Worst loss

[Malachus]

Hey guys, I was wondering, what has been your worst loss?
MIne was in an English campaign, when I was attacking the Italians, and with a single balista shooting as they marched towards me, my troops started to rout... it was the weirdest retreat too, because I didnt enter any commands for my troops to withdraw or anything, they just started to rout.. and get this, my army consisted of chivalric knights, royal knight, chivalric MAA and chiv sergeants and i outnumbered the italian army at least 2 to 1. unbelievable

[katank]

did the shot kill your general?

[Tozama]

I will venture a guess you had a zero or 1 star general facing a 8-9 star one there.
Only times I get routed ever is in this situation (me with 2:1 odds and good troops).

[Colovion]

mine was one of two:

the first was last night, me invading Scotland as the English early in a new campaign. I had loads of archers and then a couple units of Hobs. I was mowing them down as they charged and my Hobs form up and totally flank their charge - unfortunately my General was one of the two units of Hobs and he was the one that died http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-anxious.gif all my units routed but the Highlanders killed most of them...

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Campaigns against those mountain boys the swiss have led to decimation of some of my armies. One Burgundian army of mine suffered nearly 900 casualties out of 1200 engaged. Those SAP ate my CMAA, CK and Halberdiers for breakfast http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif

[IrishMike]

I suffered a great defeat against the emergence of the mongels (haven't we all http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif ). I lost 7,000 men and killed somewhere around 50, most of this due to my own fault so i assinated my king to punish me for that battle. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[katank]

that's why you should shoot them with arbs or something while getting them to chase some HAs or tying them up with a trash unit and bad terrain.

[Tozama]

To the subject question:

I recently had a bad loss when I left a ragtag whatever I left there without thinking about defence type army in Venice and the Pope decided to kill our alliance and invade me with a rather healthy supply of knights.
I was so preoccupied with my real front further east I had paid no attention to this army bordering the Papacy area and it turns out I had a 1 star nothing general, 2 vanilla archers and a few beginnner level spears and some peasants sitting in Venice apparently whittling and painting chapel ceilings when the Pope came crashing in.
I drew up the best defence I could but his knights rode right through me like a hot knife through butter and my general ran like a sissy off the battlefield in the first 3 minutes after the clock began http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-inquisitive.gif
Shortly followed by my entire army. They chased down my routers and killed or captured about 70% of my original force. It was NOT pretty http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif
When I lifted the seige next turn with a real army many of my best improvements were destroyed by the attack. :mecry:
Cost me thousands of florins in lost buildings and men all because I wasn't paying attention to the troop mix on a border.

[Colovion]

my second:

I had the high ground - commanding a hill and perfectly set up - spear wall and archers behind, Cav on ends for flanking. My army was lawrger than theirs so that I could outflank them as they got closer. As they came near my concave spear wall huddled on the hill I brought the flanks around to squash them in the center. I had more kills, my General was on the hill watching and BAM total rout..... my General sucked and I thought that easy victory would boost him... no such luck http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif

[katank]

@tozama, are you playng 1.1? in VI, nothing gets destroyed unless the castle is taken.

[Tozama]

1.1

[Kaiser of Arabia]

NTW, storming a castle, lost a 7 star general and over 1 stack of troops.
-Capo

[Jihad2Death]

I had my 1st,2nd,and 3rd worst lost all in 3 turns and at the same place.It was my 2nd ever meeting with The Horde.I was playing as the English and had just taken Lithuania,when the Horde decide to invade.I should have known not to fight the Horde in a country with so much flat land,but I move 732 more men into Lithuania(I already had 400)With 1,232 men(mostly spearmen,and infantry) and a good general I expected to win with ease.What I didn`t know was the the Khan himself was leading the attack with an army of 656 men(mostly HC & Horse Archers)Because I had just taken Lithuania I had an attacking there no archers/crossbows.I had a huge line of spearmen in front with infantry behind,with a few units of cav on either side.The Mongols tore my army to pieces,first their HC tore up my spearmen,seeing this I sent my infantry in to help.By the time they got there my spearmen were aready routing,and they were routing off to the sides, away from the rest of my troops.I tried to rally them,didn`t work.Because the Mongols chased my spearmen away from the rest of my men I stopped my infantry(no point in having them run after Mongols,which were running after my spearmen)While the Mongol HC was away,I put my infantry in a long defensive line in front of my general and cav,all the while the Mongol horse archers were hailing down arrows on my men.I couldn`t let this happen because by the time the Mongol HC came back I wouldn`t have an army left to fight them.So I sent all my cav except my general after the horse archers,who of course ran.I didn`t want my cav away when the Mongol HC came back so I brought my cav back.As everyone knows once horse archers aren`t being chased anymore they come back and shoot somemore.I couldn`t worry about them because the Mongol HC was back,only they didn`t come from the front,where my infantry was.They came from out of the trees and attacked my infantry from the sides,seeing this I sent all my cav,and my general into the battle.On purpose I sent my general to attack the Khan,hoping to kill him and make the Mongols rout.It didn`t work my general was killed,and the infantry was now routing.I had called for reserves as soon as the spearmen had left the field and they were now making there way onto the field.By now the rest of my army(who weren`t routing) were pushed to the very back of the map,where my reinforcements were coming on.The Mongols now had my whole army routing(except the reserves)I called up every reserve unit I had,hoping to push the Mongols back.The Mongols attacked and routed my units as soon as the entered the field http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif Out of the 1200 men I had,I lost 900.

[Medieval Assassin]

Quote[/b] (The Blind King of Bohemia @ July 07 2004,13:52)]Campaigns against those mountain boys the swiss have led to decimation of some of my armies. One Burgundian army of mine suffered nearly 900 casualties out of 1200 engaged. Those SAP ate my CMAA, CK and Halberdiers for breakfast http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif
Sigh, I know your pain too well, I lost 3 stacks of awesome troops, to that half a stack of that god dang awesome defending 8 star gen, to his friggin SAPS
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-argue.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ceasarno.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shogunshame.gif

[katank]

never fight horde on non bridge/castle map esp. without missiles

[Jihad2Death]

Quote[/b] (katank @ July 07 2004,15:51)]never fight horde on non bridge/castle map esp. without missiles
Here's the worst part,I sent another army of about 700 men to Lithuania fight the Horde(same result)I was so ticked off that I sent all the defensive armies I had in the region into Lithuania(about 1400 men)We were run down again by the Mongol HC http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

[Kommodus]

There seems to be a recurring theme here - the destruction of armies at the hands of Mongol heavy cavalry. Perhaps most of us go through that stage when we first meet the Mongols on an open field. My story is rather similar...

As the Byzantines, I had a strong commander (a prince with about 5 stars) defending Trebizond with an army of over 900 men, composed of a few units of Byzantine infantry, a couple of units of spearmen, and a large number of Trebizond archers. The first potent Mongol army I had ever faced on the open field invaded. It was probably about 600-strong, including large numbers of heavy cavalry and horse archers. I don't remember the enemy commander's rank; he probably had about 4 stars. I arrayed my army on a hill, with the infantry forming a defensive semi-circle around the rows of archers. I hoped that my showers of arrows would weaken the enemy cavalry enough to prevent them from breaking my lines.

Sadly, it was not to be. The heavy cavalry attacked my defensive formation from all sides, easily breaking through both spearmen and swordsmen. The infantry soon routed, and the archers quickly followed suit. My prince and his entourage of Kataphracts fought bravely, but once his bodyguard was slain, he was forced to retreat from the field alone (he did this without routing, though). His army was not so lucky - almost the entire force was slain or captured. Perhaps 100 or so Mongols were killed.

After that, I refused to engage the Mongols outside of the cover of trees. The following year, the same Mongol army plunged into Constantinople itself, where the Emperor was forced to command a desperate last-stand defense. He was successful, but it was a close-fought affair. This led to the destruction of the Mongol army and an end to the threat posed by the Horde.

[Neubs]

I don't lose because I only fight when I already know I've won.

[Petronius]

Had a fairly large byzantine army, fighting the English. They started to skirmish, I destroyed some of their troops and they retreated to a hill. Immediatly, I sent my horse archers after them. However, they weren't happy for some reason and decided to rout because of 'constant retreat'. Most of my army followed suite, and the english swooped in with their cavalry and butchered it.

[Inuyasha12]

Was playing hellenistic total war and got into a big grudge with the persians. I lost about 5k soldiers and killed 2k. It was a devastating loss, for me and the persians. I survived because i retreated back into greece, but the persian army was weakened and later defeated by macedonians(ha just the way it happened).

I've also suffered heavy losses while playing against the mongols for the first time, i had to change my strategy completely to be able to beat them. I was playing the crusader states(bkb supermod) And had defeated turkey, and felt pretty good. The mongols decide to go south and i wasn't ready for them after the war with the turks, i lost something like 3k, in 2 battles. My army devastated, i lost the game like 20 turns after the egyptians,mongols and byzantines triple teamed me

Oh hell

[katank]

never underestimate the charging power of MHC in open battle.

Byz have that weakness in lack of decent spears and the swords being vulnerable to cav.

I usually use kats to counter charge and they acquit themselves well.

[Tozama]

Another one:

I attacked the Byz just north-east of Kiev (cannot recall the province name here) with my 6 star general vs. his 7 star king.
Thought I had a nice troop mix to counter his army and was too cocky I guess. Advanced toward his position as his whole army turned and ran backwards up a hill (why they didn't just start on this hill I have no idea).
I see them fleeing and think to myself: self I said http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-smile.gif I better run my cavalry up there fast before he gets up onto that hill.
Stupid stupid stupid http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif
My cav gets way out ahead of my advancing lines and just as the Byz army is part way up that hill they all turn at once and decimate my cavalry I am busy trying to hand control my cavalry to disengage them and apparently some of the buildings and trees in the path of my advancing lines caused gaps in my lines. As my main force gets near the hill they are in disarray and not in any kind of ordered line up. The Byz have crushed my cavalry who are fleeing from the field in terror and he then launches his cavalry into my broken lines and kills off/routes my archers and longbows before my spears can close the gaps and flank his cav.
It was a tactical blunder and a major nightmare.
I lost many men and finally my general ended up unprotected and surrounded. All my men are locked in combat so no one can rescue him either
He is captured - my army routes and is chased down as they flee. I lost over 600 men killed or captured and my general was ransomed. Too many easy victories does make me too cocky http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
It was quite ugly and humbled me for a few game years. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-anxious.gif

[katank]

game years is the key word. not years, just game years. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

same way with me. back to my cocky self very soon.

[Zortanius]

I think I have a good one.

I was playing as BYZ (some months ago). I had conquered Venice. I had eventually managed to get the loyalty above 110% after convincingly defeating some really good rebel armies. I had a solid army sitting in Venice - mercenary Italian infantry and Billmen, +1 armor upgraded Byz infantry, a couple of +1 armor VG, lots of Pavise Arbies, some upgraded Pronioia and Stepe Cavalry, some spearmen, A unit of 7 Valor Katanks under a 8 star general. All my units had a base morale of atleast 4.

I had also sent out a tour of victory through all the neighbouring provinces which had all rebelled immediately after they fell. So Milan, Tuscany and Genoa had huge armies consisting of CS, Italian Infantry, CK, FK and crossbowmen all under 3 and 4 star generals. Relishing my moment I had also taken the Papal States and Rome from the Papacy and so those province had a huge uber army as well. In addition Tyrolia and Austria had scary German loyalist forces.

Suddenly the Italians, Germans and the Papacy attacked me.

The odds were something like:

Total size of your troops 1000 odd
Total size of enemy forces 7000 odd.

I said bring it.

The battle started - I could only have 16 units so i deployed my usual speartype and sword type wide V shaped line backed by arbies with the gen in the centre back and the pronoia and steppe on the back flanks. I also had speartype on the flanks to prevent flanking and envelopment by cavalry.

The battle started - the arbies started firing away. at first as the 3 armies and 48 enemy units started appoaching, I was doing fine - I had 6 units of arbies so I had enough bolts I thought. They came closer and started flanking me but I was ready. Then they started attacking. At first I held them off a bit but there were too many of them - the foot knights started creating havoc and the multiple cavalry units were bringing my speartypes to bear. Eventually my left flank fell as the left most italian infantry ran. The CK started chasing them down so I moved my general to plug the gap. It helped but then another unit of CK and some remaining FK from the first wave rallied and attacked my general - he went down fighting to the last man and once he died the rest of my army - which was getting beaten bad and was partially routing - completely routed.

A bolt brought down the German General but his army continued the assault. The italians were particularly vicious and the papacy was moving all around my right flank.

I lost some 600 troops, 300 got captured and the rest ran back to the castle. I killed about 500 enemy soldiers.
The entire battle field was a clog of black, green and light gold knights overrunning a purple mass.

That by far was my greatest defeat and my worst loss - even beating the 1200 odd soldiers I lost trying to beat the horde in Georgia my first time playing the game.

Cheers

[Zortanius]

Actually here's another funny anecdote

The very first time I was playing the game - I was playing as the BYZ and in retrospect I was playing very badly. However I had only lost Lesser Armenia to the Egyptians and had successfully managed to defeat mutiple combined invasions by the Turks and Egyptians in Anatolia. Having done this for many game decades using lots of byzantine infantry i had gotten very fond of them and thought they were the best unit in the game. Since I had managed to beat off AHC, SC and some ghulams as well I thought they were good against cavalry as well. I did not realise that fighting in the trees as defender under a 8 star general and with 5 or 6 base morale helped immensely.

Suddenly the horde arrived (I had no idea they were going to arrive - total surprise) and confident in my BI I sent a massive army to Georgia with 20 units of BI and one 4 star Katanks general. Nothing else I was going to wipe the map with their blood. The MHA got close to the hill I was on - I charged with my BI and almost instantly I knew I had lost. for the next 30 minutes I watched as the MHA dance with my BI leading them all over the map till the MHC ended their agony asn killed them. My Katank could never even get close to anyone till eventually 3 MHC pinned him down. I have never seen such orchestrated battlefield annhilation in the game by the AI. It was poetic - also rather pathetic. I lost some 1900 troops altogether.

Cheers

[Marshal Qin]

I've had several large battles against superman. 2 were in Lithuania. I'd watched Novgorod hammer away at a large rebel army there for a decade. Finally, I checked back and there was 1 Lithuanian Cavalryman on a horse. He was a low star general but I didn't check valour. - Just 1 guy on a horse - no worries I thought.
I was going to advance through Lithuania as the initial phase of a full scale invasion of Novgorod so I sent a large army upwards of 2000 men which included Javalins, foot knights, 2nd lvl spearmen, archer and 4 royal cav.
Superman just sat there on his horse and waited for me. Fisrt he annihilated my royal cav. OK, bad, so i figured he was a tough SOB and thought I just turn him into a pincussion. After all archer ammo was expended, he was still there...withdraw archers...bring on everything incl reinforcements and spend the next ten minutes chasing him around the map. After finally surrounding him with 5 units of spearmen, 3 units of javalins and 1 general (who now had a very healthy repect for this guy and stayed well away) it was time to overwhelm him. By the time I ran out of time, he had killed over 1500 men and i lost the battle. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wall.gif
Pt 2 was the same. I send my next stack through Lithuania but it had better units in it. I finally killed him after losing similar numbers of men to the first battle.

I met superman again in Grenada where he was posing as an almohad urban militiaman in a castle. 2 units of royal knights, a unit of knights of santiago, 2 units of spearmen, a unit of peasants and 2 units of archers later i ran out of time and lost the battle.

[Armchair Athlete]

I have one, when I first got MTW and was playing as the Spanish, I decided to attack the Almohads with a mix of Feudal Sergeants, Jinettes, Royal Cav and Archers. Their army had some desert archers, camels, murabitin inf. and about 5 units of Almohad urban militia. Ha, Urban Militia suck I thought, and charged them with my Feudal Sergeants.... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-oops.gif
The Almohad Urban Militia went through them like a hot knife through butter, then their camels charged my prince RK unit and gave him the whipping of his life. End result 800 men lost, about 70 killed. Ever since then I have had a healthy respect for AUM.

[katank]

AUM=FMAA, v1 AUM from granada > CMAA

fear and respect them

[mfberg]

I was attacking into Constantinople and let a Mtd X-bow get away from me, they were impetuous and their leader decided that their swords were better than their crossbows against a v7 kat. (On the replay I saw) First charge of the Kats - 54 dead xbows, continuation of charge 30 more dead, the last six didn't even have time to run their fast horses away from the battle. Without the extra mtd crossbows I couldn't keep their Byz inf from my spears. Total chaos, routing spears, archers, mtd crossbow, followed by fmaa, Teutonic Knights and RK. Luckily they had no fast horses, or I would have been paying out the wazoo to buy my invasion back. As it was I lost about 330 to 40 dead for them.

mfberg

[katank]

keep an eye on those mtd x-bows. they always seem eager for a scrape from which they never return.

the only thing keeping them back is the other mtd x-bows who are trying to beat them to death. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[z|co]

I remember a while back. I charged my crusader force up a hill in lesser armenia, well i never made it to the top. My men just started running back down as they were cut to ribbons by some 5 units of ghulam bodyguards. I think there general was about 6 stars compared to my 1 star general who i had lost in the previous battle in anatolia, which i did win however, but only barely.

[katank]

attacking uphill when out generaled and facing superior troops is not a good idea at all.