MTW unit guide questions

[Gilrandir]

I find the guide extremely useful. In fact, only after reading it thoroughly accompanied with "A beginner's guide to MTW" (and not once) the game stopped being fumbling in the dark for correct choice of units, generals, deployment tactics, etc. But still I don't understand something:
1. In unit stats the speed is given in three figures, like pikemen "Speed 6, 10, 11". Why are there three figures, what are the speed measurement units (or scale)?
2. What is the difference between "attack" and "charge"?
3. The guide says, that you should deploy spears 4 ranks deep, pikes - 6, archers - 2, swords - 2. What about axes, polearms and cavalry?
4. What is wedge formation useful for? In my first battles I invariably arranged my cavalry units that way but they didn't perform that great (especially if they had to melee), so I switched for 2-3 ranks deep formation. Yet, I don't know which is more effective.

[Resurrection]

Not sure about the first but my guesses would be different environments (like lush, desert, steppe) or something like that.

2. What is the difference between "attack" and "charge"?

Charge is the bonus given to the unit when it charges and as long as it is in charging state. Unlike in RTW and onwards it is not visible on the unit status but generally speaking afaik if the unit charges (it runs and takes about 3 seconds to get full bonus) it retains the charge bonus as long as it pushes the enemy back...

3. The guide says, that you should deploy spears 4 ranks deep, pikes - 6, archers - 2, swords - 2. What about axes, polearms and cavalry?

Axes and polearms are 2 ranks at all times. It IS mentioned in the guide. :-)

4. What is wedge formation useful for? In my first battles I invariably arranged my cavalry units that way but they didn't perform that great (especially if they had to melee), so I switched for 2-3 ranks deep formation. Yet, I don't know which is more effective.

Formations give different bonuses and penalties:

Keep formation is +2 def, +2 att
Engage at will is no bonus no bonus nor penalty
Wedge is -2 def, +2 att
Skirmish is no bonus nor penalty

As for the usefulness the wedge formation is better for penetrating the enemy formations which is useful against spears to deprive them of the rank bonus. It might be useful if the unit is in particularly deep formation but even then wrapping around the unit with 2-ranks regular is probably still better / more effective.

[Stazi]

Wedge gives -3 def/+3 att.
Axes, polearms (are just axes with anti-cav bonus), swords and clubs don't have supporting ranks so formation 2 ranks deep is enough.

[xploring]

I am fairly sure the first two speed are for walk and run. Not sure about the third one, guessing maybe charge, or flee? :p
(That reminds me, what are the run speeds for Shogun 2 units...)

Wedge formation is useful for breaking enemy formation, from Shogun 1.

[cogre]

i have a question, when devoting a territory to shipbuilding does building and armorer or metalshop give any benifits to the ships? one can always hope

[Resurrection]

i have a question, when devoting a territory to shipbuilding does building and armorer or metalshop give any benifits to the ships? one can always hope

I don't think so. Also various morale boosting buildings have doubtful effect... I even recently found out the valour bonus in some of the provinces does not work for ships very well since I got couple of zero valour longboats from Denmark which have supposed +1 valour bonus for them... Ship battles are far too randomized in my opinion anyway so all of these make not that much of a difference in the end.

[Gilrandir]

Ship battles are far too randomized in my opinion anyway so all of these make not that much of a difference in the end.

I can't but agree. But I have a question connected with marine warfare. Once I couldn't sink one last ship of the enemy (Italians, if I remember correctly) for 25 years just because I could't pin it down. I leveled my ship at it (if I may put it this way) and was asked if I wanted to attack it. I confirmed, but the next turn the ship was in the next sea-province (or how do you call this portion of the seascape?). I realize that the ship was in transition in the province I had wanted to attack it and was heading to some destination. But it kept dodging for ever!!! So, the question is: how can you prevent the enemies ship from escaping you for an indefinite time?
And the question about the speed of a unit still holds: any other guesses what those three figures in the unit stats may mean?

[Stazi]

how can you prevent the enemies ship from escaping you for an indefinite time?

To catch this ship you'll have to build faster ship.

any other guesses what those three figures in the unit stats may mean?

They mean walk/run/charge speed.

[Gilrandir]

[QUOTE=Stazi;2053292286]To catch this ship you'll have to build faster ship.

But I had a whole fleet of similar ships (galleys, if I'm not mistaken) and could't catch that one!!!

[gollum]

Ships that have command stars operate like agents in battle ie if you have a stack of 3 ships each with its own stars that fights with a single enemy ship, the engine will make the first fight with it - if it loses then the second and if that loses then the third. Every battle has its own probability of win lose - apparents factors affecting except stars seems to be distance from the nearest base, but don;t quote me on that.

Ship stacks do act as combined if you place only one ship with stars in the stack and then the rest are of no stars. The resulting stack is a beefed up vesion of the stars of the intitial ship and acts like one.

[cogre]

so that's a no then, bummer

[edyzmedieval]

i have a question, when devoting a territory to shipbuilding does building and armorer or metalshop give any benifits to the ships? one can always hope

Nope, no benefits at all given. Ships are very random in MTW, I recruited a longboat as my first ship when playing with Novgorod in XL Mod and it gave me a 3 star admiral for some reason.

[Geezer57]

i have a question, when devoting a territory to shipbuilding does building and armorer or metalshop give any benifits to the ships? one can always hope

The single greatest factor I've found in making high-valor (command) ships is the command rating of your King or other top faction leader. If you have a 8-9 star leader, you'll consistently generate 4-5 star Admirals.

[cogre]

ah, now that makes sense, thanx geezer

[Prince Cobra]

As for the usefulness the wedge formation is better for penetrating the enemy formations which is useful against spears to deprive them of the rank bonus. It might be useful if the unit is in particularly deep formation but even then wrapping around the unit with 2-ranks regular is probably still better / more effective.

I use the wedge formation in very specific situations. I clearly remember using it in one of my first Byz campaigns (Normal difficulty). It was early and of course, in Naples when I had to crush a larger rebellious force of weaker units (Urban militia (though I have high opinion of them esp. when you don't have other armour piercing units in your army) and peasants). I needed desperately to finish the first unit quickly and then to destroy the others. It is a gamble thing, especially when you do that with your general's unit because he is on the dangerous point of the formation. In this battle it worked well, though I lost between 1/3 and 1/2 of the Byz infantry.

Sometimes I use the formation when I charge with cavalry in the rear of an engaged unit only to switch to normal formation once the first contact is made. I can't say it is that impressive but it may have some effect. Once again, don't do it with your general unit unless in very specific situations.