Fav unit/tactic

[max_killer_payne]

Monk I also find that a cavalry charge from behind the enemy works well, It usuallt kills 16 from the impact and if you have good knights then the enemy will be routing in seconds.

[Vlad The Impaler]

my fav unit is Boyars.i love versatility and power
i also like very much the vikings;

about the tactics i try to change it every time , i havent a favourite one , it depends with who i play;

[Lord Of Storms]

I like to meet the opponents cav with a wall of bill,pike and halberd makes for a medieval cuisinart with enemy horsey parts flying all over then I flank with my own cav and clean up .

[Pablo Sanchez]

My favorite tactic is definitely the Hammer and Anvil. This is for two reasons:
1) I consider escaping enemies a personal affront.
2) I like to smash powerful units to bits.

So, my armies tend to be made up of holding units to keep the enemy occupied, and a cavalry maneuver element. I engage the enemy army with my infantry, and I slip around the back with cavalry. Charge into their rear, and their army collapses. And when that happens, they have to flee through my cavalry, which cuts many of them down.

The only hassle is that I have to keep about equal numbers, and the poor infantry have to hold out for a long time while the enemy is flanked.

To go with these tactics, I like Proanoi Allagion and Byzantine infantry.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Welcome to the org Pablo Sanchez The hammer and anvil is a classic, and works well on both offense and defense. It's okay to let a few escape though, the survivors can spread the word of your invincibility. Nothing like free advertising.

[Michael the Great]

Quote[/b] (max_killer_payne @ Feb. 01 2003,12:56)]Monk I also find that a cavalry charge from behind the enemy works well, It usuallt kills 16 from the impact and if you have good knights then the enemy will be routing in seconds.

Just did a custom battle test:vikings vs fmaa.
The initial viking charge took 20 fmaa .........

Anyway,sometimes infatry charges are better than caalry charges(Just had an amazing example at Stirling bridge with me Highland Clansmen).
Btw,Vlad,u got that mail I sent u with that bridge battle.
I must say it was superb

[ErikJansen]

Favorite tactic.. well.. It has to do with my favorite opponents, namely european armies and long long Pav Arb lines.

Whenever I face an opponent who's got a long line of either 3-4 Pav Arbs screening his army I usually go for this tactic. Safe to say, it also gives away my usual army makeup, as I always take the Turks to the field.

A screen of 4 Jan inf in front of a line of 4 Saracen inf, with 2 units of Heavy Jan watching either flank of this line. 2 Turcoman cav units sticking together, with a final 2 Kwarzimirians stuck snugly behind the army in central position.

If at all possible, and in multiplayer this often gives away the opponents experience, I will use the Turcoman to harry and wear down Heavy Cav units until they run out of missile ammo. Pulling these back, I then advance until just out of range of the Pav Arbs and wait for the enemy to advance. Often an opponent will create the opening needed himself while the Turcoman harry and skirmish.

Initially I will just send the Turcoman on a head on charge against the Pav Arb line, drawing both their attention and missile fire, while I spur the main force forward until the Jan Inf reach range. Then I will hold the Jan Inf and move the Saracen inf in front of them. This often works as a feint as well (im talking MP experience ) and will result in the enemy moving to engage. If the enemy stays, I will simply advance with my army until he attacks, which means the Pav Arbs will be running around without getting much done.

When engaged the Saracen Inf will hold the main line, with Jan Inf breaking off their missile rain to plug holes or aid with the push as seen fit. The Heavy Jan will deal with any possible cav flanks, and my own Kwarzimirians will usually work at finding an opening on either flank as well.

This Saracen Hammer tactic often works simply because the Turk Units are able to withstand a lot of punishment, whilst the Heavy Jan will themselves move to flank and engage the enemy rear after having dispatched cav units. Against Cav, even Lancers, the Heavy Jan never fail at their task.

[SirGrotius]

You've got to love Scipio Africanus, Duck I, too, have found the Roman tactics to be very successful in MTW...now, if only I could master the Carthaginian ones, namely, Hannibals

[Namarie]

Well, I'm new, but not new, moved when the old forums were still running, coming back though Fired up MTW after getting bored with all the new games, so much for simcity 4

Anyway, to stay on topic, I guess its depending on my game. Most often I just sit, build up my home nations, until I get seargant's or better, then I crank out those, with bowmen of some sort, and cavalry of some sort.

During battles attacking, I always split up my army in two sections and hit the AI from three sides, since I always split off my cav and do the run around with them. Works great, works better the more advanced units I get.. =P

On defence, I usually just stack a long double line, archers in the back, collapse it into two armies when the enemy charge, and counter charge, plus what ever cavalry I have, I always send running around the sides to hit the rear. Sending off 1 or 2 units to the side of the map sometimes helps alot, not too far away though, can use those to hit the enemies rear.

I generarly make sure to have 5 star plus generals all around too, but as far as a fav unit to have, I dont really have one, I just crank out what I feel like.. =)

Haven't done much online actually since I am working too many hours and like the SP campaign too much. =)

[Pablo Sanchez]

Quote[/b] (Hosakawa Tito @ Feb. 02 2003,19:48)]Welcome to the org Pablo Sanchez The hammer and anvil is a classic, and works well on both offense and defense. It's okay to let a few escape though, the survivors can spread the word of your invincibility. Nothing like free advertising.

Thanks. I've been reading posts in the forums for a while, and I thought it might be interesting to contribute. Though everything I say about Total War games must be taken with a grain of salt--I'm not very good

Also: I prefer to keep my enemy in unknowning terror.

[kataphraktoi]

I know a good general keeps his army together working in tandem but when u have Varangians with high valour that disqiualifies me as general. I send them in and they hack everything to pieces. My other army is standing behind having lunch or playing dices.
Sigh....wait till the beserkers coome to play in the Xpack

[Tyrac]

Boyars. Love them. Heavy Cav with bows. A Cav unit that fires arrows as you move it looking for a flank attack. A general unit that fires arrows even if you do not commit him to battle.
Makes a wonderful unit for your nobility as it is 40 strong. Even better when it is your King and the unit rebuilds itself after a few years.
Playing as the Novgorods my King (Prince actually) is a warrior King and leads the main army on one front because of this.

[Alrowan]

halbreds all the way

[TheDuck]

SirGrotius:

Agreed I read an account of (I believe..don't have the book in front of me) Scipio vs. Hasdrubal. 3 days they come out and Scipio sets up infantry-center w/ Cav on wings, to which Hasdrubal responds in kind. They do not come to blows...

On the third day Scipio comes out and sets up w/ Cav in center and infantry on wings, closes to Hasdrubals confused army (trying to reorient and without a morning meal due to the rush) and wins resoundingly w/ entire infantry columns flanking.... sneaky

Works for me

This is what keeps me fascinated with MTW. I love history and games... this game brings it all together and lets me try what was done and learn the tactical issues.. That and the fact that exact execution and keeping my guys together makes for terrible casualties... to the other side (at least in SP)

[ErikJansen]

Varangian guards. The only real contenders to the Heavy Jan's rule as the best Inf unit around.

I like 'em, but I hate 'em too

[econ21]

Yes, Varangian guards are awesome. I once was leading a HRE army against a pitiful early Byzantine one (there, of course, being no pitiful early Byzantine armies, what with their high command leaders, kats, swordsmen, Trebizond archers, not to mention VG).

Anyway, I found I was too near a wood and so wanted to fall back to get line of sight for my archers. The Bizzies charged up a hill through the wood and my men were a little slow getting away.

The first unit of Bizzies to come out of the wood were two, count them, two individual Varangian guardsmen.

Hah Thought I. You have two axemen, I have 60 axemen. So as a delaying tactic, I sent 60 woodsmen to cover my retreat in a charge against the two VG.

When the dust settled, there were still two VG and a whole lot of dead woodsmen. The two VG continued on to plough into my army. Awesome It was like something out of a Terminator movie.

[Michael the Great]

Quote[/b] (Alrowan @ Feb. 04 2003,08:59)]halbreds all the way

Why?

[max_killer_payne]

Alrowan I agree halbreds (cant remember the damn full name&#33 rule, I recently started a new game as the Danes, and now my technology is starting to get up, the only unit are making are them Sent 800 of them up against a Spanish crusade that wanted to get through my town, and they were up against 2500 enemy, I lost around 350 I took 854 enemy troops lifes and 400 prisoner the rest fled, when the general died, great LOTR map pack by the way

Micheal The Great Because they rock

[DemonArchangel]

vg's are just viking beserkers who wear armor and carry better equipment and have some sense of self preservation.

[AggonyArcher]

Hello again
Im looking for opinions on Nizaris. I have had them gain honor greatly in battle. Has anyone else noticed this feature. And what do you think of Heavy armor in desert?

[Asimov]

Quote[/b] (Syterion @ Jan. 31 2003,10:22)]Unlike most people, I don't think that high-quality cavalry or infantry is the best, I think the best is Byz inf. Thay are good, cheap cavalry, with high unit size. You can field tons of them easily. Unlike more expensive Varangians. Its not like they are not good though.

Also, I don't like napthas because you are more likely to hit your troops, so I like Arquebusiers for their fear value. Just bring them to the sides and watch em rout. Theyre like cheap heavy cav. They cause fear. You still gotta have cav though.

And yeah, pincer rules. Sometimes I simply just split my troops in two, and see which part they attack. Then I attack at their rear. Brilliantly simple. Simply brilliant.

In my opinion, Byz Inf is high quality infantry already.