Learning Replays

[Lord Azriel]

Hi all.

Does anyone know of a good strategy (a replay would be nice) of a Catholic faction beating a Muslim army with horse archers. I understand that infantry archers or light cavalry are the best counter measure however this always proves too costly in terms of casualties and I'm left with an unbalanced army which is easily outflanked with a retreated cavalry.

[Court Jester]

What are you chasing the horse archers with? Royal Knights? You should use the cheapest catholic cavalry you have -- horsemen, or mounted sergeants.

Don't have any replays for you (never save 'em) but bear in mind that, at the end of the day, it's very hard for an army of horse archers to single-handedly win a battle.

That said, there's no reason to take abuse from them. If you're defending, use ordinary archers, and spread them out in loose formation. Sure you may lose one archer for each one of their horse archers, but they are losing much more in florins. Pavise missile units are very good defending from horse archers.

If you're attempting to take a province, and you don't want to use cavalry, then bring the fastest foot units you can -- slavs? javelineers? highlanders? even ordinary spearmen. Then set them to chase the horse archers. Almost always, the unit will eventually catch the horse archers, usually in a corner.

You shouldn't worry about moslem armies comprised of horse archers, they are easily beatable and at relatively low coast to you. It's that stack full of JHI and Ghulams you should worry about.

[Lord Azriel]

In campaign mode the horse archers aren't an issue. In multiplayer however they tend to ruin my flanking cavalry by drawing my units e.g





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CAV ARMY CAV

they draw my cavalry away and then outflank me, the trouble with using pavise is that they are easily outrun. Light cavalry tend to be drawn in to their ranks and quickly dispatched. If I leave some foot archers they just prevent the horse archers as long as they stay there because of there low speed a pursuit is not an option -- but this seems wasteful. They also have some awesome infantry units and I would much rather use my archers against them in the body of the army.

dunno if I'm being dumb, but i'm a noob so I guess I can get away with it for now. Any help appreciated http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[Lord Azriel]

Oh in answer to your question I'm using mounted sergents as my light cavalry. Also are crossbows any use against horse archers as they seem a bit underused.

[Silianat]

Ive won angainst peasants only with just horse archers. Never even lost and man. they just kept coming and I routed them before they even got close engough the charge.

[Cheetah]

The best way is to counter horse archers with horse archers http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif If you want to play with catholic faction then pick the Hungarians and use szekely. It is amongst the fastest cavs in the game and has decent H2H abilities as well.

[Silianat]

the wisest saying is my signature

[Hashishin]

Hi Lord Azriel,

i nearly play always in MP with 1 or 2 Horse Archers.
They are not the strongest units but they are there to trap the enemy and will always hit a flank.

There are different ways to beat or better to counter them.
I often use my horse archers as counter troops or Feudal Knights (Cav) for counter them.
The way to counter Horse archers is to use pavs, fast Cav in a good combination. The most important think is the moving and charging of your cav, there is not a standard plan how to counter them; you have to to practice and then you will know how to counter them.

Btw. another tactic for counter HA is to take archers (better archers which can be used also as flankers in late game for example trapzune bows etc.)

[Silianat]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif Its 5AM and nobodys on OHHHHHH YEAH

[Court Jester]

Quote[/b] (Lord Azriel @ Dec. 30 2003,22:01)]In campaign mode the horse archers aren't an issue. In multiplayer however they tend to ruin my flanking cavalry by drawing my units
Lord Azriel, sorry I didn't know you were playing a *human* opponent ... I find that in SP, the AI doesn't use horse archer units very effectively, and consequently they are easily beatable or at worst, a mere nuisance.

In MP, I tend to agree with Cheetah, the best counter would be ... other horse archers. I'm a big fan of jinettes and szekely, and even mounted crossbowmen are not bad -- they can often do well in H-to-H.

[Lord Azriel]

Thanks guys, horse archers are a great counter to horse archers Don't know why I didn't think of this

Another method I've been using is a fake cavalry charge from the flanks which causes the horse archers to flee, just hit Ctrl-W before they get into any trouble, very hands on.

Thanks for the advice
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