About serpentines?

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07-16-2004, 10:05
SlyConqueror

I have never used serpentines, and now i wonder why every one is so pleased with them. As I now then can not turn. is not that too bad. I prefer catapults and culverins, although the catapulst are better for me.This is becouse the make much more damage.Once i havemanage to beat about 1000 Franch army with my 700 Spanish. The hole thing was that I was on the hill with two units of catapults and they where shooting at the French till the run out of ammo.They managed to kill about 300 of them and most important their general https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...icons/wink.gif . As for the culverins it is true that they can shoot all over the battle field but the do not hit anything in most cases https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...cons/mecry.gif . OK maybe 10 or 20 but they really are not good against soldiers, but are best against castle walls.I am not sure about their effect on teh enemy morale, the only thing I know is that the enemy is suffering morale penalty. So I was wondering could someone tell me more about serpentines please?
07-16-2004, 10:59
The_Emperor

serpentines are designed for infantry killing.

You won't get much wall-smashing power with them, but they are a lot more accurate than your average Culverin/Demi-Culverin... (You know I always though they could turn, but if they can't then thats a bummer)

Though I have found Culverins to be useful for bombarding an army at the start, you just need to have a few of them and be very selective of your targeting.
07-16-2004, 12:11
InsaneApache

serpentines can turn....only arty that cant r trebs and mangonels....oh and welcome to the org. https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...icons/wave.gif
07-16-2004, 14:05
The_Emperor

Excellent. Sounds like I'll be bringing along a load of cannons with my armies once I tech up to Serps...

Serpentines for pitched battles and Culvs for Castle storming.
07-16-2004, 15:07
Game Over!!!

If I remember correctly serpentines also carry more rounds than a culverin, 40 compared to 20-something for culverins. Serpentines do turn and are the best arty for killing infantry in the game, excluding organ guns maybe.
07-16-2004, 15:27
Maeda Toshiie

Serpentines with sniper scope... mmm... enemy general without his head.
07-16-2004, 16:34
Thomas_di_Montessi

Do not mention those damn weapons: in answer to you though, they are infact very effective at clearing vast swathes of infantry and slow/ heavy cavalry at opening stages in a battle. Further to this, they can turn, as I found out, when i tried to sneak up behind the beggars and give them a piece of my mind for killing my general

seriously though, they are damn good weapons. Only an organ gun is as effective at removing those tough on infantry/cavalry stains from the battle field- permanently https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...gc-stunned.gif
07-16-2004, 17:18
RollingWave

serps are better on the offensive while organs are better on the defense.
07-16-2004, 17:22
katank

organ guns you need to fake rout troops to use effectively on offense.

I usually use serps, culvs, and organs in conjunction.

serpentines are sniper scopes with medium range, culvs are your heavy long ranged bombadment, organs are for extreme short range splatter.

killing half of one unit in one hit and mauling another with an organ is usually an instant rout especially if your serpentines alreayd took off their general's head and/or abrs and handguns firing into them to compound the penalties.
07-16-2004, 22:22
KillerKadugen

I was never very impressed by serps. My only recollection of them is fighting a large rebel army as the Russians before VI came out. I routed their whole army, but as usual, the artillary guys just stood there, so I charged them with some boyars...only lost like 2 guys. Maybe I was lucky. https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...s/confused.gif

As Katank put it, the organ guns do massive damage to anything nearby. This includes your own troops. I found this out the hard way while defending against the Horde in Kiev. Mongols charged the bridge and my organ guns wiped out the first two units, but when the enemy finally engaged my Ialian Inf mercs, things turned ugly. Both of my guns shot at the same time into the mass of men on the bridge...unfortunaltely, my men were amongst the enemy. Result-50 some enemy killed along with 2/3 of my italian inf. Guess I'll turn off the fire at will option next time https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...ns/gc-oops.gif
07-17-2004, 00:16
katank

yep. hand targeting with organs will result in optimal effect

account for the splash also.
07-17-2004, 00:21
The_Emperor

I once had an organ gun that killed two members of its own crew in a point blank range shot... A bit of splash damage.
07-17-2004, 00:22
Medieval Assassin

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (InsaneApache @ July 16 2004,06:11)]serpentines can turn....only arty that cant r trebs and mangonels....oh and welcome to the org. https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...icons/wave.gif

Siege cannons....
07-17-2004, 01:27
Kenseu

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Medieval Assassin @ July 16 2004,18:22)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (InsaneApache @ July 16 2004,06:11)]serpentines can turn....only arty that cant r trebs and mangonels....oh and welcome to the org. https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...icons/wave.gif

Siege cannons....

And Mortars.
07-17-2004, 12:03
InsaneApache

lol, yup seige cannons and mortars...I just never use em ,so I forgot 'bout those two... https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...s/gc-blush.gif
07-17-2004, 14:38
The_Emperor

Siege cannons are actually very powerful... Ok so they can't turn but their shot can really blast holes in some walls
07-17-2004, 15:29
Chimpyang

Does anyone here use the bombard in the field?
07-17-2004, 15:39
sunsmountain

Nope. Serpentines and Culverins exclusively. Serpentines mostly for fun though. If i'm in a killing mood, a long row of pavise arbalests is all it takes... :)
07-17-2004, 17:43
Medieval Assassin

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Kenseu @ July 16 2004,19:27)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Medieval Assassin @ July 16 2004,18:22)]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (InsaneApache @ July 16 2004,06:11)]serpentines can turn....only arty that cant r trebs and mangonels....oh and welcome to the org. https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...icons/wave.gif

Siege cannons....

And Mortars.

And Bombard... https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...ons/tongue.gif
07-17-2004, 18:24
Accounting Troll

As well as being unable to turn, bombards blow up thus killing half the crew. I find them to be a complete waste of time.

Historically, mortars were used not to blow holes in castle walls, but to kill the defenders with shrapnel. I only ever bother with mortars if I can hire them as mercenaries.
07-17-2004, 19:04
KyodaiSteeleye

well that explains why they're so damn rubbish at blowing up walls then - because they have an arc shot and not a horizontal, they invariably miss most of the time - i've been in the embarrassing situation before of having a large army outside a castle with 3 mortars, and by the end of the ammunition not having brought down a single wall.

My army had to turn tail and retreat. I don't think my commander ever recovered https://forums.totalwar.org/forum/no...ons/tongue.gif
07-18-2004, 15:09
katank

they are useful for kill the defenders while your siege cannons blast a hole in the wall.

i've used bombard before and blew away about half a unit of cav trying to run it down when the gun exploded (very lucky coincidence).

also, it managed to explode and kill my general or flatten half my battery a few times.

note: always spread your bombards out and don't let any units close to it.