Favorite Unit

[Malachus]

Hey everyone, I was wondering, what's your favorite unit in SP MTW and why. Personally, I love pumping out Saracen Infantry... those guys can really lay waste to cavalry and infantry alike, and if not, hold out for a long time, despite having poor morale. As the Turks on expert, by the end of a typical campaign I'll have like over 100 units of Saracen Infantry. Anyways, what are your fave units and why?

[KillerKadugen]

I have always enjoyed Ghazis because they are good throw-away units who can do some serious damage. They also seem crazy, which is a big plus for me. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif

[Gith]

I enjoy Ghazi...just a bunch of crazies out to do damage.

For reliability, Saracens or Byzantine Infantry
For versatility, Futuwwas or Ottoman


Overall...you can't argue with Swiss Armoured Pikemen or Boyars. I enjoy them immensely.

[Sarnaen]

For background reasons, I love the Knights Templar and Armenian heavy cavalry, but practically, units like Italian Infantry, Saracen Infantry, Turcoman Foot, Turcoman Horse...
There's too many to choose from to pick an all out favourite.

[Malachus]

Indeed there are too many units to choose from. Have any of you ever played the Spanish and made it all the way to being able to create Lancers? Although they have the same stats as the Late Roral Knights, there are 80 of them as opposed to only 20 Royal Knights. Meaning, Lancers are awesome... their the best cavalry in the game statiscally, but I'd like to know how many of us have actually made it far enough in the game to use them? I only did so once... on easy difficulty.

[Sarnaen]

I've never managed to get hold of Lancers in the campaign game. I'm also glad the Spanish tend to get wiped out before they can build them.
I dread the coming of the Gothic units. Gothic sergeants and footknights are nasty, nasty troops, and much more widespread. When you see Italy and The Holy Roman Empire swamping their provinces (And everyone elses they can reach) with them, you get scared.
In those circumstances, you get the Pope to bless a few thousand Javelinmen and Arbalesters and prepare to unleash hell.

[Malachus]

Haha, yeah, those gothic units can be rough... luckily I've never had to face them in the campaign http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Sarnaen]

You're the lucky one. I once encountered a German force consisting of nothing but Gothic Sergeants, dismounted Gothic footknights, mounted sergeants and arbalesters... Needless to say the business end of that monster dismantled my once proud Turkish Desert Corps with ease.

[The Sword of Cao Cao]

Gallowglasses man They take severed heads for trophies and they have huge swords And thier Irish

Also I love Swabians becuase they look so damn cool... And Hashashin because thier also pretty damn cool.

[Sarnaen]

Swabian swords are pretty fearsome. They're one of the HRE's great strengths during the early period, and can stomp their way through the spear units in the game - Saracens, Italian In fantry and Feudal Sergeants are all viable victims, as well as other swordsmen and even heavy cavalry if you can pin & flank. Then they just... disappear in the high era; and you become fanatically devoted to preserving your few remaining units of Swabians... scared to deploy them against an enemy, and hoarding them around your King as a sort of traditional honour guard; much like Byzantine Varangians in Late http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Despite the paranoia of their twilight years, they are a fearsome unit while they last.

[Malachus]

Alright, I forgot... Janissary Infantry are pretty damn sweet too... they have great attack, both in melee and ranged combat. Good stuff... too bad it takes so long before you can get them.. by the time you can get them, you really don't need them anymore.. except to add insult to injury, which is always fun in any case http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[eds]

Plain old archers. No other unit has killed more for less in my single player campaigns than these under-appreciated fellows.

[Armchair Athlete]

Hospitaller knights. In early combines with Italian inf. and genoese sailors they dominate everything, and dismount into the second best swordsmen in the game. Particularly nasty when you launch a crusade from Malta and get the +1 valour. Only problem for me is the same as Sarnean has with the Swabian swords - becuase they are so rare you get too scared to commit them to battle and just end up collecting them (nearly three full stacks is my record http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif )

[sir_schwick]

Hobilars. They are lower on the ranking of light cavalry, but they are avaliable so so early. playing as the French or English these guys allow me to use cavalry heavy tactics 20 to 30 turns before HRE, Aragon(unless you count the royal sons), the Spanish and even the Wellish. They have allowed me as the French to win amazing victories against great odds both on defence and attack. Without them I could have never pulled off my offensive on Burgundy.

I attacked Burgundy with a force of:
4 Spearmen
1 Urban Militia(General Lord de Boullion 5*)
6 Hobilars
6 Archers

The HRE force was roughly 2200 including a 2* general, FMAAs, Feudal Sargeants, and Militia Sargeants, plus armoured archers. 2 of my hobs drew wings of the defending force away while my main group marched forward. The Germans attacked my center with the spearmen and FMAAs. It looked grim until my Urban Milita(like these guys too), attacked the FMAA rear. Tons of losses and I pulled them out to retreat behind my wall. Another couple charges by 2 hobs caused them to rout. The final 2 hobs manueverd around the German line and attacked the archers. Some kills, but mostly disruption. They retreated and my archers created a dead zone. The 2 diversionary hobs now had rejoined the main fight and caused a mass rout around my center. As the distracted German forces returned, my archers made mincemeat of them. In the end I lost 230 men, the 570 Germans dead, 543 captured.

[Gith]

Aye, I forgot It is very hard to mention all the great units..


Janissary Heavy Infantry, for pure owning.
Gothic Foot Knights...tons of armour, big swords. Does it get any better?

And yes, in the early years, Swabians. I know exactly what you mean about preserving them in the high/late eras as a sort of honor guard...I usually get them as early as possible and build them nonstop until I can build no more. They are truly fearsome http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Maeda Toshiie]

Turcoman Horse (thats because I am playing Turkish... again)

Else, Szekely.

[Oleander Ardens]

Szekely with maxed weapons and armor;

Very fast, ranged attack, great combat power - what else do you want?


OA

[Thomas_di_Montessi]

When used in a defensive position, behind a single, or even beter, a double line of pikemen, swiss pikemen, swiss armoured pikemen, halberdiers etc... the english longbowman absolutely kicks ass
In a siege, the best units I find, are the culverins, to provide an initial pounding to heavy fortificational structures, and then send in halberdiers with heavy cavalry backup to anihilate the occupants

Best unit ever though is probably, for me, the Joms Vikings in the Viking campaign. Used to provide a big and unpleasant shock to the opposition initially and in other situations, especialy when your own army is looking in a rebellious/ routing frame of mind, they can seriously turn the tide of a battle

(Every man to his own though, These are just my favourites)

[Drake]

Swiss Armoured Pikemen. Great name that sound swell hard, which they are. Grind up most types of units, just don't leave them out in the sun.

[mfberg]

Szekely in open battle

JHI in bridge battles vs the Horde.

mfberg

[katank]

unlike some, my fav units consist of the lowly spearmen, vanilla archer, UM, HAs and hobilars, slav warriors, and javs.

without those boys, I couldn't possibly carve out an empire to build the more advanced units.

Also, with low morale weaker units, so much more emphasis on tactics and maneuvering rather than heavy armor slugfest.

[Beetlio]

Turcoman foot Stick silver armour on them in MP and watch the smile disappear off your opponent's face as his arrows bounce off them like rain. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif

[gamesneal]

Housecarls from Sweden. If you are Danes these boys are like Swabians were to the earlier poster. Crank as many out as you can until High era begins. These guys rock.

[Sarnaen]

Well, I've had a huge change of mind.
Polish Retainers are now among the top 10 in my favourite unit list.
Anyone who thinks they get outclassed is... wrong. Just plain wrong.
Awesome flankers and skirmishy cavalry - I find them useful to bait units with.

I've been playing a Polish campaign, and I use armies consisting of 4 Armoured Spearmen, 4 Retainers, 4 Halberdiers, 2 plain old archers. I didn't use crossbowmen because they can't arc their fire over friendly troops.
I use the Spearwall as something to shelter my spare cavalry and archers behind. On the flanks of the wall are deployed my Halberdiers, and behind it my archers are deployed in a thin line. I take a Retainer unit and feign a charge at an enemy infantry / heavy cavalry unit, and draw them along the front of my spearwall, where my archers lace into them with arrows. As soon as they reach the end of the spearwall, the Halberdiers charge their broken, stretched out formation and begin cleaving through them, while my Retainers circle around the rear, ready to cut down survivors.
While this could be done more effectively with mounted crossbows or similar, I like the Retainers' ability to protect itself if it gets caught. They are the match for most other cavalry they are likely to get caught by, and can crush most infantry not armed with polearms or spears.
Pairing them up with Avar Nobles is fun too - medium-heavy cavalry and a medium-light cavalry teaming up causes havoc. I've used this combination to take out Chivalric sergeants, pikemen and even Order Foot.
Try it, you know you'll like it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Jihad2Death]

You got to love Kataphraktoi and Varangian Guard.I have had whole armies of nothing but these two units. Not much could stand up to them http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-smile.gif

[Sarnaen]

Am I dumb for not being all that impressed with Kataphraktoi?
They're slow, get tired too easily, get torn through by AP weapons...
I would much prefer cavalry that retains its advantage over infantry - Speed.

[The_Emperor]

Steppe heavy cavalry... Superb in melee and a great horse Archer unit http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Malachus]

I do agree as well, Kataphraktoi do appear to be rather weak whenever I play as them or against them, alike. Maybe some change in the unit files can provide for a more satisfying kataphraktoi unit.

[Sarnaen]

Steppe Heavy Cavalry are good, but I prefer lighter units for the wheeling and prancing about HA units have to go through. Turcoman horse or Szekely.
For melee I just pic the real deal. Chivalric Knights, Armenian Heavy, Ghulam Bodyguard, etc.

[Assassins_Shadow]

My favorite unit, hard to say, but I would probably go with either Longbowman or Huscarls. I am somewhat of a conservative strategist, so longbowman are my best friend. With their improved range, they can tear apart enemy formations with ease. My average stack usually has six of them in it. It may seem like alot of space devoted to ranged units, but by the time their melee reaches mine, they will have substantially less. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-jester.gif

[Sarnaen]

I am conservative to the extreme - it becomes a vice as much as it is a virtue.
I rarely commit to a manoever, preferring tentative little picks and pokes at the enemy lines. I wail like a cat on a gas stove when my archers run out of arrows, I get annoyed and disheartened when my units take even the lightest casualties from arrow fire. I dislike locking battle lines into melee because, quite simply, it leads to casualties.
Every man that dies on the field is a mistake in my plan http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif
That is why I make a great use of the baiting tactic with the fastest cavalry I can find and nibble at the enemy army until its nerves are shattered and its strength broken, to a point where A single charge can cause a chain rout.

[tsyed]

Quote[/b] (Sarnaen @ July 07 2004,20:02)]
Cavalry: I love the look of the Ghulam bodyguards, and I alos enjoy using Armenian heavy cavalry, and I love the speed and agility of Turcoman HAs and Saharan cavalry for rear attacks and pursuit.

Infantry: Saracen Infantry/Italian Infantry; solid, dependable troops. Ghazis for smashing into enemies flanks. Ottoman infantry for their dual role as archers and melee troops.

[Petronius]

Varangians, absolutely. These guys tear through pretty much.. anything.

[Ludens]

I am fond of horse archers, of any kind except the vanilla one. The amount of chaos they can create if you use them correctly is unbelievable. If they don't get mauled in close combat, that is. I guess that is my own fault for trying to use pause as little as possible.

[ah_dut]

I like byz cav an all round reliable unit. However, my fav unit must be nizaris why, they're cool and have 7 charge, have arrows and can melee http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[katank]

don't forget the 6 attack, highest in the game, as well as fast speed and large shield for dueling.

[Jihad2Death]

Quote[/b] (Sarnaen @ July 07 2004,19:17)]Am I dumb for not being all that impressed with Kataphraktoi?
They're slow, get tired too easily, get torn through by AP weapons...
I would much prefer cavalry that retains its advantage over infantry - Speed.
Build them up in Constantinople,with a good general,and some valor http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-smile.gif Whew They`re like having tanks on the battle field.The problem is most people try to use them like other Cav,for flanking,etc.I like to put a few units in long lines in front of my army and have them lead the charge.

[Sarnaen]

Well, even for Kataphraktoi, a full frontal cavalry charge tends to be suicidal, or at the best, not worth the expense.
They're too slow to be used as cavalry, and the unit size is too small to be used as heavy infantry, which they resemble more.
I would rather use Byzantine Lancers or Cavalry as my mounted units and Varangians as heavy infantry instead of the between-class Kataphraktoi.

[cutepuppy]

chivalric foot knights are an awesome unit
I once used my dismounted king's bodyguard as a suicide force against a mongol army. More than half of his 1000 men strong army got slaughtered, while the rest fled the field.

[Sarnaen]

I like Chivalric Footknights, but one thing has always bugged me - they're noblemen, yet the halberd is a commoners weapon...

[Neubs]

Longbowmen
My typical army has 12 longbows and 4 royal knights with max valor. I put the bowmen in a 3x4 rectangle with the bows 3 ranks deep. They are all in hold formation. This formation has the advantage of being easy to move and every unit can cover every other unit. The uber royal knights act as a defensive escort and router chasers.

Royal Knights
I always have heros be this unit because royal knights are always top of the line in all periods. Their small unit size makes them easy to move around and they gain valor faster.

[Tozama]

PEASANTS
Thousands and thousands of peasants















Ok not really http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Balin son of Fundin]

My favourite unit would probably be the viking huscarles.. They just look cool and most times i use them they rip other units to shreds, other than that i also like the knights templar.

[katank]

don't agree about kats.

frontal charge with them is meant to dull the shock of the enemy hevy cav which your pathetic vanilla spear max defensive units can't hold.

so countercharge and move up your swords etc. once you got them committed.

also, i positioned on a flank, they can still turn the flank easily and shock the enemy into rout.

just use them like inf flankers and not cav ones.

[ShadesPanther]

I like the Byzantine Infantry. As long as you get them a good bit of armour and some nice Genrals with lots of stars they are pretty hard to beat.

[Sarnaen]

I still prefer faster cavalry like Lancers for flanking. They might not kill as much, but they can get to where they're needed in time, and if they do end up breaking, have the speed to get away from the enemy.

I've only used Kataphraktoi successfully once, and that was n conjunction with a lot of Byzantine cavalry to tire out the enemy units before a charge that broke the units before the Kats even hit. In that situation, any unit would have achieved the same...

[Duke of Gloucester]

Quote[/b] (Sarnaen @ July 08 2004,17:22)]I like Chivalric Footknights, but one thing has always bugged me - they're noblemen, yet the halberd is a commoners weapon...
They ought to be armed with a pollaxe, rather than a halberd. (Mind you, it is difficult to tell which they are holding).

[Sarnaen]

I'm pretty sure it's a halberd, as it has the pike-like spearpoint on the end of the weapon. Most poleaxes don't have the spearpoint.

[katank]

@sarnaen.

you have likely not seen the strength of a kat charge.

the 4 attack and 8 charge you get from v1 kats from Const. is only 1 lower than that of chiv knights.

they can smash most everything in their path.

also, your katank princes are also extremely high valor and battle winners on their own.

a katank or two with good gen can hold 2-3 units apiece, allowing you to concentrate elsewhere (provided no heavy spears)

[Sarnaen]

Well, I've always used them in a wedge formation, and avoided full frontal charges, yet I still seem to either get bogged down in costly melées that lose me a lot of men, or get beaten outright.
I've charged them downhill at Chivalric men-at-arms and come out of the fight with only 20 Kats left...
Rather disappointing for what is supposed to be the greatest cavalry of the times.

[z|co]

My favourite unit is the Boyar. These guys are great. Competent horse archers who can hold there own quite easily in most melees. Plus you get 40 of them, so even the more powerful Catholic Royal knights can easily be overwhelmed by them. Time you finish off the horde the boyars you used in the battle are like 5-6 valor, good enough for the rest of the game.

I have to agree that Kataphraktoi's are awesome, don't think of them as cavalry though, use them as fast heavy infantry. In the SP game they roll over everything with ease in early. And if you got a high valor gen, which you often do with these guys, not even later catholic cavalry can stand up to them.

[katank]

katanks are vulnerable to masses potected arbs and also horse archers more than other heavy cav due to the slow speed.

[Tozama]

Muslim:
Early in game as Muslim I find the Khwarazmian Cav. I get at Inns (rarely) and in Jihads to be almost unstoppable.
They aren't the best killers on the field but they seem to absorb a lot of punishment in early without losing men due to their heavy armor. Since they are slow I don't use them as much for chasing or big wide out flanks but instead as a mobile firesquad:
anywhere I am being outmatched and losing in the line I send them charging in to tip the balance. They seem to charge even spears with few losses early in the game.

Mid-game Muslim I like Mamluk Horse Archers since the the Muslims have nothing decent in hvy. troops other than until late for Turks.

Late game as Turks its Jannisary hvy. Inf. - These guys are like tanks
As other Muslims all you can do is build Saracen inf. and hope your Gholem body guard cav. can flank for your wins.
I still build Khwarazmian Cav. if I can but their a bit outclassed late in game.
I use Ghazis for charges but I cannot say anything late as a Muslim is a favorite unit http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[katank]

kwarzies aren't slow, they are normal cav speed of 20/22

they are equal to katanks except for having 2 less charge but gain the speed which is more important IMHO.

[Tozama]

Hmmm.
they always appear slow to me. I am not so stat oriented I guess. Just notice things in battle.
Anyway I like them especially early in the game for their ability to take punishment like few other cav I used.

[katank]

I think you may be confusing them with katanks.

the stats are equal except for speed and charge.

they both have the eastern mail horse so they look the same. their unit icons face in different way though. katanks face left and kwarzies face right.

[Spartiate]

it's a tough one.Favourite unit.Ever since STW.WE i have loved the Mongol Horce Archers or light cavalry.I didn't find them as fast or effective in MTW(modded) but i think the Boyars filled in that gap in my soul were the Mongol HA had resided.The Boyars are fast and disciplined,not worried about the general at all and can look after themselves on skirmish unlike some of the other HA in the game.Mostly though i like the punch they pack when they run out of arrows and turn on the exhausted infantry they are being chased by.Love the Jannisary HI as well but they come too late in the game so i'll go with Boyars.

[z|co]

Muslim factions don't really need heavy cavalry. They have mamluks. I think they have armor piercing weapons so should be quite effective against the armored catholics.

Also, they have what would be my favourite unit if only they didn't suffer attack bonuses outside of the desert, and were as slow as kats. Bedouin camel warriors. You get these guys early, they are cheap and they are great at what they do, kill horses.

[Sarnaen]

Actually, Muslim factions can make good use of heavy cavalry. The Ghulam bodyguard, for example, is a fine unit that gives the army the ability to deal with anything it comes across. If an enemy formation can't be disrupted and broken by the baiting and skirmishing tactics of light infantry and horse archers, then take the Ghulams and smash it asunder.
I always make a point of dropping a unit of Armenians or Ghulam cavalry into my Turkish stacks, to act as a heavyhanded reserve. If you're having trouble with a particularly well deployed enemy, sub off a lighter unit and bring on your heavies and you can usually put a big enough dent in their army to exploit with your faster troops.

[katank]

all cav armies are quite strong.

Turkish armies sometimes consist entire of v2 turcoman, v2 AHC, and a unit of ghulam BG commanding.

in capable hands that could run circles around any enemy and rip anything asunder.

foot missiles get destroyed in no time by AHC and the ghulams and so do light cav.

the rest the HAs can drag till ragged and then let the heavier cav charge to finish them off.

[ah_dut]

Quote[/b] (katank @ July 09 2004,15:55)]all cav armies are quite strong.

Turkish armies sometimes consist entire of v2 turcoman, v2 AHC, and a unit of ghulam BG commanding.

in capable hands that could run circles around any enemy and rip anything asunder.

foot missiles get destroyed in no time by AHC and the ghulams and so do light cav.

the rest the HAs can drag till ragged and then let the heavier cav charge to finish them off.
dear master Katank, i remeber you have said that a balanced army can beat anything, i agree. So this can be beaten by a swiss style army http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Eastside Character]

Quote[/b] (katank @ July 09 2004,15:55)]all cav armies are quite strong.

Turkish armies sometimes consist entire of v2 turcoman, v2 AHC, and a unit of ghulam BG commanding.

in capable hands that could run circles around any enemy and rip anything asunder.

foot missiles get destroyed in no time by AHC and the ghulams and so do light cav.

the rest the HAs can drag till ragged and then let the heavier cav charge to finish them off.
Hmm, tho I like cavalry archers of all kinds and eastern armies in general much more than all the rest, I must say that all it takes to beat such force is a couple of good (v2 or more) Arbs (better PavArbs) and a couple of strong spear (or pike) infantry units (also v2 and more).

Arbs can shoot everything, and when AHC or GB come closer the spears (or pikes/ or halberds/ or whatever other cav-killer inf you can get) protect the Arbs while they still shoot. It's tested and no matter if enemy general is v10 or v20, if he gets shot (and he does) his valor is of really no help. That's why the knights in the middle ages used to call the x-bow (and as we know Arbs are just improved x-bows) an unfair weapon. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif

Obviously, a human player will always outsmart the AI, no matter what type of unit do they prefer. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Regards,
EC

[katank]

that's true.

however, all cav armies and winning with them is plain cool and the mobility is something that is awesome and just new approach compared to balanced armies.

AI never uses their guys properly anyhow

rushing the French the first turn using my hobilar and archer from Aquitaine into Toulouse which is defended by a spear, archer, and a ballista.

I should have been destroyed if they parked themselves in a nice corner and covered the archers and ballista with spears on a hill.

they can outrange my archers and if my hobilars charge, they'll get mauled.

instead, some feigning charges and shooting soon managed to isolate all their units and my hobilars ran down their missiles.

by the time my cav arrived, my archer already reduced the spear to 50 men and charging from both sides destroyed them.

I think I lost maybe 20 men max.

[z|co]

I believe that if you could somehow micromanage 16 units of above average horsearchers effectively, such as Szekely, you could beat any army, while taking few losses. Doesn't matter if they have PavArbs and spears.

A few units to keep the Pavarbs busy, charging and retreating. The arbs would be contantly moving, making it difficult for them to find enough to fire.

Meanwhile the rest try to lure out the spears and other enemy units. Against the AI you could isolate large portions of there troops and annhilate them. It worked for the mongols, so it can work for us.

Once you've killed enough of them, the final charge should send em running.

[Eastside Character]

Sure, against the AI it is possible. Against an experienced human player, unfortunately not. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Regards,
EC (an experienced human player) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/barrel.gif

[Spartiate]

Arguably the most successful military machine of olden times was the Golden Horde,Mongols,whatever.They were almost exclusively Horse-Archers in the beginning and all the later units came from armies and cultures that they had conquered and absorbed.Some sources have the mongol cavalryman having as many as 5 mounts each,meaning a tireless light cavalryman who along with his Arban(unit of ten),Jaghun(unit of 100),Mingghan(unit of 1000) and Tumen(10,000 mean mothers) created a veritable cloud of arrows to blot out the sun and could keep this up all day as they carried several quivers of arrows attached to both their persons and their saddles.Every time a horse tired or was killed they simply switched to a fresh mount.Eventually the enemy either tried to retreat or broke and ran.In either case the Mongols would simply ride them down. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-book2.gif

[Ludens]

Quote[/b] (Duke of Gloucester @ July 09 2004,17:00)]
Quote[/b] (Sarnaen @ July 08 2004,17:22)]I like Chivalric Footknights, but one thing has always bugged me - they're noblemen, yet the halberd is a commoners weapon...
They ought to be armed with a pollaxe, rather than a halberd. (Mind you, it is difficult to tell which they are holding).
The unit description says they are armed with a poleaxe, but they get a +3 attack +1 defence against cavalry which would make them a polearm troop.
The poleaxe troops (Urban Militia/Militia Sergeants) do not get this bonus against cavalry.

[nightcrawlerblue]

Any kind of strong cavalry. I've never played as Byzantines so I've never used Kazaks though. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[G-Con Daniel]

It's really hard to pick a favourite unit but it's gotta be............. Feudal foot knights or the Boyars because they are well good at killing EVERY other person out on the battlefield http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-help.gif

[Louis VI the Fat]

JHI, they just own any battlefield.

Those, and naphta. For their sheer entertainment value: explosions, bangs and mutilated enemy body parts flying through the air... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/handball.gif

[katank]

@nightcrawlerblue, you never played Byz?

start a Byz game now they have one of the best unit rosters anywhere and it's awesome