Tactics for assaulting fortifed settlements?

[Fisherking]

In NTW I just... It can take up to three cans of beer to achieve this.

[BADDERS]

I never felt like artillery was worth the trouble, especially on those horrid battles where you have to wheel it uphill through half of the map just to get it into place to reliably knock down a wall. Better off just strafing the walls with gunfire from your infantry until they're cleared of enemies enough to safely use their rope ladders.

[saint242]

Definitely use artillery to knock down the walls. Having your units have to climb the walls while being shot at, and having them fight hand-to-hand is never good. Make at least two good breaches in the wall, and attack one with a smaller force to draw in the enemy. Then push a larger force through the second breach and hit the guys defending the first breach from behind. Or just grab the central flag.

Once you get Explosive and Carcass shot for your howitzers, assaulting fortifications is even easier. Put a couple holes in the walls and the enemy infantry will rush to block it off. Before you even move up your infantry, just start dropping bombs and fire down on them. Enemy cavalry may sally out to attack your artillery, but if you're using howitzers, you can safely position them behind your infantry line, effectively neutralizing any cavalry charges.

Best to turn off the battle time limit when using this tactic. It can take a while to really reduce the enemy numbers with artillery fire, but it's basically risk-free. Once I have access to 12-pounder howitzers, I always have at least 4-6 units of them in my army stacks.

[Fisherking]

That is sound tactical advice saint242.

[Barkhorn1x]

Best tatic, IMO; don't assault!

Use a strategic offense = move up and besieg
Coupled with a tactical defense = siege the enemy until he sallies out to attack you

...and, if he doesn't attack you on the first turn of a siege you will fight with the benefit of fortifications

Assualts are too damn costly.

[drummerboy]

Definitely use artillery to knock down the walls. Having your units have to climb the walls while being shot at, and having them fight hand-to-hand is never good. Make at least two good breaches in the wall, and attack one with a smaller force to draw in the enemy. Then push a larger force through the second breach and hit the guys defending the first breach from behind. Or just grab the central flag.

Once you get Explosive and Carcass shot for your howitzers, assaulting fortifications is even easier. Put a couple holes in the walls and the enemy infantry will rush to block it off. Before you even move up your infantry, just start dropping bombs and fire down on them. Enemy cavalry may sally out to attack your artillery, but if you're using howitzers, you can safely position them behind your infantry line, effectively neutralizing any cavalry charges.

My approach is different, but it was not tested in multiplayer.
Do not break walls you will have to repair them :-)

focus your cannons on the one side/corner whatever. use small skirmisher force to rake defenders. They often sally to get your token force.
At the same time from the other side move dragoons or light infantry to the opposite side. Dismount and climb up. You are in.
If defender did not left units inside the fortifications are yours. And the main door button too. You got defenders in the open between walls and your army.
And wall mounted guns are unattended. you just switched from siege to "regular" encounter.

[Fisherking]

Welcome to the .Org drummerboy. Have a nice stay.

[Vanya]

GAH!

Fort-busting tactic that has worked wonders for Vanya's woefully inexperienced farmboys from the rice paddies is to group up all the whiners and complainers and tell them to "go scale that wall, young man!" When they die, the rest keep their filthy mouths shut and Vanya can savor some fine vittles as He watches the carnage unfold without any annoying background commentary.

GAH!