A few questions need answering

[Michael the Great]

1)Does the wedge formation actually increase the speed and maneuvrabillity of the unit??
2)Does the king's traits affect every province of his country?
3)Wich is the best light cavalry and how is it best to use them(I'm not reffering to cav archers)?
4)How important do you think is the defender's advantage to choose the battle will take place?
5)Do u use heavy cavalry sometimes for charging the enemy frontally and breaking them,or only for flanking?
Same question 4 MAA.
6)On a defensive battle,is it better to bring only defensive troops, or to bring offensive units as well?
7)Do you find Naphta Throwers usefull?
8)Do you use archers in most of your armies in a campaign?
9)Is it better to put the spears to hold position or charge the enemy as he approaches with them??
10)In battles,do you find the huge unit size more difficult to play with?
11)Are Militia Sargents more usefull than Spearmen?
12)If I don't execute my captured prisoners,do they all get ransomed back,or do I fight some of them next time???
13)Where is the best position to place your heavy cavalry in your army(on the flanks,behind,in front)?
14)Have you ever witnessed a gun explodingin the hands of the man holding it? or an artillery piece?
And another thing,are cavalry more vulnerable to be hit by missle fire than infantry because of the mount?(I've always tried to figure this out http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif )

[Lord Of Storms]

Greetings Michael, lots of good questions, my suggestion would be to look in the table of contents pinned here in the Main Hall then whatever you dont get a clear answer on ask again... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Michael the Great]

Thanks there SOS,I already looked in the TOC and didn't find concludent answers








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

[Swoosh So]

Quote[/b] (Michael the Great @ Mar. 28 2003,16:20)]1)Does the wedge formation actually increase the speed and maneuvrabillity of the unit??
2)Does the king's traits affect every province of his country?
3)Wich is the best light cavalry and how is it best to use them(I'm not reffering to cav archers)?
4)How important do you think is the defender's advantage to choose the battle will take place?
5)Do u use heavy cavalry sometimes for charging the enemy frontally and breaking them,or only for flanking?
Same question 4 MAA.
6)On a defensive battle,is it better to bring only defensive troops, or to bring offensive units as well?
7)Do you find Naphta Throwers usefull?
8)Do you use archers in most of your armies in a campaign?
9)Is it better to put the spears to hold position or charge the enemy as he approaches with them??
10)In battles,do you find the huge unit size more difficult to play with?
11)Are Militia Sargents more usefull than Spearmen?
12)If I don't execute my captured prisoners,do they all get ransomed back,or do I fight some of them next time???

And another thing,are cavalry more vulnerable to be hit by missle fire than infantry because of the mount?(I've always tried to figure this out http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif )
1) Not sure if it does its not much.
2) yes
3) Any light cav with the fast trait, very usefull for chasing routed units as they tire less and also for pulling the enemy (ai) into that killing zone in front of your arbalisters, Also they can attack missle units that are pestering you and can break away from combat fast.
4)Very http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Always hide a few units in 1v1 battles the units get combat bonuses if recently hidden, also hill bonuses help but not as much as in shogun.
5)All the time http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif hvy cav are the strongest units in the game, make them 1 or two ranks deep and watch the enemy run from their frontal assault, spears are the exception dont charge them head on instead run the cav past them so that half of the cav units hits their front this will cause them to turn 45-90 degrees exposing a flank to your army (unless the unit is tightly packed side to side with other spears)
6)make no mistake in mtw offencive units rule the day (try some camels vs horses tho for a nice surprise) Remember even units like napatha are good in attack in the hands of the right player.
7) very helpful or a pain in the bum http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
8)never always crossbow or arb. (doesent mean u shouldent tho) I use archers if im muslim but not as european nations not even longbows.
9)Depends on what u want are the spears there just to delay the enemy or are you attacking?, example when someone charges your spears your spear line is longer than their units front line ie maa so two of their units may hit your spear unit thats 1 unit more than your opponent u have for a short time if your on hold formation the unit will last longer +1 def -1 att. Um i always have spears on hold formation unless im using them to flank or attack a unit thats already fighting one of mine
10)I find it more realistic as the ai somehow doesent look as stupid with thousands of men.
11) theyre cheaper and pack a punch but again it depends on the situation.
12)It depends if the ai wants the prisoners back if it does it will pay and u will have to fight them again, if not they play no further part in the game.
13)Oh were finished phew oh and yes cav are easier to hit but some are more heavily armoured reducing the chance of a kill http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


Swooooooooooosh

[Swoosh So]

Please note alot of the little tips i gave might not apply to single player much , as i was talking in terms of units with similar valor. If you cav rush in single player against an army of high valor peeps you will get bogged down and routed http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Orda Khan]

I'll try to answer some of your questions......

I don't use wedge formation.....mainly because I think it looks daft http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif I wouldn't advise this formation for your General's unit that's for certain but for a cav charge it works well, just unwedge them once the h2h starts.

Best light cav I would say is the Alan mercenary. Fast flanks and taking out stranded units and routers.

Even poor troops can defend frontal attacks to an extent but if you can draw their front line out of shape you may find gaps that can be exploited.

With all the rain at MTW I tend to ignore Naptha throwers, however in fine weather they can turn a battle.

Yes to archers and yes to some offensive units while defending.

With spear units it would depend on what spear unit it was, the circumstances at the time etc.. In general, on hold they can hold an onslaught for long enough for you to flank the enemy or whatever.

I like the larger units ( ie default unit size ) 100 men units are great, in fact I would like to see Horse archer units increased in size http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif At 40 men they simply can't present a real threat so maybe 60 would give them a bit more 'presence'. In fact an 80 man Horse archer unit could present a real problem for arbs which would make a pleasant change, though perhaps 60 would be the better size balance wise.

I think Militia Sergeants are more versatile than Spearmen.

Your last point is very interesting as I have often thought cav die faster than infantry though I can neither confirm nor deny this

......Orda

[Michael the Great]

Quote[/b] (Orda Khan @ Mar. 28 2003,12:49)]just unwedge them once the h2h starts.
I would strongly recommend not to do this while engaged coz the losses while be much bigger while your men try to assume the formation.
I wonder why teh wedge gives the attack bonus,i mean the defence bonus hold formation gives seemes normal,with each man supporting eachother,but why an attack bonus of this size just for aligning consecutive rows of men in increasing size(also known as a wedge)???

[Praylak]

Ok Mike, here’s my attempt…

1) This may sound strange, but I only use the wedge formation for moving many individual units around into certain positions. With one key strike, a long formation quickly condenses into a tight triangular unit making it easier to negotiate other troops around each other. I play with large unit numbers so it’s much quicker and simpler to hit the W and C keys than dragging out new formations all the time.

2) The best answer for this question would be… Yes.

3) Personal preference. Take your pick from a dozen types. The more it can do, the better. So a fast, mounted archer, with at least a half decent melee output is ideal. It all depends on what kind of role you want in a light cavalry unit. Good charge, good melee, fast, arrow, xbow, etc. There’s one for every pleasure and style.

4) It can be a significant advantage depending on the conditions of the battle. For example, a defender could have the highest steepest hill in the world, with the best of missile and defensive troops camping ontop. But this is little comfort if the attacker opens the engagement with half a dozen culverins.

5) No I don’t. First I’ll distract or tie-up anything that can threaten my heavy boys, then I let loose the goods. This way I can maximize their ability while reducing the risk of casualties for it. On the other side of things, if the target is isolated or somehow unprotected (skirmishers, archers, etc) sure I’ll run them down head on. There’s a time and moment in every battle where any given unit type is at its prime to act or react. Knowing the difference is key. (Napoleon knows what I’m saying here)

6) A defensive battle fought with only defensive troops is a death warrant IMHO. Battle is fluid and a good attacker will exploit a defenders inability to counter attack in one of a multitude of ways. A balanced army that can both defend and attack, and are commanded by a leader who knows when those times are in a battle will be more successful.

7) They cause too much stress for me, so I tend not to use them. This does not mean they can’t be used with great success, don’t get wrong. Guy’s running around all over the map with pots full of gunpowder freaks me out, that’s all. When I face them in battle, I make max effort to dispose of them quickly and as safely as possible.

8) Yes I do. They are but one of many components that make up my armies. Mind you, there are many types of archers. Some have more than one role.

9) Again it depends on the situation and conditions of the battle. If the rear of an opponent is exposed, and the spearmen are in a position to cause fatalities without compromising their role in the battle, stick the pigs I say. If their role is to protect sensitive units that stand behind their line and cavalry are bearing down, then they stand and hold their ground.

10) To some degree it is I suppose, but like anything you develop tactics and strategies to deal with it, like I noted in # 1 for example.

11) As I already noted, it depends. Generally speaking I would say no. If cavalry are bearing down on me I get more comfort in having a line of spears to greet them with. Besides not all factions get Militia Sergeants. Are we biased here or what? (kidding)

12) Usually I like the cash flow it gives. But if my opponent has angered me, red throats for all.

13) They always start behind, then work they’re way out to one side or the other. Putting them out front is like advertising to your opponent, “Hey, anyone with a spear or long pointy thing that would surely disembowel me and my horse, come over here please”.

14) I can’t say for certain. I don’t use gunners much in M:TW, and I have yet to see a cannon suicide itself. Maybe it’s more frequent on playing expert difficulty?

15) I absolutely believe so. They are a bigger target, and even if the rider has a shield, the horse can’t use it. Technically speaking, I can’t be certain but from my experience in the game I would say 99% yes.

[Swoosh So]

As a note as you seem to play single player, 4 arbalisters and 3-4 spears + a few cav should be able to beat almost anything.

[Orda Khan]

If you wish to leave your unit in wedge whilst in melee carry on...watch them die

....Orda

[ichi]

Michael:

Good questions, I'll focus on 8 (archers) and 13 (where to put cav).

Archers: I SP I almost always build a watchtower as soon as I take a province, so I can see what is in nearby forces. When the enemy has 1) lots of infantry, 2) few archers, 3) and few cav then I load up on archers (or crossbows or pavs, especially cav archers). When you start to pepper AI with arrows they charge, but my archers just fall back, regroup, and pepper. When AI gets extended I use my infantry to mop up.

Cav: I put my cav on the flanks, and use the shift key to have them swing wide then smash from flank or rear. If I'm in trouble in the middle they can also dash in to support infantry, but this is expensive.

ichi

[Michael the Great]

ichi,thanks 4 the answer,what archers are you reffering to(I imagine not vanilla archers http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif) pavise xbow, arbalest ?
Also,I use the wedge mostly when flanking,coz it doesn't have a too great effect frontally(altough i SHOULD,especially with knights and lances&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

[ichi]

Michael:

Early in SP or when fighting clansmen or Kerns or other simple folk the vanilla archers do work well. Pavs can be too slow, so they require a little more technique 'cause they won't outrun unarmored foot soldiers.

One of my favorite units is the Mamluk Horse Archer. Fast, can fight, brave.

icihi

[GilJaysmith]

Some of the bigger cannon were supposed to run the risk of self-destruction (if you look at the projectilestats.txt file you'll see the details) but it turns out that we accidentally removed that feature just before release. Oops It's been reinstated for Vikings, so if for the last six months you've been relying on siege cannon to blow away the opposition, you'll need a new tactic...

[NateEngle]

Quote[/b] (Michael the Great @ Mar. 28 2003,11:20)]1)Does the wedge formation actually increase the speed and maneuvrabillity of the unit??
2)Does the king's traits affect every province of his country?
3)Wich is the best light cavalry and how is it best to use them(I'm not reffering to cav archers)?
4)How important do you think is the defender's advantage to choose the battle will take place?
5)Do u use heavy cavalry sometimes for charging the enemy frontally and breaking them,or only for flanking?
Same question 4 MAA.
6)On a defensive battle,is it better to bring only defensive troops, or to bring offensive units as well?
7)Do you find Naphta Throwers usefull?
8)Do you use archers in most of your armies in a campaign?
9)Is it better to put the spears to hold position or charge the enemy as he approaches with them??
10)In battles,do you find the huge unit size more difficult to play with?
11)Are Militia Sargents more usefull than Spearmen?
12)If I don't execute my captured prisoners,do they all get ransomed back,or do I fight some of them next time???
13)Where is the best position to place your heavy cavalry in your army(on the flanks,behind,in front)?
14)Have you ever witnessed a gun explodingin the hands of the man holding it? or an artillery piece?
And another thing,are cavalry more vulnerable to be hit by missle fire than infantry because of the mount?(I've always tried to figure this out http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif )
1) Not appreciably. For marching I form columns - it keeps units out of each other's way.
2) yes
3) I like steppe cav myself, but really I can make do with anything besides Saharans.
4) critical, although you need to be careful to pick units
that match available terrain features (mainly polearms in woods).
5) I rarely use heavy cav - usually too expensive for what it does. I do use MAA, but mainly as a way to break up enemy foot with spears, or to fight head-to-head with enemy swordsmen.
6) depends on terrain and opposing force. Typically I'll have 1 or 2 light cav for pursuit, and the rest mixed between polearms and missile troops.
7) not very. While in some cases they can be very powerful, in most cases they never get a shot off before
the enemy cav butcher them.
8) Yes, although I shift to arbalests and longbows as soon as possible.
9) Depends on the enemy, but it's fair to note that you'll never get a charge bonus unless you charge. Charging downhill gives you lots of inertia.
10) I dunno. I've always just stuck with standard unit sizes.
11) yes, definitely. 60 militia sergeants will make mincemeat of 100 spearmen.
12) depends on whether the enemy has money and wants them back. You can definitely end up fighting them again.
13) near the wings, ready to swing wide and do flanking manuevers.
14) I've had a bombard explode on me. Unpleasant but not that terrible.
As far as cavalry being hit by arrows, my experience is that they make great targets as long as you aren't firing low-penetration missiles against heavily armored troops. As a general rule foot archers can out-shoot cavalry, so in most cases I'd rather have the footmen.

[Kensai Achilles]

Quote (Michael the Great,Mar. 30 2003,11:40)
.... Also,I use the wedge mostly when flanking,coz it doesn't have a too great effect frontally(altough i SHOULD,especially with knights and lances&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

Best not to flank in wedge. As a start, flanking can give -6 morale damage to the flanked unit, -5 def for the squeezed enemy plus upto +7 attack for the flanker. There are some more modifiers involved here, especially when flanking with cavs. Check crand's note somewhere in jousting field i think, i don't remember and click here too for morale modifiers (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=3669).

So the important idea of flanking is to inflict max morale/defense damage while maximizing attack/morale bonus. A single unit in a thin formation can envelope a few flanked units all at once, still win easily and do the job most efficiently. Especially with lancers. Enveloping also means threatening from every flanks, hence more morale damage plus attack bonus. If we use wedge formation, we only attack one side, thus missing other bonuses, plus risk exposing wedge unit's flank. Wedge is just too compact and innefficient for this purpose, not too mention reduced defense while in wedge. Once enemy units begin routing, wedge unit can be somewhat looks off guard and killed by charging router. Also a flanked unit while in wedge formation means disaster. I often see fresh SP (single player) players done this in MP (multi player) games, ended up hurting themselves and their allies. If I may suggest try not to depend on wedge if anyone is going to play MP games soon. Anyhow it's just my humble opinion.

About archers, any archer is usefull both in SP or MP games after a bit of practice. Well maybe basic archers are a bit delicate. I'm only illustrating the SP aspect here. Archers are very useful in damaging the morale of units. If we can deplete units by 50% that's -8 morale damage. Figting under fire thats -2 morale, losing when figting thats upto -8 morale (upto -14 vs cav), also outnumbered etc. So if archers r used properly their fast volleys (faster than arbs) can deplete enemy units fast and route them real quick after the initial melee is started. Sometimes the melee units don't even have to fight. Mind friendly fire though. The notes say that under -16 morale threshold a unit will route. (Again check those two combat modifiers posts above)

My fave units in SP games are archers (preferably mounted archers). Send a whole load of them then route them after out of ammo, send in another wave etc. The mele units will route AI units fast this way with less casualties on human side. This strategy works best when attacking though, since AI units are famous for being idle and not doing anything much when defending. When defending against AI its a bit different archers are usefull for repelling incoming units, so longbows are quite useful here.

disscussion about MP players fave archers (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=18;t=4296;st=0)


Cheers hope this helps http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

edited: link correction plus misleading typo http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

[insolent1]

7. they r great but make sure u take them off fire at will as a unit of my NT's blew up my general once when i wasn't paying attention to that particular part of the melee http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[Satyr]

Be careful with militia seargents, they have good attack but if the intent is to hold against a cav charge, they will collapse and rout almost immediately, while a unit of spears will still be standing. I much prefer maa instead, unless playing muslim factions of course.