Bribing Allies Army

[Game Over!!!]

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day...for those of you who celebrated it.

I have a couple of questions:
1. If you bribe a faction's army that is allied to you are you effectively at war with that faction if the army accepts the bribe?

2. What date are cannons allowed to be produced? Is it in the late or high era i.e.; 1320 or something like that.

Next question is a bit long...Playing Byz empire on expert and the date is 1298. I've destroyed the Turks, Egyptians, and Golden Horde.
3. What unit composition, fighting Catholic units, have people played that give them a chance at beating Catholic units. Everytime I knock heads with the English I lose miserably or barely beat them. I've tried several different mixes of units in my armies and none seem to work. Anybody with experience playing Byz and beating Catholic armies would be greatly appreciated. i.e.; heavy on barney's or VG or TA or ???

Thanks...eagerly awaiting responses...tired of throwing armies away attacking English.

[HawaiianHobbit]

I only have the answer to your first question and it's no, unless there is another army in the provence.

[mercian billman]

Gunpowder was discovered in 1260 so you can produce cannons around 1266 I believe

To fight Catholics I like to have my armies composed of:

4 Byzantine Infantry
2 Varagnian Guard
3 Trebizond Archers or Bulgarian Brigands
2 Pronai Allagion
1 Khatapraktoi
2-3 Byzantine Cavalry

I put my Byzantine Cavalry ahead of my main formation I use them as skirmishers, hope fully a elite unit will chase after them.

My main formation consists of a line of Byzantine infantry Behind them I place my trebs or bulgars, and behind them is a line of VGs. I use my Pronai Allagion to cover my flanks, and keep my unit of Khatapraktoi in reserve. Some people put their VGs in front to support their Napthas, I like to use them to exploit weaknesses in the enemy or to shore up my own lines if need be. It's really a personal preference where you place your VGs.

When your trebs or bulgars have run out of arrows use them with your PAs to flank the enemy, while your doing this have your kats charge home in the center of the line. If you've payed attention to your Byz cav they should be peppering the enemies reserves.

What types of catholics are you facing CMAA, FMAA, or knights?

[Cheetah]

Arbalests, arbalests and arbalests. At least x-bows. The AI is not very bright when it comes to ranged war, so try to bring more ranged units into the battle than your AI opponent. Delay hand-to hand fighting as long as possible and shoot valuable enemy units such as knights and MAA.

[ichi]

Billman is right on with his answer. I use a slightly different mix.

Make as many VG as you can in Early and High, 'cause you lose them in Late. Make your Byz Inf in provinces that have valor upgrades buildings. Barneys have low morale and need to have a high valor gen and all the valor you can make 'em with.

Kataphraktoi Gen
2 Pavs
3 Byz Inf V4
4 VG V2
4 Pronoiai Allagion V2
2 Byz Cav or Naptha

Use porno cav or BLancers for reinforcements.

Get high quality Catholic mercs, they can fill out a Byz army.

ichi

[motorhead]

Quote[/b] (ichi @ Nov. 29 2003,03:06)]
Use porno cav or BLancers for reinforcements.


Don't you mean Pr0n cav? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[FoundationII]

It's quit hard to beat the AI in a game on expert because his morale bonus, just bring a larger army and overwhelm them should be easy because the Catolics are divided, I would beat them with politics: divide et impera, try to make two (or more) alliances who battle each other, and try to have only 1 enemy yourself (you can do that by asking every faction for an alliance, some will accept some won't, then attack the enemy with the least allies and so on until you have beaten all enemies and then start to divide your allies)

[FoundationII]

Your income is probably much higher than the Catholics because of your territory.
The Catholics don't have that good archers, horse archers and Cavalry, but they do have good infantry:
Try to bring more of these units, but bring some byz inf too because you might have to counter spears.
The best tactic you can use is to shoot 1 unit with your archers (general is best) if you shoot half an enemy unit that unit loses major morale (if you kill the general the whole army loses major morale) and if you shot all your arrows (don't wipe out a unit by shooting at it) then you can attack that unit with your cav, the charge of your cav will frighten that unit and it will rout, so it will lower the morale of all the surrounding enemy troops and give your troops a morale boost.
If that works and you have superior forces, there's no way you can lose that battle. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif