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View Full Version : CAPOS GUIDE TO PEASANT INFANTRY, and Militia



Kaiser of Arabia
04-25-2004, 01:59
Welcome to my Guide to Peasant Infantry,
here I will explain uses for peasants, highland infantrys, woodsmen, and many other units.
To Start: An intro to Peasants
Peasant infantry refers to any non professional soldier unit. Most are pathetically weak and deserve death, which is what they usually get. However, they do have there uses, which, some will surprise you.
A comprehensive list to peasantry:
Peasants
Muslim Peasants
Fanatics
Kerns
Woodsmen
Highland Infantry.
I think that covers it.
STATAGIES:
a- Meatsheild
The Main use for peasants is to slow down the advance of an enemy army so you can position your better troops, like FMAAs.
To do this is simple.
First select all of your peasant units.
Then order them to move to the Enemies Flank
then Charge.
Most of them will die. But they will slow your enemy down, perfect if your waiting for your re-inforcemnts to arrive.
b- Bridge-sheild
Here's another stratagy:
First, position your pissants (peasants) on a bridge, with longbows, or x-bows behind them, followed by your heavey infantry, then Knights or Lancers. Let your enemy charge the bridge. Your Peasants will hold them off for a few minutes so your archers can do some damage,
once they are dead, charge your knights and move in your infantry,
fight them untill either your dead (Hopelessly outnumbered or outgunned) or they are dead.
c- Anti-pike woodsmen and fanatics
In case you didn't know, woodsmen and fanatics are VERY effective V.S. Pikes. Haveing a few units of Woodsmen in your armies when versing pike heavy armies can save your cavalry a hell of alot of trouble.
To do this simply wait till you see the pikes and send in your woodsmen.
I've done some tests.
The woodsmen will lose 20-75% of their unit.
The Pikes may lose 100-150 men (depending on the size of the units, I use large)
This may also apply to spears.
d- Glory Charge.
Scenario- Your outnumber your enemy 10 to one, but you have only peasants. Just Charge your enemy (don't retreat the battle, this is more usefull) and kill as many as you can.
Then, in a turn or two, get your technelogically advanced army to move in and save the provence.
e- Anti-Archers
Charge Archers en-masse. Kill archers. Simple enough.

MILITIA
Militia are home-grown units, basically above Peasants, but below Men-At-Arms.

Urban Militia
Halberds
Militia Sergents
Almo Urban Militia

No advance stratagies here, just that they are good against spears and pikes. Also, they can put a dent in Knights and MAAs.

Hope this helps some people.
-Capo

katank
04-25-2004, 14:47
good stuff.

note: slav warriors should also be included in peasantry and be in a mini class with clansmen and fanatics due to relatively good combat stats for peasantry with a high charge.

these make good flankers.

in addition, kerns should be classed simply as javs, not peasants.

as for militia, they are not really below M@a.

UM stink but high valor MS are really cost effective due to AP ability.

AUM are comparable to FMAA.

Halbs can actually beat FMAA and make a fight with CMAA a very pyrrhic victory not to mention the defense against cav bonus and AP ability which with some morale upgrades, are perhaps your most cost effective approach to counter later era catholic cav.

Sir Zack de Caldicot
04-25-2004, 15:19
Yeah, Halbs are really useful, expescially on a bridge with Albalasters fighting Cav, Like the mongols. Infact that is my whole army when facing them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif
Sir Zack

MalibuMan
04-25-2004, 16:48
Tooled up halberds can *slaughter* knights

katank
04-25-2004, 17:49
yep, they are ideal for plug duty on bridges or defending gates.

morale upgrades are needed though so they don't soil their ample armor. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

The_Emperor
04-26-2004, 13:40
Billmen should also be considered a Halb Unit... But with better Morale and slightly less armour.

Use them the Same way as Halbs to churn up Cavalry and Knights...

Kristaps
04-26-2004, 16:16
In my experience, militia sergeants are life savers for economically challenged factions... A cheap (including one of the cheapest upkeeps in the game: sparing galloweglasses, woodsmen and gallowglasses) and universal defense unit. As germany, I'd just build hordes of these and use them defending wooded approaches to the faterland. When deployed in the dark hides of the black forests, militia sergeants are deadly to any armored braves who wander there on horsebacks... ;)

P.S. I've noticed that the AI does not count militia sergeants for much more than peasants since the armies they send to deal with my 10-12 unit strong militia hordes in the woods are pathetic.

lancer63
04-26-2004, 16:31
Quote[/b] (The_Emperor @ April 26 2004,07:40)]Billmen should also be considered a Halb Unit... But with better Morale and slightly less armour.

Use them the Same way as Halbs to churn up Cavalry and Knights...
Aye, yet they're trained as a spear unit. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif
BTW, should camel warriors be considered peasant cavalry? since they can be trained right after you build your first fort in Syria, Arabia, Sinai and Egypt. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-book2.gif

Kaiser of Arabia
04-26-2004, 22:21
I have no experience with slav warriors, being I always play as England.
I only put militia in because I didn't think anyone would read a guide on peasants.
Thank you, whoever said it was good stuff.
I actually wrote this because I wanted to share some of my stratagies with people
Halberds kick ass
Billmen kick more ass.
Yes Halberds are good with bridges.
High Valor, high armor and weapon UM kick ass to a certain degree
I hate MS, I just use UM
Never used AUM in my life, I assume they are good
I was classifying them in terms of Infantry
Shouldnt Celtic Warriors be up there too?
-Capo

Kristaps
04-26-2004, 22:25
Quote[/b] (Caporegime1984 @ April 26 2004,16:21)]I hate MS, I just use UM
Hmm, why do you hate militia sergeants? They have higher armor and higher defense than vanilla militia while they have the same upkeep: 30 pesos (on default unit size) as UM. :)

bighairyman
04-26-2004, 23:21
Quote[/b] ]Meatsheild
lol http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif , that cracks me up.


But peasants can be good soemthigns against samll armies, your can sent tothem atatck the rear of the enemy, this will give huge moral penatly to the enemy and route even higher class sodleirs if your frontal soldiers are pretty good. remebr some of the peasant class untis are quite good, clansmen and ideal light infantry for fights int eh desert, vikings and carls are also really good. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-book2.gif

Kaiser of Arabia
04-26-2004, 23:43
I just find them to be souped up UM. I don't really use Militia, anyway, just Billmen, FMAA, Feudal Knights, Sherwood Forsters (in 60 men units, thank you very much). My armies kick ass under me (i made me into a hero, 4 star traumatized, 9 acumen, 5 peity, 6 dread, and 8 loyalty, i kick ass)
-capo

katank
04-27-2004, 00:09
lol, you ever tried MS vs. UM, they are quite a bit better.

besides, MS's 3 armor barely qualifies it for desert combat which is useful in being armong the heavier stuff you bring in there.

@lancer, billmen are still halbs. the spear guild req doesn't mean much other than it's good against cav.

it's just like you don't have axesmiths but it goes under swordsmiths.

yes, I would consider bedouins peasants. they dismount into them in sieges anyhow.

however, +2 attk, +4 defesnse vs. cav shouldn't be sneered at, best, most cost effective way to beat on heavy cav in the desert.

Mouzafphaerre
04-27-2004, 03:37
-
Peasants do have their use. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Pin infantry units for javelin/naptha attacks;
Garrison provinces until you have spies;
Keep castles for long time when you retreat from a province for your Terminatorish return; http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Assault wooden castles/palisades;
Make training toys for your spies/inqs... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-2thumbsup.gif
[/list]
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
_

son of spam
04-27-2004, 04:29
I like peasents because it can be used to decieve

How? I use the 1337 STRAGETY It si a vary good stragety Did u evar kno that muwahids look exactly like peasents on the battlefield? You pick peasents in custom battle and your opponent will go "OH NOS 1600 MUWAHID FOOT RUNNNNNN" AND VICTARY WILL BE YUORS

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

katank
04-28-2004, 00:16
me like naptha pinner.

ever tried bridge battles with a unit of peasants blocking the bridge in hold hold?

they can actually last long enough for you to lob a couple of grenades into the now stationary enemy.

it's beautiful when the khan charges across the bridge and gets nailed by 5 units of napthas due to being held up by peasants

don't expect your peasants to last or survive but it's actually quite hilarious

Mablung
04-28-2004, 23:24
Naptha is the best anti-khan weapon As the Turks the khan was the last man in his unit and it was raining arrows and rocks and he still woudn't go down. Sent down some naptha throwers and boom he goes down in flames http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

katank
04-29-2004, 01:46
yep, those grenades sure don't care how many lives or hitpoints you have nor armour.

it just makes sure you go out in a blaze of glory. BOOM Poof there goes the khan http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif