missile cavalry charge and blocking trade

[BenderBRodriguez]

hey guys, how do you 'charge' using missile cavalry/chariot, i mean the pahlav bodyguard's got 44 charge, kinda a waste if you cant use it, and same argument with casse's bodyguards.

also, can you use troops to block enemy's trade routes on land?

and sometimes even with melee cavalry, when charging at something (moving away from them) they slow down right before impact and as a result, the charge is lost, what gives?

and how do you melee with missile units if you dont to use up their arrows/javelin?

and for the same attack value, are arrows just as deadly as javelins?

thanks.

[everyone]

to get your missile cavalry to charge, alt+click at the target, the same applies for foot archers/slingers, alt+click is also to use the secondary weapons (e.g. axes for the shipri tukul)

I don't think you can block enemy trade routes on land, only devastate the tile

for the third question, I think your unit status changes from "charging" to "pursuing" so it slows down

hope this helps

[white_star]

Yes you can use troops on land to block ports. Just put them onto the port on the land. For phalava I have little experience. But for casse's chariots I have some.

For me I usally put the chariots in front line. I charge in head front and before they stops (and get massakerd) I tell them to push foward behind and through the line to behind. And quickly move in my infrantry into the disrupted line. The chariots then fire their javelins and when the enemy is near to rout. I charge in from the back and use them to chase routers.

While this is quite a good tactic when it works. It can easily backfire if the enemy has a deep line. Also it is quite risky to put your general in the front line. But the heck. War is dangerous!

[Ca Putt]

to use the secondary weapon you have to hold the[alt] key while issueing an attack. so if you wan't a ranged unit to go into melee you have to press the [alt] key(this also applies to units who use a ranged weapon before charge.

[BenderBRodriguez]

devastate the tile?

and double clicking behind the enemy with cavalry doesnt equal charging right?

how do you prevent charging turning into pursuing, what determines one or the other? whether the enemy is routing or not?

also, after charge, do you try to push through and make holes in enemies lines, then charging them from the back or retreat for a second charge from the front? i think i lose less horses with the later.

and how do i know whether something has a second attack or not?

[I of the Storm]

If you remain long enough (>1 turn) in one spot on the campaign map, provided it's in enemy territory, devastation will set in. It will be visible as black (like burned) territory and it will diminish the enemies income. It might cause some unrest as well but I'm not sure about that.

[BenderBRodriguez]

oh even in a forest? preparing for an ambush? or only on areas that are not forest/roads?


and how do we know whether something has spears or sword? some say spears are better for charging?

[everyone]

for checking the weapons of the units, you can check the EDU (export_descr_unit, found in rome - total war/eb/data); alternatively you can read the unit descriptions for some units.

[BenderBRodriguez]

more questions,

double clicking behind the enemy with cavalry doesnt equal charging right?

how do you prevent charging turning into pursuing, what determines one or the other? whether the enemy is routing or not?

also, after charge, do you try to push through and make holes in enemies lines, then charging them from the back or retreat for a second charge from the front? i think i lose less horses with the later.

that will be all today, thanks

[Maion Maroneios]

more questions,

double clicking behind the enemy with cavalry doesnt equal charging right?

how do you prevent charging turning into pursuing, what determines one or the other? whether the enemy is routing or not?

also, after charge, do you try to push through and make holes in enemies lines, then charging them from the back or retreat for a second charge from the front? i think i lose less horses with the later.

that will be all today, thanks

Nope, it doesn't. Just make sure you keep clicking after you hit their lines, or your guys will engage the enemy.

If one of your units has been ordered to engage an enemy unit, after the latter starts routing your guys automatically pursue them. To prevent that, either turn defense mode on or simply press Backspace when the enemy starts routing.

Charging enemy ranks up front is usually the best way to lose your cavalry, especially when the enemy has spears. Unless of course you have Saka Bodyguards, Kataphraktoi or Parthian Cataphracts. Even those tanks tend to get killed pretty fast after they've tired, though (which happens quite fast, mind you). So repeatedly charging the enemy flanks (preferably the right side which is unshielded) or the back is the best way to use cavalry.

Maion

[Seyduna]

more questions,

double clicking behind the enemy with cavalry doesnt equal charging right?

Yes, it means charging but you need some space between the enemy and your unit. Because if your units are disorganized, they need some time for regrouping.

how do you prevent charging turning into pursuing, what determines one or the other? whether the enemy is routing or not?

If the enemy is routing, your units become 'Pursuing'

also, after charge, do you try to push through and make holes in enemies lines, then charging them from the back or retreat for a second charge from the front? i think i lose less horses with the later.

If the enemy is fighting with my infantry, I try to charge them several times. Its your best to draw your cavalry after the enemy, especially if spearmen, turns its back and you lose some men.

[Strategos Alexandros]

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=103172 All you need to know to use any cavalry.

[Ignopotens]

and sometimes even with melee cavalry, when charging at something (moving away from them) they slow down right before impact and as a result, the charge is lost, what gives?

I don't think you can properly charge an enemy unit that is moving away from you. What seems to happen is that as soon as one of my cavalry reaches the enemy he stops to engage him and the whole unit ends up stopping the charge.

[theoldbelgian]

and about the question of blocking land trade, yes it is posible to stand on a road and cut off the land trade
although the only one who's hurt with this is you when it happens because of the money-script

[BenderBRodriguez]

Nope, it doesn't. Just make sure you keep clicking after you hit their lines, or your guys will engage the enemy.

If one of your units has been ordered to engage an enemy unit, after the latter starts routing your guys automatically pursue them. To prevent that, either turn defense mode on or simply press Backspace when the enemy starts routing.

Charging enemy ranks up front is usually the best way to lose your cavalry, especially when the enemy has spears. Unless of course you have Saka Bodyguards, Kataphraktoi or Parthian Cataphracts. Even those tanks tend to get killed pretty fast after they've tired, though (which happens quite fast, mind you). So repeatedly charging the enemy flanks (preferably the right side which is unshielded) or the back is the best way to use cavalry.

Maion

my right or their right?


and does defense value only count as a total or does the shield/defense ability/the other thing each have a different way of which theyre applied?

[Aemilius Paulus]

my right or their right?

Their right. Maion is pointing out that the right side of any normal soldier is the less defended one, as soldiers normally carry shields with their left hand. However, I would never try to charge a unit in their flank. Unless I am really desperate. Hitting the flank is not effective in the RTW engine and flanks are usually narrow, whereas the rear is wide. Many horsemen will be lost in a flank charge and the enemy soldiers will respond very quickly. More enemy soldiers get hit when you charge a unit in the rear. One important thing that Maion commented on was how tired a mounted unit is when charging. I have lost as many as five men (large unit scale) when charging tired silver-chevron Eqvites Consvlares (Romani Early General's Bodyguard) in the back of extremely low quality units such as Pantodapoi.

[Maion Maroneios]

Yea, I meant their left. But it's true that, as Aemilius stated, that it's better to charge the enemy's exposed backs instead of the flanks. Both because of the small width, as well as the faster reaction of the enemy.

Maion