Positioning units for bridge defences

[Kloreep]

Hi all,

I purchased STW: Warlord Edition some years back but never got around to playing it. I've now got it installed and have been experimenting with the campaign. Aside from using guns & advanced cavalry, I think I've had experience with most aspects of the game now, so I'm about to settle in to a campaign for the long haul.

However, there is one thing I still haven't figured out: why do my troops move when I haven't ordered them to? This seems to happen to me most often in bridge battles, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it occur elsewhere too.

This happens when their morale is at Steady - i.e. below impetuous but not even close to routing (and indeed, they will listen if I tell them to go somewhere besides whatever spot randomly picked). It happens even after I've clicked the "Hold Position" button that's immediately left of the archers' "fire at will." (Which, if I understand correctly, tells the units not to retreat away from Archer fire on their own?) It happens when they're Fresh and they're tired. In short, they will move despite my controlling everything I would think would make them stay still under ordered otherwise.

As I said, it seems to happen most in bridge battles (when I'm defending), where it's enough to make me pull my hair out. At first I thought they might be trying to get disentangled from other formations - I do tend to stack the units pretty close together, and all in loose formation - but they often get themselves even more jumbled together, so it's a terrible job if that's what's happening. Can someone enlighten me as to why they do this and how I might stop it, or at least manage it in a fashion that's not like a game of "whack-an-insubordinate-mole"?

[caravel]

As I said, it seems to happen most in bridge battles (when I'm defending), where it's enough to make me pull my hair out. At first I thought they might be trying to get disentangled from other formations - I do tend to stack the units pretty close together, and all in loose formation - but they often get themselves even more jumbled together, so it's a terrible job if that's what's happening. Can someone enlighten me as to why they do this and how I might stop it, or at least manage it in a fashion that's not like a game of "whack-an-insubordinate-mole"?

It's most likely that your units are too crowded. Units in STW/MTW will not intermingle unless they are actually engaging an enemy unit in "engage at will" mode. The units will try to stay in distinct blocks at all other times. It's common near bridges because it gets crowded more easily there and you cannot actually deploy right up to the water's edge. Try not to position your units so close together and keep them back from the bridge. You generally only need 2 or three defensive units directly in front of the bridge. Naginta or YS are good for this role. If you place them too close during deployment they will move out as soon as the battle starts - this can be disastrous.

How are you positioning your units? I tend to favour click and drag selection to get my units positioned both before and during battle.

[Drisos]

Units get very frustrated when being mingled with other units, or even when being very close. Also, being too close to the border, or being too close to water might make 'em do weird things.
Usually you can just order them to get back where they were, and they'll wait a few minutes before they start walking away again.
If you want them to stay in position all the time, you have to properly separate them. :)

Good luck!

[Kloreep]

It's most likely that your units are too crowded.

Ah, so that is the problem. I guess I'll have to loosen my spacing for those river battles. As you say, you generally don't need more than a couple units at a time to hold the bridge.

Naginta or YS are good for this role. If you place them too close during deployment they will move out as soon as the battle starts - this can be disastrous.

Yes, this is exactly what has happened to me at times - all my Yari Sams turning and walking away at the start of the battle! I like to keep my Naginata & Yari Sams near the bridge standing pretty close, so that I can easily defend with one or the other depending on whether my enemy brings cavalry or foot soldiers; but I guess I'll just have to give them more space, and perhaps simply commit to opening the defense with one or the other.

How are you positioning your units? I tend to favour click and drag selection to get my units positioned both before and during battle.

I tend to just click, and use ALT + Click at times to make sure they face the right way. That two-step process isn't exactly quick, though, so perhaps I should use the drag positioning more.

Also, being too close to the border, or being too close to water might make 'em do weird things.

Ah, that would explain why bridge battles are particularly troublesome.

Good luck!

Thanks. :)

[Wishazu]

Welcome to the Sword Dojo Kloreep.

[Martok]

Welcome to the Org, Kloreep!


Positioning is indeed key to keeping your units from "shuffling" about, especially on defensive bridge battles. I tend to use either a "V" formation or "trapezoid" formation, depending on whether I'm deploying 2 or 3 units at the end of the bridge (respectively); this seems to do a good job of keeping my troops still, so long as they're not bunched up.


EDIT: You should let us know how things turn out! I'm curious to see how it goes.

[caravel]

I also favour a "chevron" formation when defending bridges, though a box formation may work better in many cases (especially if you have enough units of the right type to pull it off). This strategy works better than placing a few units facing the bridge as it means the enemy are immediately flanked when they cross the bridge. Keep them under fire with your archers and you will break their resolve soon enough.