Valour VS Numbers?

[The_Emperor]

Ok guys,

which army configuration do you prefer?

A higher valour but smaller army of good troops,
Or a lower valour but more numerous army?
Or somewhere between the two?

This is my attempt to see what the community finds more effective when their budgets do not provide them with a totally good army.

[CBR]

Quote[/b] (The_Emperor @ Jan. 11 2004,18:08)]This is my attempt to see what the community finds more effective when their budgets do not provide them with a totally good army.
Hm you must be talking about very low florins then?

Most armies have a total unit cost of about 6-7k and rest is is spent on upgrades.

4-5k is where you cant buy just the good units only. Having 14-16 units with no upgrades is what I normally would do.


CBR

[Dionysus9]

I try to always have 16 units, because some morale bonuses are tied to the # of units "per square inch" (so to speak)...

That being said I try to keep my infantry and cavalry at high valor.

[ichi]

Cav and melee inf should be morale 8, and I like to have 4-5 cav, 3-4 arrows, and the other 7-9 units as infantry. At lower florins the 40 unit FFKs look tempting; at higher florins (above 15K) it is possible to get decent spears. In between the 60 man CMAA and FMAA look pretty good.

I think that you get more performance for the florin with higher quality troops with fewer upgrades than with cheaper troops pumped up.

ichi

[CBR]

Quote[/b] (ichi @ Jan. 12 2004,09:17)]I think that you get more performance for the florin with higher quality troops with fewer upgrades than with cheaper troops pumped up.
And it should be like that but we do have some IMO unintuitive upgrades in this game.


Look at Mounted Sergeants(MS) v Feudal Knights(FK)/Chivalric Knights(CK)


All 3 units have 8 in charge so lets look at upgraded cost compared to combat points (attack + defense stat)

V2 MS has 9 combat points(CP) for the cost of 505 florins and a FK has 8 CP for the cost of 425. I cant give the FK a weapon or armour upgrade to equal the MS for the same cost (a FK with one weapon upgrade would be 565 florins)

Yes the weapon 1 FK would have 2 more morale and 1 more armour so less effected by missile weapons but any enemy unit with armourpiercing weapons (axes or polearms) actually gets +1 attack versus the FK while the low armour of the MS doesnt give any bonus.



V3 MS has 11 CP for the cost of 859 florins compared to a CK with 10 CP and cost of 675. A weapon upgrade on the CK would increase cost to 897 florins. Morale would be the same and although the CK has even more armour to reduce effect from missile weapons that added armour now gives any armourpiercing weapon a +2 attack.

Sure the knights are elite units but I wouldnt say that the knights are that superior compared to upgraded mounted sergeants.


Enough number crunching for now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif Some likes uber peasents...Im just not one of them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif


CBR

[ichi]

Nice post CBR, I had played with MS a little but I think I shall revisit them in light of what you have said.

ichi

[Lord Rom]

Almost every multiplayer I know brings 16 units to battle. Usually I spread it out evenly with an emphasis on infantry being at least morale 8. val 2 cmaa, val 3 fmaa, val 4 mil sarg,they all have 8 morale. Heavy cav at val 0 already have good morale. Low florins...I like the hcav since they can really put the fear into low valor units :)
Rom http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-sunny.gif