Fav unit/tactic

[max_killer_payne]

Hey every1,

just wonderin wots ur fav unit, or tactic. Personnally I get some crossbow men to slow down the enemy and bring some cavalry/knights round the back, get some men at arms to keep em busy and then the cavalry to pound the crap outta them from behind

Wots every1s favourite tactic then?

[Xicote]

For me, it has to be Saharan Cavalry. I know they're not that good, but they're great for flanking units such as Peasants/Urban Militia/Archers etc.. all your early units. I usually have about 4 or 5 in my Almohad army in the early stages. Great to kill armys that are routing aswell, as they are very fast.

[Basileus]

Has to be Varangian Guard they have never let me down in all my battles..no specific tactic which i use them..they usualy end up doing what ever is needed

[chilling]

Mercian Billmen. Rip rip, Slash slash, Die die.

[malkuth]

Agaist AI I like to Just use a Pincer move on him. Slowly moving my army around him until he is surrounded. Then I charge. Very very effective agaist AI when your defending.

Of course you need a pretty large army to pull it off.

[Herodotus]

I love using massed longbowmen with a wall of spears supported by Billmen who are cool for flanking cavalry as they are fast and effective.

Recently i've been having alot of fun with arquebusiers, you need at least three for them to have a real impact on a battle.

[Major Robert Dump]

In SP as Turks I built massive shock armies of Ghazi infantry. Ghazi kick butt but also take heavy casualties, but since I had so many I could combine the depleted units and I don't lose any valour because they all gained so much from the battle. I've created a few uber generals this way.

The army didn't do so well once gun powder came around

[troymclure]

Twould have to be boyars. Scored some wonderful early victories playing as the ruskies using mongol like tactics. Give me three units of boyars versus any early army smaller than three hundred. Dart in, lure part of their army away from the other. Shower it with arrows. Charge it from three sides. Rinse, wash; repeat.

[Mr Frost]

A ballanced all-arms army which I keep fairly cohesive in formation using the best/most advanced units I can build with that faction in that era . I only take more than 16 units when I wish to have specialist units {like Alan cav if the enemy chances to have put a catapult in the province prior to the fight ; compared to Kats , Feudals , Armenians , Chivs etc , Alans are a specialist unit in my opinion} or the enemy has a huge number of decent units {then I might bring two stacks} .
I usually only maneuver in wide flanking moves {once I am in a good possition and the enemy is close} with my cavalry . I shower the enemy with arrows for as long as is reasonably possible and when the enemy is vunerable I hit him with the best matchup of units I can manage {spears on spears or cavalry , swords on spears , vikings or Varangians on just about anyone} and flank my heavy cavalry to hit their rear then chase them off the map and camp their reserves' spawn point {fun when you have Naptha throwers in units of 60 , though large Naptha throwers are more fun holding bridges } .

Some example difinitive armies of mine : Early French/English -4 Feudals though 1 {general} might be a Royal Knight {Prince or Ex-prince} , 4 Feudal Sergents , 2 Feudal Men at Arms , 2 Militia Sergents and four Feudal Bowmen {a mod of a unit made by Lord Krazy : sort of a semi professional upgrade of Archers as Feudal Sergents are an upgrade of ordinary Spears} .
Early Turkish : 4 Armenian Cavalry from Armenia {=1 Valour thus about as powerful as Feudals/2 Royals} though 1 is often replaced by a Ghulam Bodyguard Prince for the General , 4 Turcoman Foot , 4 Saracen Infantry , 2 Gazi Infantry and 2 Turcoman {I modded them melee 2 and honour 0 which makes them more like I invisage them from the parchment and more useful in flanking melee} .
Byzantine 4 Kataphractoi , 4 Byzantine Infantry {60/unit with melee 3 , defense 4$ , armour 5$ and moral 2} , 2 Saracen Infantry {modded for Byzantium becauses I wanted it so with melee 0/1 , defense 4/8$ , armour 5$ , moral 2 and diciplined} , 2 Varangians , 4 Trebizond Archers {from Trebizond then upgraded in Constantinople} or 2 Trebizonds and 2 Byzantine Cavalry {with composite bows modded from the ninjastar stat .... Turcomen and others have them also} .
High French : 4 Chivalric Knights {1 perhaps Royal general instead} , 4 Chivalric Sergents , 2 Chivalric Men at Arms , 2 Halberdiers , 4 Pavise Crossbows {I mod Arbs for late only} .

I like my armies to look good

[A.Saturnus]

Since I`m playing Turks, it`s JHI, these guys are robots Another I like is the hammer/anvil tactic with spearmen and heavy cav; I think you can imagine

[Jxrc]

Against the AI, I always use the same tactics.

A wall of spearmen (something like 800 men) that engages all the AI fighting units. Then go around the melee with whatever is available (MAA, cavalry, Vikings) and charge from the rear and flanks ... Note very imaginative but efficient unless the spearmen rout too soon (usually happen only early in the game).

I never use peasants except for garrison purposes since they rout way too easily.

Usually any kind of spearmen available and a few fast cavalry units do the trick.

Lately I just built the ultimate HRE army just for the last battle of the game:

- 6 Swiss armoured pikemen;
- 2 gothic sergeants;
- 4 harquebusiers;
- 4 gothic knights.

Really easy win against anything the Russian could then marshal: a few boyars, 300 urban militiamen and 1000 peasants...

[DemonArchangel]

DemonArchangel's Favs

That would show you both my fav unit and tactics.

Edit: converted URL to a link - Gregoshi

[Brutal DLX]

My favourite unit is probably the plain MAA, I don't know why, but they are essential to all my armies.

My favourite tactic is probably a frontal cavalry charge (I said favourite, not most effective..hehe), it's nice to see the enemy tremble when my knights line up for the charge.

[Tempiic]

I've fallen in love with mameluk horse archers.
Main reason why i play regularly (though not mainly) egyptians online

[kaaskop]

halberd in sp ,because its easy to fix their morale with churches ,etc and they are good versus almost everything

berber camel in mp they always suprise my foes when they
rout knights

right enough of this silly posting and give me my new avatar

[kataphraktoi]

Varangian Guards.

They pave the way literally with dead bodies for my Kataphraktoi to deliever a crushing blow whether its a head on charge or a flank attack.

I'v sent Varangian Guards to destroy a whole wave of Chivalric Knights leaving metal deposits of armour in the hillside.

My fav tactic is place the VG in the first line, when appraoching the enemy I just use the plain old charge.
They hold up more than unit meaning they leave an open flank bwahahahaha murderously good loyal guards they are.

[rasoforos]

varangian guards for me as well. there is nothing out there to stop these guys...
also like bilmen , their versatility makes em good offensive as well as garisson troups when you dont know what kind of troops the enemy will use.

[The One Wraith]

GREETINGS
I'm not sure about the unit; either Varangians or Gothic Knights.

I got an interesting Roman tactic from Gibbon's Rise and Fall. I shall quote it EXACTLY with my alterations:

Quote[/b] ]On the appearance of an enemy, they threw aside their baggage, and by easy and rapid evolutions converted the column of march into an order of battle [confuse the enemy]. The slingers and archers skirmished in the front [missle troops, lure enemy to flank with cav]; the auxiliaries formed the first line [weaker infantry, blockers], and were seconded or sustained by the strength of the legions [power infantry, aid auxiliary or flank]: the cavalry covered the flanks [after engagement, flank with cav], and the military engines were placed in the rear [i.e. siege, soften 'em up first, General seeking stone ]. ]

This works GREAT, just make sure to be flexible, as the enemy might be fast; try to set up by your end of the map.
(I still don't like how morale works, be careful with that)

[BTW, I just saw screens of Rome: Total War; it shut off all higher-level thought and initiated constant drooling....its getting on my keyboard Great, now I'm drowning in electrified saliva...]

[Grothgar]

Horse Archers, although only against the AI . Also you need about 6 units of them to have any effect. YOu just put them in triple lines. 2 in the first line, 2 in the second and 2 in the third.

The first line starts firing at the enemy until they are nearly on them, in which case they retreat and the second line will already be firing. When they reach the second line you retreat them and the 3rd line will be firing. Always retreat them behind the last line of horse archers and repeat ad-infinitum.

Of course this can really only be used on the defensive, but i have routed countless armies like this, just with my horse archers.

[TheDuck]

I too am a student of ancient military tactics... Basically I use the 'Hannibal/Scipio Africanus' setup. I do this as the Byzantines currently (I am rather new to the game).

Trebizond archers in front skirmishing (close/skirm/hold fire)
Spears 2nd line (loose/hold)
Byz Infantry 3rd line (close/hold)
Pronoiai on both flanks (close/hold)

On attack, I march the army as a unit to within close arrow distance to maximize enemy casualties. The Trebs as a group are instructed to fire on one target only, to maximize damage to that unit, trying to work all enemy units down to at least 3/4 strength as quickly as possible. Cavalry first, then most dangerous infantry.

When the enemy starts to close, I do this:
1. I move archers back if they aren't moving already
2. If I'm being closed by horse, I leave the spears forward and set them to 'close', move byz inf. to wings
3. If I'm being closed by spear or infantry, I push byz infantry to front and spears to 'close' and the wings just as the byz inf engage.

Once my front line has engaged, I use all units on the wings to flank the enemy line and engage from the side/rear of the enemy. Foot units to the sides, cavalry the rear (or missile units if the missile units are without support).Trebs that are now in back attack targets of opportunity.

Once the enemy line starts to rout, pronoiai cleanup (kats are terrible at this, and I only use them when I know I need real shock value... which is rare). If you are running horse archers instead of trebs, they are also good at 'cleanup' (just make sure the pronoiai stay close in case some of the routing units decide to turn and defend rather than run&#33.

My typical setup is 4 or 5 treb arch, 4 byz inf, 3 or 4 spear, 3 pronoiai (love those guys). I vary this setup slighgly based on what I have observed in the enemy before a battle. Lots of spear? more infantry... Lots of horse? More spear and archers.

And something I have noticed that I haven't seen mentioned much... range means a LOT w/ archers. Closer = more effective. If I am disciplined and do not let them fire until targets are fairly close, even lowly archers can really pound enemy units. Patience definitely required

The setup and tactis work great The addition of arbalesters in high period makes this approach devastating. They fire slower, but at close/medium range they are absolute death to horses, and allow the infantry a great deal of freedom. I have had 12:1 casualties in my favor using this tactic.

[max_killer_payne]

Thanks 4 the feedback. I couldnt find this a couple of days ago and assumed this topic MIA.

Anyways, I have been expermenting and have found that (as alot of you do) the Vangarian guards are kick ass I usually get them on the front line, while volleys of arrows are fired to make sure they're not circled. They are ALWAYS backed up by Byzantine Infantry, who in my opinion are the greatest. Once they enemy begin routing, I move my Kataphractoi, (I think its them????) Let my Byzantine Infantry take the slow moving heavy infantry and then once the fleeing infantry are reformed, they're smashed to pieces by a cavalry charge (evil grin&#33

[econ21]

For me, favorite unit is light cav, originally hobilars as I played English but now I've wised up to the virtues of the more speedy jinettes. This is actually a hang-over from Shogun, where the absence of the equivalent of royal knights of your princes meant that cav was even more scarce in the early game than it is in MTW. So you would have to grind through tedious, tough defensive battles only to win but find the bulk of the routed enemy escapes. A turn or two later, they come back. Talk about a war of attrition. Light cavalry for pursuit was for me the unit that made the most strategic difference. (I gather from my reading of Napoleonic history, that this is quite historical). It's less essential in MTW, as I say, because you usually have at least one unit of free royal knights on the battlefield but still it is an important early building goal of mine (20 knights can't hoover up all the routers).

Tactics: I tend to use offensive strategy and defensive tactics. Take a province - often without a contest - and then on subsequent turns, let the AI smash its forces against the rock of your troops who are now defending the captured province. Very straightforward: 5 strong spearwall on a hill, backed by 3 archers + 3 catapults (I may drop these, they are of questionable utility), two shock infantry (probably should be more), eg Gallowglasses, one on each flanks, slightly to the rear along with a few cav for pursuit. Often - especially against Moslems in the desert - the enemy will potter around getting shot to pieces. When they close, counter-charge with spears, wait a while, then crash the shock units into the flanks. Usually works like a treat, especially with bribed Welsh longbows and ammo modded to 96, but needs a decent leader to avoid morale collapsing if the AI comes on in earnest (eg with its own shock infantry or heavy cav.).

[DemonArchangel]

One of you mentioned AHC's. Reminder, AHC's die like dogs to katas, pronos, VG's, crusader knights and ghulams. ACK I just use Ghulam cavalry instead of those overexpensive motherf**kers

[Hosakawa Tito]

How ya doing TheDuck, welcome to the org

[A Nerd]

I like to send lots of heavy and medium infantry head on into the enemy. Supported on the flanks by calvary with light infantry and skirmishers in the back.

[Syterion]

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.

[castle]

My favs are Janissary Heavy Infantry. They are fast,strong and can beat any troops or cavalry. Battles don't last long when these guys get going. Each unit can often kill over 200 enemy. The only downside is they cost 750 florins.

[some_totalwar_dude]

My favorite tactic is to win the battle.

but for real i like to sit upon a hill with chiv seargents in front, chiv MAA at the fanks and billmen behind the MAA facing outwards to the flanks and 5 units of longbows (modded to 56 ammo ) and chiv knights behind. when the enemy makes a flanking manouvre (spel?) i pin them down with billmen and let chiv knights charge at thre rear. ofcourse I after the longbows rained dead upon them . this way i won a battle with 960 men (6 star gen) against 2200 (5 star gen) they lost 2000 (1000 pows executed after randsom denied) and i lost 53. And no the werent al peasants an militia.

[Monk]

The Tactic wich has saved me many times is a Full Calvary Charge from Behind the Enemy.

get them commited to a fight with your main force and circle around them with your Calvery, just when they might gain the upper hand Order your Calvery to Charge the Enemy Lines. This will result in a full panic on the enemies account and (since sometimes their general is in the rear) cause the General to fall very quickly. with the enemy force completly Encircled they will have no where to run and will be cut down as they try.

[TheDuck]

Hosakawa Tito: Thanks... Been reading a lot on these forums for a couple of weeks, decided to 'pitch in'.