Chasing down routers

[Icerian Rex]

It's been my experience in many of my games that when I'm chasing routers with my cavalry, the best way to really run up the prisoner count is to either A) Run through the routing units from behind, or to B) Run across them from a lateral angle.

The worst way, from what I've seen, is to actually attack them directly (well, this is a misnomer, as you'd be attacking them from behind, but still).

The drawbacks to running through them are that you're more likely to lose more men, but if you're using some cheap horse, such as Saharan Cav or Hobilars, it's well worth it.

The reason attacking "directly" doesn't seem to work is that my horse always seem to target the LAST man in the line.... a difficult situation with little time before the end of the map.

Anyone else ever have this happen?

Also, regarding killing off the papacy, I find the best way of holding down the strain of those massive papal rebellions is to use as few units in Rome (or the Papal states) as necessary, while having a large contingent camped somewhere just outside of Italy. Just as with the Mongols, it seems that the more troops you park, the larger the rebelling papal force..... seriously, 20+ units of Royal knights? Another 10-15 Chivalric Knights?.... every TEN YEARS or so?? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif

[MiniKiller]

Agreed, they always seem to go after the last few men which agrivates me.

What I end up doing is having my horse units chase down the units they route. I use my horse units on the flanks so they can kinda circle in the opponents, making a u-shape battle in my favor. Anyway after they chase off their routers I wait. Make them face the enemy and move close. This gives a moral penelty to the opponent. Now if I need to I will send them to attack but if my other troops are winning I sit and wait. When the route I let em come to me and slaughter em It's like they run into a http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif

I like squishing horse archers. its so funny to see them try to get away when I have em surrounded heheh, moving so fast, only to be well dead very soon. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-2thumbsup.gif

[motorhead]

Quote[/b] ] A) Run through the routing units from behind, or to B) Run across them from a lateral angle.
- this only works in pre-patch (2.01) games. The charge bug (worked for cav and infantry) basically gave units an infinite charge bonus. when men were trying to catch up to their unit leader, they run towards him, and got charge bonus for every enemy they bump into. Overall i'm glad it was fixed. What i don't see anymore is a boxed in unit that routs and all the fleeing men would get a charge bonus, often chopping up any of my units behind them as they ran screaming off the field.

[Bob the Insane]

I tend to allow my units to mop up all of a routing unit even if it takes more time as this should give a higher noble count in your prisors...

[crazyviking03]

What I hate is when the enemy breaks and begins to run away, and they somehow manage to kill half of my unit on their way out. They get like some crazy death panic or something. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif But I haven't noticed it much since Viking.

[KyodaiSteeleye]

shoggie used to be really bad for that - rout some monks and watch 'em carve their way through your best unit in their rabid attempt to get away

Saying that, it was fixed in MI, and I haven't really noticed it at all in MTW. I think its fair to say that a routing heavy cavalryman will still roll over some light infantryman that happens to get in the way of his horse..

[Nowake]

I disagree with charging from the flank. If you do that, the fleeting enemies from behind will be able to kill your units very easily (tested).

On the other hand, I had no problem with attacking them from the front. Kills them instantly or makes them turn.

[crazyviking03]

Haha, I love herding routers like dumb sheep. Its realy fun when they get stuck on the edge a mountain, when they cant go up an further, and you kill 200 men in like 5 seconds cuz they are all just standing there. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Chaffers]

I always try to have three horse achers in my armies, as much for their speed in mopping up the rout as anything else. Genuine fast horse is better, but only a few factions get it unless you buy some Alan Mercs.

After a unit has mopped up two routs it tends to have pretty decent valour.. Remember to put them in line abreast though so that all the dudes get an equal taste of action, all you end up with if they are in wedge or deep formation is lots of kills for the front rank.

[kawligia]

I thought valor was only gained for killing "non fleeing units".

[Seven.the.Hun]

no i think that valour is moreso just # of men killed, and # men lost...i havent noticed a difference between the ones in rout...and others... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-juggle.gif
might be wrong on it