Viking Huscarles.......Aaaargh

So I picked up VI and started plaing TW again. 1st campaign as the Scots on normal. The game was pretty straight forward. I expanded into rebel provinces, then took Ireland when they attacked me. Next were the picts, and then the more northerly Mercian provinces. All this while I had been allied to the Vikings so my fleets were happily encouraging trade and I was acquiring money hand over fist. Eventually, during my southward movement, I attacked the saxons and took a couple of provinces. Next thing, the vikings, who were also allied with the saxons, are raiding my Irish provinces and others around the map Now I have to increase the number of units in virtually every province and build ships like mad. Needless to say the drain on money was pretty significant (so it was good I had lots).

The biggest problem was the Viking huscarles, especially one group led by King Cnut (5 star). They were totally unstoppable Spears and clansman, with all armour and weapons upgrades and high valor, were scythed down. Cav attacking from the rear? The huscarles just laughed and chopped em up Then I realized that the Scots have no units with an anti-armour bonus (eeek). The few gallowglass mercs I could buy were chopped up along with all the rest.

Eventually, after losing and re-conquering the same provinces (once I moved in large armies and Cnut moved out) the attrition to the huscarle units was enough that old Cnut bit the dust and the saxons fell before my (now) huge armies.

They're widely considered to be among the best infantry units in the game. Even the more advanced factions of the full game have trouble with them in the early era.

A hint, use those things called archers, you can deplete those uber-units quite good with 4 units.

Its funny, I played and won as the Danes in MTW but I dont recall specifically using them.

I will now :lol: although in the campaign you can always get some unit with anti-armour bonus.

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Ironside @ April 15 2004,09:51)]A hint, use those things called archers, you can deplete those uber-units quite good with 4 units.

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Yeah, I never would have thought of that.

Archers were ineffective due to the speed of the huscarles. I watched em catch up and slaughter mounted nobles that I had ordered to pull back. Plus it was 3 60 man units (to begin with)so I couldnt get a 3-4:1 ratio. If I used the archers as forward skirmishers they were blown out after one or two volleys. By the time they had started to pull back behind the spears the huscarles had hit em. If I used the archers behind the spear-wall they could get off more volleys but once the huscarles are in the melee against spears you're losing more of your own men to your own archers than killing them.

The one early battle where my normal tactics (spear wall and archer with some cav) won the day was in a winter battle where (I presume) their movement was slowed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (SpencerH @ April 15 2004,09:53)]Its funny, I played and won as the Danes in MTW but I dont recall specifically using them.

I will now :lol: although in the campaign you can always get some unit with anti-armour bonus.

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That's not so surprising. Regular Viking units are perfectly decent infantry, and they cost a lot less.

The trick I use when fighting them is a combination of horse + archers. I get them to chase after the horse, which will run up past my row of archers. The archers whittle down them nicely. Then, I either charge with the horse (if they've been taken down a lot), or circle around and repeat the procedure.

With a lot of enemy units, this can require quite a bit of micromanagement, but it can still be effective. Often, once the computer has 'locked' on to one of your units, they'll chase them all the way across the map before giving up. It's a good way to break up the army, and let you take on units individually.

Bh