Taisho unit preference

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Just curious as to what unit people put there taisho in and why as I've seen a wide variety, from kensai to cavalry archers.

Personally I prefer to use yari samurai. They are cheap and so it doesn't cost much to upgrade them to 6 or 7 honor, which gives them enough morale to ensure that they don't rout to easily. Yari samurai are vulnerable to shock troops but it is pretty easy to avoid them. I usually keep him out of the main battle and put him on the flanks to protect from cavalry.

What unit do you use and why?

[Celtlan]

Yes id noticed you do that Shinano.
my ninjas sorted him out though lol

Personnaly I like my general to be a unit of Yari Cav. This means i can rush him over to a weak spot where units are wavering quickly if needed sometimes makes a difference with his moral boost. Also use him to chase down fleeing troups but try to keep him back from the battle if I can although this does not always work.
I did start MP with using a HC unit as Tashio but as I used it for blocking charging H2H units to protect my Missile units I had him run away quite a lot.

Of course it would be interesting to have general as a unit of ninja but of course they then cant disapear with a generals flag in the middle of them so sort of defeats the object of them.

[Vlad The Impaler]

I think that is a must to have the general mounted.I personally prefer Cavalry Archers if i wan speed or Heavy Cavalry if i want power http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

Ninja as an general isnt invisible even in woods.

[Nowake]

it depends, but NC or plain naginata are the best. armoured. the naginata can't retreat fast though
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[TosaInu]

Konnichiwa,

I used something like a H5 Ysam in STW (5-7k battles).
A very good unit, doesn't have to be exposed to danger 'like' warriormonks and nods and does stand up vs flanking/ backstabbing enemy cav, unlike archers. Sometimes a H3/4 Naginata was used. Didn't like the Hcav in STW: expensive, slow and not that strong.

WE/MI 1.02. Mostly a H3 Hcav. Good morale, good defense and mobile. Used as backup and final punch.
When attacking a H4/5 NagCav does sometimes replace the Hcav. The NC is a great unit, but dies rather fast (my gen is usually the first). Used more offensively.

WE/MI 1.03. Almost always H3 Hcav. Sometimes H3/4 Naginata inf.

[Celtlan]

Very interesting.
Had never even considered Naginata. mind you i dont like them much anyway. too slow, die so easily to muskets and seemed a bit of a bunch of Donkeys lol

I suppose your general choice will depend on what you want to use him for and what your overall stratagy plan of attack/defence is.

Id be interested to hear about anyone's experiences of using a Kensi as a general. Although that would seem a bit expensive to me but i bet he does not die easily.

What are the benefits to the generals unit for having him there?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Now that I think about it, I stopped using Heavy Cavalry once I started fighting in a lot more big battles (3v3, 4v4) because there is not enough room to manuever and so cavalry is not as usefull. I somehow got into the habit and started using him in 1v1s as well when cavalry would really have been more useful.

I suppose Taisho unit type depends on map, # of players, and whether you are attacking or defending.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Would a poll be appropriate for this topic? I remember reading somewhere that polls should be used sparingly.

[Ithaskar Fëarindel]

Naginata inf, was my general since MI release and longer through STW. I didn't mind low speed, my whole army was slow so it didn't matter.

[Mori Zennousha]

as a few of you know, i've experimented with quite a few different taisho units, including YS, YC, CA, HC, NC, NI, ND and WM... honestly, i think that in the right situation, and under the right general (which, too often, i am not heh heh), all of them can be excellent taishos....

that said, i have had great fun with Kensai generals lately with armor upgrades (all the way, if possible), and a modest honor upgrade, a Kensai general is like an incredibly pissed-off hornet, attacking everything it sees http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif as noted in the "maps, anyone?" thread, i had one Kensai general personally kill 117 enemy units before he finally got shot... and most of those kills were after the rest of the army had been dispatched; it was just him vs ND's, YS's, YC, HC, and muskets... and he was dropping them all, cavalry and infantry alike, one right after another... it was quite a sight to see...

Battlefield Ninja are an intriguing possiblity as well, although it has been noted that, as taisho, a ninja unit would forfeit its invaluable stealth feature...

*bows*
Z

[Oaty]

I prefer to use taishos as units that can get into the heat of the battle in most situations, so I usually dont use archers and cavalry since archers dont do well in melee in most cases. I dont use cavalry since it would not be a good unit to send into the woods. I prefer YS's and No-dachis

[AggonyShim2]

if defending with 10K i use yari sam 7h. if attacking 10K i use NagCav 5h. a nag cav gen being throw into combat can mean everything to the men who fight for him.

[bighairyman]

heavy cavalry all the way http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Nowake]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ June 28 2003,13:05)]Konnichiwa,

I used something like a H5 Ysam in STW (5-7k battles).
A very good unit, doesn't have to be exposed to danger 'like' warriormonks and nods and does stand up vs flanking/ backstabbing enemy cav, unlike archers. Sometimes a H3/4 Naginata was used. Didn't like the Hcav in STW: expensive, slow and not that strong.

WE/MI 1.02. Mostly a H3 Hcav. Good morale, good defense and mobile. Used as backup and final punch.
When attacking a H4/5 NagCav does sometimes replace the Hcav. The NC is a great unit, but dies rather fast (my gen is usually the first). Used more offensively.

WE/MI 1.03. Almost always H3 Hcav. Sometimes H3/4 Naginata inf.
I know what you mean, same preferences http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I just watched a replay with AMP in it and noticed that he used honor 0 Battlefield ninja for his taisho. He didn't use it in the fight at all, just left it in some woods at the back of the map (he was attacking). Interesting...I suppose it removes any possibility of your taisho being killed in battle. Also, instead of spending around 1000 koku on a taisho, you only spend 300. Although I believe having your taisho close to your troops gives them a morale bonus...not sure how much of a bonus though, does anyone know exactly how much?

[TenkiSoratoti]

I use Nag cavs for my taisho all the time, they act as they final blow, or my desperation blow http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Just sneak 'em off round the back and thin them out and just tell them to attack at will on the fighting enemy, but i always keep some yari spare just in casethe enemy is doing the same with his/her general and so i have one disengaged unit all the time.

There is though, one little thing that annoys me. It often loses me the fight, the fact that cavalry even when fresh seem to walk when you tell them to run (CTRL-R), this is truly odd so they walk away form some raging muskies, and thye get shot to bits http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif.

TS

[Major Robert Dump]

Yari Cav, Cav Archer with wep upgrade or Yari Sam. Kensai if I am feeling giddy, and Naginata if I dont think I'll be moving much....a v4-5 nag is damn hard to kill

[Ithaskar Fëarindel]

H4 or more Nag Inf is an elite unit... it at H4 the Nag.Inf starts to lose its main weakness, low morale.

Best to use all one level of honour, ie all H2.

[TenkiSoratoti]

Shogun rules, simple as that

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

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Hmm...It's interesting how preferances can change ver suddenly. Soon after posting this I began using an hon 3 heavy cav but now I always use an hon 4 nag cav for my taisho in 1.02 and an hon 3 nag cav in 1.03.

[Sjakihata]

I like to use cav as my general. They are fast dynamic, and can avoid being cought. Also I use cav. archers, because when the main battle begins, the general can still fight, using his arrow, then they are empty comes the time for flanking.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

TogakureOjonin

Mercenary




Group: Junior Patron
Posts: 5
Joined: Sep. 2003
Sacramento, CA, USA Posted: Sep. 13 2003,16:37

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In the Sword Dojo on 6/27 SHINANO asked: "Just curious as to what unit people put there taisho in and why ..."

Heavy Cavalry here. Why? They have the best combination of qualities needed by a Taisho: mobility, strong defense/armor, strong attack.

A caveat is attacking in heavily wooded provinces. Here I prefer a Naginata taisho. Mobility & attack are significantly less, but are made up for by a very strong defense/armor rating. I let the WMs, NDs, & BFNs do the work in the woods.