"Hold Position" ---- How effective?

[CBR]

Hold position basically means that your unit will try and stay in that position. It has no effect on combat.

If used for missile units it will shoot at a target you have given but will not try and follow if the target moves out of range.

If used for melee units they will not pursue a routing enemy unit, some high morale units might still do it though.


CBR

[Duke of Gloucester]

Units will also tend to return to their position after they move away. In terms of stopping units pursuing routing enemies, I find it more effective to watch them carefully and halt them when they start to move. Then you can decide whether to move them back. With hold position, I often forget to switch it off, so if I change to attack, once they win, then unit turn their back to the enemy to return to the position they are holding. This can be bad!

[SlyConqueror]

OK Now it si very simple.
The defensive units like spearmans must be in HOLD FORMATION.
This is good becouse spearmans and pikemans have a rank bonus and you must keep them in order to get this bonus.Holding formation is for holding position(no retreat )
Atacking units like cavalry or swordsman must be in ENGAGE AT WILL. Their role is to kill in battle. When they engage the can outflank the enemy unit if they have long enough front line and the other reason is that more of the troops will engage at the battle(not like spearmans where only the first line is fighting and the other are giving support to it).