DoggFood
04-29-2003, 19:31
Why choose missile troops?
In a 15k game your melee units should cost you on average 1200-1500 florins. Your average missile unit however, will cost on average 175-450 florins. So by choosing missile units you're actually saving money that can be spent on more upgrades for melee units.
What type of missile troops are there?
There's three distinct classes of missile troops archers, arblasters/crowsbows, and pavise units.
Archers units can beat enemy missile troops that don't have pavise but will lose roughly 1/2 to 3/4 of their numbers and will be low or out of ammo. Troops with pavise can wipe out an archer troop with minor loses. Archers do have 1 advantage that they is can fire over enemy troops because their shot goes up and then down at an arch when firing. But this causes the speed of their arrows in flight to be slower which can make it difficult to hit running cavalry.
Arbalester/crossbow units fire at a slow rate of speed but have powerful shots. They have longer range then archers and carry more ammo. Crossbow units have shorter range and a weaker shot then arbalesters. The can hold out against pavise units for a while but will eventually fall because of the defense of a pavise unit is higher.
Pavise units carry large man-sized shields, it lowers their moving speed but is a great defense against missile fire. They can beat all other missile classes with little losses they carry plenty of ammo but tire quickly if their forced to move.
How many should I get and what to upgrade them with?
Three to four missile units is what I recommend, expect on steppe land I always take four. Upgrading a missile troop's weapon will increase his attack by 1 but that only applies to hand to hand attacks not missile attacks, armor is a cheap upgrade and it increases the defense of the unit by one and will protect against all attacks, valor increases his attack and defense by 1, (much like an armor and weapon upgrade would do) their moral by 2 and reduces the time it takes that unit to reload it's missile weapon. Armor is the best upgrade to take because you can easily upgrade a unit 3 times cheaply but it will cost more to upgrade if the unit already has valor upgrades. If you want to give your troops valor upgrades give them 2 this will give them a good defense and a fast shot but it's expensive.
What formations should I use when battling other archers?
A missile unit can fire more accurately if every man in the unit has a clear line of sight on the enemy. So by stretching your missile lines into a 2 deep formation every man can see their targets and won't have to shoot over top of the man in front of them.(note pavise/crossbow units can fire with a small disadvantage at 3 ranks deep any more ranks then that and some rows of men wont be able to fire) Clicking the loose formation button reduces the amount of damage that unit will take from missile fire BUT only if that units ranks or lines do not run into another missile troop lines. Against archer fire loose formation will greatly reduce losses while against arblaster/crosswbow fire it will only make a minor impact. A good time to use loose formation is when 2 or more enemy missile troops are firing at just 1 of your troops. Also use loose formation on the flanks of your missile formation and spread them out so their not running into other friendly missile troops.
Get an angle when firing on enemy pavise units.
A pavise shield best deflects shots when they’re coming straight on. Getting an angle on them when firing can earn you a few extra kills.
How to stop cavalry from killing your missile troops.
Be watching for any cavalry movement by the enemy when engaged in a missile fight. Be sure to watch fast cavalry especially. As soon as his cavalry pushes past his own missile line send your cavalry quickly in the direction he's going at your missile troops. Your cavalry should be placed at start in a position where it is NOT tucked behind any infantry unit so they can quickly make their way to intercept enemy cavalry. A second defense against enemy cavalry is your own missile troops. If that enemy cavalry has taken to many loses from your missile troops while trying to attack your missile units it may rout before it even makes it too your lines.(obviously the less valor the attacking cavalry has, the better) A combination of archers and pavise units work well when employing this strategy.
How to get a little extra range out of missile units.
Units fire farther when shooting from a hill. Also units will fire farther if you select them and command them to fire at an enemy unlike leaving them sit and wait till the enemy gets in range.
In a 15k game your melee units should cost you on average 1200-1500 florins. Your average missile unit however, will cost on average 175-450 florins. So by choosing missile units you're actually saving money that can be spent on more upgrades for melee units.
What type of missile troops are there?
There's three distinct classes of missile troops archers, arblasters/crowsbows, and pavise units.
Archers units can beat enemy missile troops that don't have pavise but will lose roughly 1/2 to 3/4 of their numbers and will be low or out of ammo. Troops with pavise can wipe out an archer troop with minor loses. Archers do have 1 advantage that they is can fire over enemy troops because their shot goes up and then down at an arch when firing. But this causes the speed of their arrows in flight to be slower which can make it difficult to hit running cavalry.
Arbalester/crossbow units fire at a slow rate of speed but have powerful shots. They have longer range then archers and carry more ammo. Crossbow units have shorter range and a weaker shot then arbalesters. The can hold out against pavise units for a while but will eventually fall because of the defense of a pavise unit is higher.
Pavise units carry large man-sized shields, it lowers their moving speed but is a great defense against missile fire. They can beat all other missile classes with little losses they carry plenty of ammo but tire quickly if their forced to move.
How many should I get and what to upgrade them with?
Three to four missile units is what I recommend, expect on steppe land I always take four. Upgrading a missile troop's weapon will increase his attack by 1 but that only applies to hand to hand attacks not missile attacks, armor is a cheap upgrade and it increases the defense of the unit by one and will protect against all attacks, valor increases his attack and defense by 1, (much like an armor and weapon upgrade would do) their moral by 2 and reduces the time it takes that unit to reload it's missile weapon. Armor is the best upgrade to take because you can easily upgrade a unit 3 times cheaply but it will cost more to upgrade if the unit already has valor upgrades. If you want to give your troops valor upgrades give them 2 this will give them a good defense and a fast shot but it's expensive.
What formations should I use when battling other archers?
A missile unit can fire more accurately if every man in the unit has a clear line of sight on the enemy. So by stretching your missile lines into a 2 deep formation every man can see their targets and won't have to shoot over top of the man in front of them.(note pavise/crossbow units can fire with a small disadvantage at 3 ranks deep any more ranks then that and some rows of men wont be able to fire) Clicking the loose formation button reduces the amount of damage that unit will take from missile fire BUT only if that units ranks or lines do not run into another missile troop lines. Against archer fire loose formation will greatly reduce losses while against arblaster/crosswbow fire it will only make a minor impact. A good time to use loose formation is when 2 or more enemy missile troops are firing at just 1 of your troops. Also use loose formation on the flanks of your missile formation and spread them out so their not running into other friendly missile troops.
Get an angle when firing on enemy pavise units.
A pavise shield best deflects shots when they’re coming straight on. Getting an angle on them when firing can earn you a few extra kills.
How to stop cavalry from killing your missile troops.
Be watching for any cavalry movement by the enemy when engaged in a missile fight. Be sure to watch fast cavalry especially. As soon as his cavalry pushes past his own missile line send your cavalry quickly in the direction he's going at your missile troops. Your cavalry should be placed at start in a position where it is NOT tucked behind any infantry unit so they can quickly make their way to intercept enemy cavalry. A second defense against enemy cavalry is your own missile troops. If that enemy cavalry has taken to many loses from your missile troops while trying to attack your missile units it may rout before it even makes it too your lines.(obviously the less valor the attacking cavalry has, the better) A combination of archers and pavise units work well when employing this strategy.
How to get a little extra range out of missile units.
Units fire farther when shooting from a hill. Also units will fire farther if you select them and command them to fire at an enemy unlike leaving them sit and wait till the enemy gets in range.