Charging without breaking the formation

**Spearhead128** · 08-10-2004, 20:22

How do I charge my mass of infantry without breaking their formation? Everytime I group them and make them charge they only target one enemy unit, thus becoming unorganized, and without flanks guarded. I know marching without change in formation is ALT+left mouse, but how do I make them attack?

**Samwell** · 08-10-2004, 20:50

Well sorry if i dont get what you mean but i think that all u need to do is hold alt and double left click to thier location and they will all charge in formation
cya

**Colovion** · 08-10-2004, 20:58

Yeah that annoys me as well - I guess you could Alt and then when you're ready to charge then click behind the enemy's battle line...

**massamuusi** · 08-10-2004, 21:10

In single player game, you can press 'p' for pause and make them each unit charge the enemy unit opposing them.
Or, like said before me, hold down alt and double click on the ground. It's still a charge.

I have found it to be rather clumsy to try to maintain strict formation, it's better to let units stay in rear and try to flank and so on.

**CBR** · 08-10-2004, 21:56

Depends what version. Viking invasion 2.01 has removed the automatic charge by just running forward.

But MTW 1.1 and VI 2.0 you can alt double click behind enemy or drag your line behind the enemy and start running.

In VI (patch 2.01) you have to manually click to attack for each of your units.

CBR

**Tamur** · 08-10-2004, 23:43

Yes, same problem here. What I've done is set up groups in formation (group spears, then Ctrl-P, 1 to set them in a line, etc) and then click about the map as need be. If you want a mass charge in formation, then Alt-ing is the way to go.

**Oaty** · 08-11-2004, 02:11

Originally Posted by CBR

Depends what version. Viking invasion 2.01 has removed the automatic charge by just running forward.

But MTW 1.1 and VI 2.0 you can alt double click behind enemy or drag your line behind the enemy and start running.

In VI (patch 2.01) you have to manually click to attack for each of your units.

CBR

Well thanks for the 2.01 update as I had used this tactic a lot and now know I am only hurting myself, unless I accidentally want a unit of spears to accidentally smash into the side of some skirmishing cavalry

**Inuyasha12** · 08-11-2004, 05:14

Yeah i know what you mean, if a group of units all go for one unit they break off formation. So i usually double click, behind the enemy. The formation stays in unison while they charge.

However, if you're playing a campaing then you can press pause and order each individual unit to attack another specific unit.
But htis is tedius

**Midnj** · 08-11-2004, 10:22

Yes, you must ultimately target them individually. Just select all of your army that you want to charge, click behind the enemy army (in the center) and your units won't converge. Once they get close to the enemy army, start individually assigning them targets. That's how it's done in multiplayer anyways. Plus, it's a bad idea to target units too early. Good players (not to mention irrational AI) have a tendancy to make you pay for it with lateral movement of targetted troops. If you aren't paying attention, this will (all else being equal) result in you losing the fight.

Although, it should be noted that you don't REALLY need to charge infantry. It's not a very big disadvantage if you just run your troops in formation into the enemy battle line and let them sort themselves out (as they'll start engaging whatever they come into contact with).