I did an experiment - How good are JHI really ?

I selected the Turks and gave myself 1m Fl , gave myself iron in every province I controlled after a couple of turns. Built a MA and +4 Armor, +4 sword in every province.

This allowed me to build JHI, JI and JA in every province, with the above stats.

After a time, I had about 10 stacks of (5 JHI, 5 JI and 5 JA + 1 Ghulam Bodyguard General)

I then went into the attack, with what I thought was a strong stack (as above) against a Horde Cavalry Stack. Playing out on the battlefield, I lost a small number of JHI, JI and JA (about 100 men) and completely decimated the Cavalary stacks (1000 horses)

I did take quite a beating, so I have learned that even with the best troops, and maximum improvements, they can still be beaten. People say Valor is the most important stat as +1 valor is equal to +1 armor/+1 weapon I can now believe this.

Therefore, I believe, There is no substitute for battle hardened experience. I can imagine once I move my stacks across Europe, their experience / valor will increase, making these troops almost invincible.

NOTE: I do not recommend cheats, unless you want to test something, as it will really spoil the game.

If you test JHI in a custom battle you can really see their prowess. They can take on Gothic Knights and with the experience gained from that continue on to kill another whole unit of them and then pretty much anything else.

The true test of any unit is on campaign, when you clash with another army and the JHI can go through them and the next wave and the next wave, they are totally exhausted yet still triumph against ridiculous odds, be the enemy urban militia, SAP or CMAA's.

JHI is one of the very few units that can fight to the death despite insane odds, exhaustion and enemy quality. There are lots of great units on the game but most are for specific purposes, Gothic foot knights are brilliant against infantry but against cavalry charges from the flanks they are in trouble, JHI can sustain incredible amounts of pressure providing you use them well enough.

However, almost any unit can be dangerous if led well, JHI are useless if they have a poor general, with a great general they are near invincable.

Well JHI can still win with a poor general (few valor bonuses) and when two troops of infantry are just smashing together there is not much strategy, but I get your point. JHI are just great, I just wish lower janissary troops could be recruited without the Military Academy.

JHI get valour bonus un Bulgaria, so if you manage to get a military academy there (easier said than done ), you will have some true killing machines. :cool3:

Add master armourer and they will be invincible (yes, even more!).

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Originally Posted by Uesugi Kenshin

Well JHI can still win with a poor general (few valor bonuses) and when two troops of infantry are just smashing together there is not much strategy, but I get your point. JHI are just great, I just wish lower janissary troops could be recruited without the Military Academy.

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I would be happy if i could build multiple military academies, you know, without the destroy-the-Grand-Mosque-only-to-rebuild-somewhere-else-so-you-get-to-build-a-new-academy exploit.

I dd not know about that exploit...

I wll have to start using it so can finally field all Janissary and canon armies. Thanks for telling me about that.

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Originally Posted by Uesugi Kenshin

I dd not know about that exploit...

I wll have to start using it so can finally field all Janissary and canon armies. Thanks for telling me about that.

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What does this mean?

This allowed me to build JHI, JI and JA in every province, with the above stats.

I thought Bulgarian Brigands got valor bonuses in Bulgaria?

Also, if you start in Early, you could have won by the time you get to JHI, so they might not prove to be a very large factor in things..overall.

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Originally Posted by 2faced

I thought Bulgarian Brigands got valor bonuses in Bulgaria?

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Both, JHI and bulgarian Brigands, get valour bonus in Bulgaria (you can confirm that by checking the unit info file. In the game, only the first unit mentioned to have a bonus in certain province is actually mentioned).

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Originally Posted by 2faced

Also, if you start in Early, you could have won by the time you get to JHI, so they might not prove to be a very large factor in things..overall.

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You might want to try a GA campaign, wich allows you to win the game wothout killing everyone (unless you still want to, of course). Also, this same affirmation would be true for the rest of advanced units in the game (Gothic knights, Lancers, SAP...), so i guess that if you want to see them in action, you will have to take it slowly... cooperate, so to speak...

I suppose it all depends on your style of play.

I find that by the time I can train JHI I have conquered most of my nearby rivals and am ready to push westward if the AI is strong and resisting heavily JHI can be crucial in that push westward. Saracens, Ghazis, Muwahids etc arent good enough to defeat strong western armies the Janissary corp changes that balance coupled with the Turks excellent cavalry roster you can then conquer even the strongest of Catholic nations.

However sometimes the AI has destroyed itself and JHI become more a luxery than necessity.

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Originally Posted by _Aetius_

I find that by the time I can train JHI I have conquered most of my nearby rivals and am ready to push westward if the AI is strong and resisting heavily JHI can be crucial in that push westward. Saracens, Ghazis, Muwahids etc arent good enough to defeat strong western armies the Janissary corp changes that balance coupled with the Turks excellent cavalry roster you can then conquer even the strongest of Catholic nations.

However sometimes the AI has destroyed itself and JHI become more a luxery than necessity.

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Before getting to JHI I worked out the subtlties and nuances of Ghazi Infantry (and Futuwwa's). Now really there isn't much need for JHI. Especially when the Ghazi's/Futawwa's have valoured up and with full Armour Upgrades. :charge: Just use Saracens or Muwahids to hold the line and smash the flanks and rear with the Ghazi's/Futtawa's. . . it's pretty much game over. Of course you could "hold" the line with JHI, but that would be. . . :dizzy2: overkill :dizzy2: