New kid here, need help with something

[porkchop]

Hey gang, I wasn't sure where to post this, so I thought I'd put it here.

I've played Total War ever since Shogun came out, but I've got to be missing something here.

How do you withstand sieges?

I know that's a broad question, but I guess my question is moreso; how do you destroy rams and towers?

I've tried and tried to use flaming arrows but I rarely if ever can seem to get it done. My sieges usually just turn into me not being able to put opposing siege equipment on fire, and getting overrun. Is there a certain number of archery units I should try and employ? A certain point on the walls? What?

I guess I should know this, but I just can't get it done. Sieges are killing me.

Can someone help?

[pevergreen]

I hope you're talking about R:TW here. (edit: Or M2TW)

Archers with fire arrows on. Just a lot, focus on one thing at a time. It works, but sometimes they arent easy to light on fire. I generally have 8 archer units on the walls for a siege. This is at huge unit sizes, anything less will take longer to light.

[porkchop]

I'm sorry. Yeah, I meant for M2TW.

I guess I just need more archers.

[Csargo]

It's been a while since I played M2 but if IIRC I rarely ever set siege equipment on fire.

[pevergreen]

Its possible. Quite easy with around 400 longbowmen, or 600 odd peasant archers.

[Quintus.JC]

Withstanding seiges can be quite easy with the right units; archers and heavy infantry at the wall top, and swarm the narrow streets with spearmen of any kind. Towers and rams in Medieval II aren't so prone to catch fire as easily as in RTW, so sometimes it'd be better to just concentrate on killing as many enemy as possible instead of trying to set their seige equipments alight. A couple units of heavy infantry on the wall should be able to take on the ladders and towers, defenders always have the advantage on wall. Your towers will be able to dish out substantial damage as well, also there is the boilling oil at the Gatehouse. Spearmen really does the trick in seiges, use lots of them if you want (especially if you're one of the Italian factions). With the dispensable spearmen pinning the enemy units, you can then fire barrage of arrows at your enemies with your missile units. Ideally you could also have cavalry units to encircle the enemy and attack them round their back when they've entered the city, this can be very effective when the enemy have engaged in fighting for quite a long time already.

Edit: welcome to the guild Porkchop

[IncubusDragon]

I'm pretty much reinforcing what Quintus.JC said...

What I find very effective is to let the attacker breach your gate and use it as a choke-point as he tries to rush his elite units through. Ideally you use 5 or 6 units to hold the breach... 2 spear units with guard mode switched on, 2 or 3 units of sword, and a unit of cavalry to keep charging the line and to "harry & kill" any stragglers (if that cav unit is your general, they ain't getting in).

Meanwhile, your archers and the rest of your infantry have been up on your walls kicking the **** out of anybody assaulting with ladders or siege towers. Once the ladders and towers have been routed, don't leave your men up there - your guys at the front gate will be getting tired.

You now have a choice... send in all your units to rout the enemy at the gate in a head-on meatgrinder, or split your forces... e.g. use a side gate to sally forth with any spare cavalry and assault any enemy artillery or better still, charge the rear of the enemy units being held at the gate, because once you got the bulk of the army routed, their artillery aren't gonna be a problem anyway.

Here's a replay of the defence of a wooden fort... not ideal, but you'll get the idea of holding the breach and using the other gate to sally forth... http://www.mediafire.com/file/lmlmin0mozy/Breakout.rpy

If I get a spare half hour, I'll do a "proper" replay of a defence against the full siege assault... but you prolly got a good idea already.

[Andres]

Welcome porkchop

[IncubusDragon]

I've run a couple of scenarios, and it depends upon the defences of the settlement you're defending... if you got a huge stone wall, then the towers could take care of any siege equipment for you... but if you defending a town with a wooden wall, then the attackers will be on you before you got a chance to destroy the siege equipment - so you then have to hold each point of attack long enough to prioritise & execute your plan.

In the following replay, I deliberately gave myself a weaker army so you can see that it can go right to the brink... but if you keep a cool head and don't give up, the day can easily be yours. http://www.mediafire.com/file/zzjdbyzgd4x/siege defence.rpy (copy to replays folder - usually found in Program Files/SEGA/Medieval II Total War/replays)

Sure it got messy... I lost my general because I was dumb, and I could have maximised enemy casualties if I waited on their regrouped units returning to the wall instead of giving chase... but it hopefully helps you to see a method of defending against a siege assault.

If you want to try it for yourself, copy this custom battle file to your "custom" folder (usually found in Program Files/SEGA/Medieval II Total War/custom) http://www.mediafire.com/file/qmmjdl...DefendTown.cbx
When I played it, I set all my infantry on "guard mode" so they wouldn't do anything stupid like run down the ladders in pursuit of a routing unit only to get stranded outside the town with fresh enemy units coming at them. Incidentally, none of the units have any upgrades added, so I made the assaulting army a 10K army, but used less that 6K on the defending army.

[G. Septimus]

Welcome, then
Porkchop
wait, porkchop is a character in hot wheels, right????

[A Very Super Market]

Well, a porkchop is a porkchop.

[Beefy187]

Alas something I can eat

Welcome porkchop

[fljaweiu]

I can eat anything...
Well, a porkchop is always a porkchop.

[smooth_operator]

I hope you're talking about R:TW here. (edit: Or M2TW)

Archers with fire arrows on. Just a lot, focus on one thing at a time. It works, but sometimes they arent easy to light on fire. I generally have 8 archer units on the walls for a siege. This is at huge unit sizes, anything less will take longer to light.

It's dangerous however to put too much troops along the walls as they are very vulnerable when trebuchets/basilisks/culverins begin pounding the walls. When the walls collapse, your troops go along and it'll knock out a big chunk from your army. Once the seige equipments begin pounding your walls, you just have a matter of seconds to move your troops down. This can be really frustrating though as they all try to rush down. Best strategy is to put your archers in the area above the doors as they don't collapse. Spearmen must hold the important choke points in your settlement while your cavalry are always ready to give a chase. When your settlement has 2 or 3 layers(fortress/citadel), it won't harm falling back to the inner courts. Always try to spare your heavy infantry from heavy engagements as they can turn the tide of battle in the latter part of the battle. Hope I was able to help

[smooth_operator]

Well, if you are brave enough, you can rush out the walls, take the fight to them and your enemy might just decide to abandon the siege effort if your troops are superior enough. Worked for me a couple of times.