peasent troops

[makkyo]

well? (this includes woodsmen, clansmen, etc)

[vlad_demstra]

i my self like clansmen.. other then that I dont like having peasents in my lines if possible.

[ichi]

Almohad Urban Militia rock in early. Clansmen and some of the Irish troops are OK, especially in the desert. Woodsmen aren't good for much fighting, nor are urban militia IMHO.

I use peasants as cheap garrison troops in my provinces that do not border other factions. An Archer, Peasant, and Urban Militia keeps most provinces quite happy.

In MP a lot of folks use Militia Sargeants at V4 due to their armor piercing weapons, and they seem to do OK.

Most peasant class troops are only good in battle to flank or maybe soak up some arrow fire.

ichi

[kiwitt]

I would like Peasants only being available after +40/60% improvement (as per Med Mod IV).

Can I edit MTW:VI to reflect this, and How ?

[The_678]

To edit this in, you should first get Gnomeeditor. After that find the part called "Building requirements" and put "Improved_farmland2/3" in the brackets. the 2 is for 40% and the 3 is for 60%.

and for the topic, the only peasants I use is gallowglasses and highlanders (and AUM but I don't think of them as peasants http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) for those campaigns down into the desert.
p.s. Shouldn't pikemen be considered peasants becasue they are built by the town whatever?

[Martok]

Clansmen, AUM, and Vikings All cheap (yet reliable) units..... And I'll echo what 678 said: I think of the AUM more as actual medium/heavy infantry than as a "peasant" unit per se--they're way more powerful than your usual cannon fodder.

[PseRamesses]

Since I overproduce peasants in the beginning to get good govenors I quickly get a stack or two which I use to keep my enemy busy with while I concentrate my main force on my primary target.
I can redraw them or let them get slaughtered which depends on the given situation.

[el_slapper]

I never built Peasants. I usually disband them once my army reaches a good level. They have their uses(forcing doors, sponging arrows), but definitively are too eaysily repelled. Urban Militia I use some in the beginning, when the choice is scarce. But Militia sergeants rock in early.

"special" peasants, as irish/scots are way cool, properly used. Woodsmen, well, have armor piercing qualities. When you have nothing better, they can trap knights. But you quickly have better - militia sergeants - with roughly the same qualities, but improved.

[Basileus]

I always have 2 units of peasants in my provinces as garisson..more then that i dont use them. I use AUM and Militia Sergeants though which are good units

[The_678]

If Vikings are considered peasants than I use them tons. Whenever I play as Danes in early my armies are usually about 70% vikings. Vikings rule. I just NEVER ONCE thought of them as peasants. In early as Danes they are your saviour troops the whole campaign.

[Turbo]

Every unit has their uses if used properly.

I use peasants to flesh out armies. They are no good for straight head on melee, but are good for flanking and as a reserve.

I usually "pin" enemy infantry with higher quality troops then use the peasants to reinforce those melee's where the combat is going poorly.

[insolent1]

I had some high valour peasants & with armour & weapon urgrades & a good general they where actually pretty good. I always use militia sergeants & they can be relieable if used properly. Highlandclansmen are amazin but they die in droves & gallows are probably the best peasant unit as they not only inflict huge casulties but beat nearly everything I have put them up against. I normally try to give them at least +1 to armour if they are fighting in the desert & +3 if they are in Europe. I have used them against the mongols a lot & in forests they even kill cavalry quicker than JHI.

[DeadRunner]

use peasant to deplet enemy arrows
our scary tha foe with big number of peasant (this works in shogun, but dont forget that peasant run out of morale very soon)

[Doug-Thompson]

Your army suffers a morale penalty if, for instance, you're outnumbered more than 2 to 1 or if a good unit's flank is open.

Therefore, peasants are good for "padding your numbers" or guarding a flank, sometimes.

Other than that, their only clear, good use is for a garrison unit -- high numbers, low cost.

Making them effective in a battle requires giving them every advantage --charging downhill, for instance.

==============

I wouldn't qualfy units like Vikings and Almohad Urban Militia as "peasants.

AUM require a keep and town guard, two significant upgrades.

Vikings don't require much, and neither do woodsmen or Slav warriors. Still, I'd definitely put Vikings above woodsmen.

[FoundationII]

Quote[/b] (Doug-Thompson @ Jan. 19 2004,13:39)]I wouldn't qualfy units like Vikings and Almohad Urban Militia as "peasants.
They are

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (FoundationII @ Jan. 19 2004,12:49)]They are
Why?

[Doug-Thompson]

Quote[/b] (FoundationII @ Jan. 19 2004,12:49)]They are
Why?

[Math Mathonwy]

in VI i absolutly love the highlanders they are cheap and extremely good, just watch their flanks if they get flanked theyll run, but if not theyll fight all day. as for peasant peasants... the best you can do with them is keep them behind your army so theyre moral stays up because their flanks are protected. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[RisingSun]

Quote[/b] ]Why?

Because that's what they are officially classified as by the stat file. They are not professional soldiery, therefore they are "peasant" class.

[Rowan11088]

I myself have become a fan of woodsmen, at least in VI. In my Northumbrian campaign (my first viking era attempt), I'm using them to great effect. Northumbria has exclusive use of them, so figured i'd try and make them a signature troop. Once you build a mead hall to get +1 valor, and produce them in your central province, which gives them +1 valor also, they're already quite good. Not as damaging as highland clansmen, I know, but the armor piercing goes a long way, their charge is better, and their defense is significantly better. They don't burn out as quickly as clansmen, are better rushing downhill with their charge bonus, and i think are better against superior armored troops. Now they're a match for anyone, as I have a level 2 metalsmith and level 2 armorer in the province, but even before that I used them to plow through armored spearmen groups with similar valor. Now they can beat even decent valor saxon huscarles http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-2thumbsup.gif . Plus they are extremely cheap with extremely low supporting costs. I think they're some of the best peasant units around...for the price.

[mercian billman]

Quote[/b] (RisingSun @ Jan. 19 2004,18:01)]
Quote[/b] ]Why?

Because that's what they are officially classified as by the stat file. They are not professional soldiery, therefore they are "peasant" class.
I'd like to elaborate on this further, and say that while AUM, and Vikings are peasents they would be of a higher class. I suspect that members of the AUM would be more 'middle class' than regular peasents. They would probably be shopkeepers, blacksmiths, and merchants responsible for purchasing, and mainting their own equipment.

In ancient Greece hopilites were responsible for purchasing their own weapons because of this most hopilites would have been members of the upper-middle class.