Bridge Battles

[starkhorn]

I was wondering if someone could give us some advice on bridge battles and the best way to attack over one. No matter what I seem to try I always get destroyed. I send say all at once and they all eventually run, I send one at a time and they get slaughtered because there isn't enough of them at once......catch 22.

Any other ideas ?

Also does anyone notice that defending is a bit different now. In STW, you had to stop from getting off the bridge...whereas now, it's better to let them get across and then start melee combat when the first one is completely across.....

[Heggs]

Hit his formations with Siege weapons to drive him back. Or use light/fast cav to 'draw' him into attacking. Whatever you do make sure the first units you send over are either fast or heavy i.e. Shield troops etc.
Best option is to avoid attacking on bridge maps unless you have a big number advantage.
cheers,
Heggs.

[MonkeyMan]

just line up your units out of range of their siege weapons and send in one at a time heavily armoured high attack troops, unit you can get a break in the enemy, then try to get a unit around to get the missile troops and siege weapons. Other than that, just don't attack over rivers or, or hope it's a two bridge map because the ai is terrible at defending both. As a hint, on the strat map, highlight a province, right click then place the cursor over another adjacent province and you are told what terrain to expect to fight in, if you don't have a superior force, don't take the risk of attacking where theres a chance of a river.

[DojoRat]

I don't know about you but I find there are far fewer bridge battles in MTW. True, the AI often retreats without a fight but I don't auto resolve my battles. But anyway some bridge assault basics.

1. Catapults are good. Morale damage.
2. Light cav to race across the bridge, dance around like an idiot and get bigger idiots to chase them back onto the bridge and into the arms of your missle troops. Don't run too fast just keep a little ahead of them.
3. After repeating step 2 many times attack with your best h2h units backed up by some javlin troops,kerns,Jinettes, etc to give close support.
4. Send in the Heavy Cav to break their backs and then follow with whatever light cav you have left to chase them down.

a small note. When the break out occurrs put your inf in open formation to allow the cav to pass through.

Have fun.

------------------
He moves, you move first.

[chilliwilli]

Actually its much easier if you don't let them cross and position defensive troops where the field starts and the bridge ends. You'll then find your units facing only a small percentage of the enemies forces head on.

As for attacking I agree that heavily armoured units with good attack and bonus vs. armoured troops is the way to go, but a few spear units couldn't hurt either if kept in formation they can keep your opponent from pushing you back over the bridge. Being pushed back even a little can mean defeat. I also agree with what someone above said about javelin troops they can do terrible damage to units and can break formations nicely. If their formation is broken you should be able to break through no problem.

If its a map with 2 bridges I recomend a few units of cavalry mixed in also. They should be used to cross the other bridge not necessarily to attack, but to just keep the enemy on his toes. If he moves a few units away from the first bridge to keep an eye on those cavalry you've seperated his forces and now have a better chance of winning the main struggle on the first bridge.

[This message has been edited by chilliwilli (edited 10-24-2002).]

[Rnold]

put missile troops on your side of the river close to the bridge in order to secure the area in the immediate vincinity of the bridge.

[Fearless]

Hey try this!

Using Cavalary charge over the bridge and charge either left or right as far away from the enemy as possible. This will draw of some of his forces usually spearmen. If you have the bottle you could do it with a mounted general. This normally puts the cat amongst the pigeons.

The rest I leave to you!

[muffinman14]

In bridge battles I usually get arbs to line up right by the beginning of the bridge so they could fire at the archers and spearmen etc. Yea siege weapons work good for killing a dozen or two men before u run across the bridge. bridge battles are pretty easy because the enemy usually goes to only one bridge so use ur light calvary to go across the other bridge (if theres 2) and surrond em.

And make sure u just keep on peppering them with ur archers so they can kill 100's of men.

[Paco 2 Chihuahuas]

I normally don't have siege weapons when attacking across rivers. I haven't had any problems though. I'll sometimes flank the crossing with crossbowmen and send cav over if the enemy isn't set to defend it very well. It depends on how the enemy is set.

Never send one unit at a time without a one-two punch of other units. At a two bridge field, sometimes the AI won't respond to a slow buildup of superior numbers of your units at the weak bridge. Then attacking the weak bridge and waiting for a response from the enemy to address it will allow you to rush the main bridge with no problem.

[Hakonarson]

Missiles are the key - seige or "normal" you need to have lots of them if there's any decent defence.

they'er a "force multiplyer", and are all the more useful because the enemy will be stationary - a couple of units of long-range Arbalests can do terrible damage to stationary foot.

Also try sending in some light troops and self-rout them to see if he'll follow you over the bridge so YOU get the advantage.