Just when you think you are gonna lose

[vlad_demstra]

I invaded volga bulgia (sp?) where novguard is standing their last stand. I send in a hold army of hand gunners and bombbards crew.. it truns out to be a bridge battle.. I wasn't very thrilled... I set them up, I used a few as puppet. and i begun firing. the bombbards blew up after awile, rain begain to come and go. But i had one, bombard left. The novguard king was becoming brave to eneter the line of fire. a ball smacks him and kills him... they all retreat... I cross the bring and regroup and reform my line into a V like formation. they also regroup.. their cavary charge alonge side there spears.. They are cought in a rain of fire and are pounded into the ground. I was surprised I one this battle.. You got any victories that you thought where a sure loss but won?

[HicRic]

I once had a battle in Shogun where I won when I thought I was doomed. It was the first time I'd played a battle on hard (having just finished an easy and normal game) and my army was pretty inferior to the enemy's. A long story short, I had a lot of dead troops, my centre was caving in, and almost all my units were wavering (with a few routing) when suddenly...the enemy's general met mine in combat. Mine won, they routed and my pathetic tatters of an army stood around in the soaking rain, having won. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif

I've also had a bridge battle where (in my inexperienced younger days http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) I sent over my whole army at once. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-oops.gif They had a welcoming reception of arrows and ended up routing back over the bridge. However, I managed to rally, strike back across the bridge, and eventually won. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

I once had a loss where I was sure of victory, too. The defending army saw fit to run off their hill and come charging at me on the flat plain. All bemused, I began combat, and appeared to be winning when my whole army decided that life was better at home and legged it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-inquisitive.gif I later found out that their units had about four more honour than mine. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-clown.gif

[Gith]

I had a battle as the Germans against the poles, something like 3900 vs 600. I don't know how I managed to win it, but I remember around the end I was using my crossbowmen as flanks and praying my too few Swabian swordsmen could hold their own. I forget the casualty rate (and I lost the replay when I reformattted..bah), but it was something like 2200 of them dead, 600-700 captured, and the bravest 200-300 survivors I've ever had left over, and ended up taking me about an hour of real time to finish.

Similar to the first, in one respect, anyways. I was rather sure of victory. I had about 9 units of SAP, 4 units of Chiv Knights or Royal Knights, can't remember, some kind of mix, and 3 demi culverns. Started off the battle against a determined Byzantine army with the usual demi culvern bombardment. I was down to a few rounds left, and wasn't really paying attention, when I heard The enemy's general has been slain, unfortunately before the pox could get him. Watched the replay afterwards, and one of my demi culvern rounds had soared about 1/3 the way across the map and slammed into the Byzantine King (even more sweet, no?)killing only him out of the entire unit. After that, charged, smashed into them, and watched them run.

I'm really upset that I didn't think about saving all my old replays before the format...

[Colovion]

I had one really weird win. I had two units of Hobilars - one was my General, and one of spears. They had 5 units of Royal/Feudal KNnights. It was incredible - I won with like 30 guys left in total and they ran off the feild with 80+.

[zayanm]

200 of my Turkish men against Papal and Italian forces. About 3000. They had held out against Italian attacks for a long time, now the Papacy also attacked. Luckily a unit of my Jannissaries was brave enough to keep holding off, and I won. I managed to send more troops to province afterwards to show that I hadn't forgotten his fight http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[lancer63]

I try never to give up on a battle even when my general has bee killed or routed I've won battles that were all but lost and in the end something changes the balance of fortunes.
On the other hand I've also had shameful defeats where I had everything going for me yet I lost. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif

[gaijinalways]

I had one irritating battle where I was creaming the AI's troops with missile fire, finally, the German cavs I believe, decided enough was enough and charged. My BYZ infantry and spearman closed and routed before even touching the feudal knights.

I eventually managed to rally my troops, but it was too late (bed time) and I didn't think I could afford to march troops all the way across the battle field (did kill 2x as I lost though).

The time I won was when I had only spearman and a few depleted missile units aganist superior infantry and knights (of the French or Germans). I waited in the woods (no hills to speak of) and managed to kill a few with missile fire, but the spears saved the day routing the knights several times (the AI loves to rush it's knight sometimes with little or no support). When it came time to fight the infantry, I managed to sandwich several of their units eventually getting them to rout when the general routed (after his unit was down to 5).

[Somebody Else]

I had a close battle whilst playing as the Welsh - I was attacking the Mercians, going uphill. They had about 1200 men, I had about 700. There was an almighty brawl, and eventually it ended up with my general unit of Royal Bodyguards (8 men) against about 60 spearmen. Charged them down and they routed. In the end. about 200 of my men survived the battle - most of them having routed off the field.

My general held the field at the end - so it was a victory. But, it was a close run thing indeed.

[vlad_demstra]

I had one just a few miniets ago agianst the turks.. i only had like 500 ( cannons and guns mostly) with a few vikings backing me up.. i fired my cannons away but seems to be missing as they charged down hill and pumped me full of arrows and lead... I held off a bit.. then fininly i nailed the general... rout... i was very lucky ounce agian...

[XxXDrAGuN13lAdEXxX]

i was once playing a quick battle and i was the egyptions vs.the frankish crusaders.

my units were consisted of 3 units of mamluk horse archers
3 units of mamluk cavalry
2 units of badoiun camels
2 units of kharazam cavalry

The crusaders had 2 units of knights templars
2 units of order foot soldiers
1 units of turcopoles
2 units of archers and 2 units of fanatics

it was quite obvious i was going to lose but anywayz i used the best outflanking tactics and my horse archers for some back up fire.i ent my troops to the east of a desert hill the templar knights made their way to me so my horse archers fired on them and i got a few down then i sent my camels to attack them it was gogin well untill the foot soldiers came and my camels were gogin down like flies but then i sent my kharizam cavalry at the back of them and attacked them from the back.i sent all my mamluk cavalry and 1 units of my horse archers to attack the fanatics and archers and the annoying turcoples when i realised that one of the crusaders were routing i then turned on to attacking the general from behind and just as the OFS were flanking my mamluks the genaral was captured(man i was lucky)and the foot soldiers begin to route so lll my remaining troops i sent to kill all the thirsty routing crusaders.that was 1 tough battle. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif