy is charging your archers, you want all of them to get at least one or two shots in before they hit. So by having a wedge formation, you limit the amount of archers that can fire at opposing forces...

[Lord Of Storms]

I agree with PH you want to have maximum exposure to your ranks of archers I would think think the wedge to confining for them to get off a good volley. I think that formation is best for spear and pikemen they also get rank and formation bonus . Personally I like to spread my archers to 2 lines on either side of my battlefield (in defensive positon) Then I bait my enemy and they would have to run the gauntlet of my archers (provided they take the bait I offer and I also need to protect the archers)but the 2 lines seems to work for me... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[econ21]

I don't know how it works in the game (and suspect wedge is not so good) but IIRC the English longbowmen did use the wedge formation at Agincourt and maybe some other Hundred Year War battles.

[Praylak]

Quote[/b] (Simon Appleton @ Mar. 03 2003,10:48)]I don't know how it works in the game (and suspect wedge is not so good) but IIRC the English longbowmen did use the wedge formation at Agincourt and maybe some other Hundred Year War battles.

Yes, they in fact did to great success. But, this particuliar wedge formation was much different than what we know of it in the game as it was a combination formation of dismounted knights, Longbowmen, and even a few primative early hand canons. They're were other elements too that are not modeled in the game that made thier wedge formation successful. They made pot holes all over the forward fields to cripple cavalry. You can imagined what happens to a charging horse that drops a foot in such a hole.

[Kraxis]

Having played the Agincourt- and longbowloving Shadewolf plenty of times, I can safely say that archers in Wedge are dangerous enough. They fire if not as much then only slightly less in each volley. Naturally the chance for a man standing in the way is much greater, thus accuracy is a little worse, but the arrows fall in a much more dense pattern.
In Wedge the archers don't fill as much in your army, so it is a great formation of you have many archers compared to the other troops protecting them, this way they will be much easier to protect.

The main downside to archers in Wedge is that the formation is inherently very dense, and thus the archers themselves become easy targets for enemy archers/crossbows.

Also the formation makes the already weak archers weaker in melee if they are charged by cavalry. But this should be easy to counter or of no consequence (if the cav manages to charge the archers you are basically losing anyway).

Thus I can say it is a good formation at times, but not when you face other archers firing at them. And don't put your crossbows in Wedge, that destroys their power.

[ShadesWolf]

Wedge formation for archers are awesome....

The larger the battle is the better they get.

I generally use a 8 v 8 split and place at least 6 of my longbows in wedge formation. I then place the remaining 2 in a two deep line formation.

These initially stand infront of my line of bills or other foot soldiers. As the enemy approach, they fire as they have a better range than most.

I then pull them back through the holes inbetween the foot soldiers to continue the fight.

However, one word of warning. You must have a good front line of defenders that will not run, if your spearmen or bills run then the archers follow suite.

But generally in a 3v3 the tactic works great.

I have played a 2v1 against Tarrak(Kraxis) and Flanders and won, so it cant be that bad a tactic.....