Newbie

[Talbot]

Got the game yesterday and I couldn't stop playing it.

Got VI as well and installed it, starting a game as the Saxons. Took over most of southern england except the area we now know to be cornwall, which was owned by the welsh. So I put together a decent sized army and invaded.

The welsh were across the other side of a deep valley. A wood on their left flank, my fyrdmen went down into the valley and into the forest to attempt to take their left flank (didn't fancy fighting up the hill). However I lost most of my men and stupidly sent spearmen down into the valley supported by archers but they ended up being routed by the welsh cavalry who had got through the forest and turned up on our right flank.

I retreated. We lost 522 men to their 134. Whoops.

Anyway I enjoyed it anyway I just need to practice my tactics. How do you take an army on the other side of a valley?

[The_Emperor]

Try your best to make sure you can outflank them, or minimise the height advantage they may have...

Remember having the high ground is always a great advantage, and you must do all you can to tempt them down or dislodge them

[Gregoshi]

Welcome Talbot. Thanks for taking a few minutes from your obsession and sharing your experience with us.

As for your question, I've a few for you first. What happened to the fyrdmen going through the woods?

It sounds like you had the right idea: the fyrdmen to flank and avoid fighting uphill and the spearmen and archers to lure the enemy down. Maybe the fyrdmen needed a little more support in their flanking move and perhaps the two moves needed to be better coordinated, but that is just a guess without a clearer picture of the situation. Like I said, seemed to have the right idea.

[Matt Deckard]

Noooo no matter how hard i try, you always beat me to the new guys gregoshi i think i may as well just give up....

[Talbot]

I thought I had the right idea as well Gregoshi.

It was 2 units of Fyrdmen if I remember correctly as they were going through the woods they got attacked by cavalry and celtic warriors. I then left them to it and brought my 2 units of spearmen down the hil supported by 2 units of archers, they got attacked by welsh archers. As I was sorting out my archers I noticed the welsh cavalry had managed to break through the fyrdmen and were in the valley on my right flank. I'm not quite sure how it happened but most of my fyrdmen were now dead in and around the forest.

I pulled my men out of the battle at that point, didn't see the point in wasting more lives.

Thanks for welcoming me. I'm so overjoyed that I've found a game for my fascination with mediaeval wars and to find like minded people as well.

[Gregoshi]

Oh, I'll bet it was the celtic warriors that did in your fyrdmen. My Vikings have met CWs on the battle field and they were pretty tough nuts to crack. I don't know for sure but it is my impression that CWs would be much better suited for fighting in woods than fyrdmen. That was an unfortunate matchup it seems.

[Talbot]

It's okay Gregoshi I will re-organise and regroup and have my revenge. I was thinking about hiring some mercenaries, I'm sure there was some celtic warriors listed.

[jadast]

It sounds like you were possibly drawn into an ambush. Did you see the cw's before going into the woods? If not they may have been helped by a suprise bonus as well as the bonus for attcking downhill. Unfortunately it has happened to me as well.

[Balamir]

WELCOME TALBOT if the enemy are on a hill you can do several things:

1) you can go to their left or right side, which makes the situation even. Then you may consider splitting your army and attacking them on the flank (from the left) and the other part of your army can climb further up the hill and get to their back. its not very good explaining I know. I'll try this
|>-----------------------I
| I
| I
cav I
cav I
I
men------- enemy troops I
men ------ enemy troops--

[Orda Khan]

It may be a good idea to see if you can hire some of those Welsh Bandits too

.......Orda

[Al Shama'ar]

Poor Samurai-ninja_fusion_of_doom

but dont give up just yet. We may still have a few laughs

Al Shama'ar

PS: maybe u'll get a prize if can beat Greg (just kidding)

[Mithrandir]

Welcome Talbot

[Talbot]

Cheers Mithrandir.

Got my revenge last night. I sent in my prince with an army of 950 to take the remainder of the welsh, all 152 of 'em.

We won comfortably. I sent armoured spearmen in first covered by archers. Drew them in and then flanked 'em with cavalry on both their flanks.

Their King ran away like a little girlie.

[ShadesWolf]

Welcome Talbot

[Portuguese Rebel]

Bottom line: Spears suck in woods.

If you send spears to the trees they lose their formation and cavalry can flank individual units, hence denying the anti cavalry bonus. Sword and axe units are a lot better in trees.

Has anyone noticed that in VI th AI fights a little bit better, or it's just me?