Playing I Novgorod

[a_ver_est]

Hi all,

I started the game as Novgorod (vi - expert), first I conquered all rebel countries around me, then I started a war with egiptian who are the biggest faction.

At same time Germans started a crusade agaist me. In fact I am in a difficult position. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-juggle.gif

I have problems to go in combat.

- I have rus spearman.
- Normal and mounted archers
- with unmounted Druzhina cavalry I get feudal foot knights.

but I don't have any kind of good cavalry

Only Boyars who are difficult to build so they need large developed buildings, in fact now I can only get them from heirs.

Any suggestions ? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif

[Basileus]

Should try to invenst in one province to be able to buld Boyars they are very good, use alot of vikings aswell..perhaps some knights mercenarys

[Nowake]

You should make do with what you have. IF you have enough spearmen, you don't need anything else against cavalry, as the dhruzyna are perfect for flanking.

Some halebardiers would be same as good.

[lancer63]

Sorry to barge in but you got my attention with that. You mean the Novgorod faction hasn't got that many cav. types and no heavies? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

Oh man. I agree rus spears are tough but they can't make up for royal tanks. And dhruzyna cav., while good medium horse imo, is no match for later foot and horse units.

This is beginning to sound more and more like a challenge for me. Gotta try them Novgs. soon and test them other than as mercs. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Brutal DLX]

Rus spearmen can be extremely tough in Early. Rely on them built in a province with valour upgrades. Druzhina cavalry, are you kidding? They are 60 men and are strong mounted as well as dismounted. They are your best cavalry and in fact I would kill to be able to build them with other factions Don't let them run into spears or royal knights headon, but all other early units are inferior to them. If the crusade is spear-heavy, dismount them, if not, keep them mounted, they are strong enough well into high and late due to their 60 men size.
Since you have boyars and mounted skirmishers too, I don't really see the point of needing more cavalry to defeat anyone?

[fruitfly]

The Novgos have doorstep access to Steppe and Steppe heavy cavalry too.

Steppe cavalry are perfect for flanking archers and chasing routers, whilst their heavy counterparts pack a mean punch both with their bows and in melee.

[Basileus]

Good point mate http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-2thumbsup.gif

I honestly forgot about them and i usualy use them alot heh especialy the heavy

[Cheetah]

Moldova -> Avar nobles
Kiev -> Steppe cavalry
Khazar -> Steppe heavy cavalry

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

[a_ver_est]

thks for your tips :)

Moldava and khazar are war zone some turns are owned by me some others from egiptian ... try to build some buildings there is a waste of money.

Dhruzyna is nice, but I usually use them as foot knights, in fact I think that is light caballey not heavy one and are not good charging.

Steppe cavalry is light again, good to fight against light troops but it has bad attack/defensive ratios.

I have had a large ( around 2 hours ) battle against Egyptian, I was outnumbered but I won ... I mostly use rus spearmen and foot knights.

I won again with German crusade ... with the same combo of troops.

I will go on ...

[lancer63]

Aye guys you can't be more right. I had underestimated Druzhina cav. Yesterday they taught some german mounted sergeants (2 units of them) the meaning of pain, losing only 8 mounts to 45 of the other guys. Good account imho. And yes I had forgotten about both steppe cav. units.
Avar nobles are the best shock cavalry of the early period, but you can only train them on early. Therefore they wont be available for the 'vanilla' version of the game. You have to either mod the Novs. to early or expand the AN to the high period. Both are great ideas to me.

[HopAlongBunny]

Druzhina are good mounted; they are better on foot http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

After dismounting them hit F1 and drool over the increase in morale http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif