M:TW I need to axe youse a question.

[CherryDanish]

I'm playing the Byz for the first time, great faction, lots of fun when going aggressive early. My game has progressed to 1200 and in every quantifiable catagory I'm the top faction, but I'm having some serious questions about my future though, due to the availability of decent spear units.

So far to compensate for not having a decent spear unit I use a combination of VGs (built in Sweden with upgrades), Treb Archers (with the valour upgrades), PAs (again valour from Nicea), HAs, and Steppe Cav, Huscarles (upgrades from Sweden) and obviously at least 3-5 units of Katanks. Instead of using spear to counter cav, I've been using counter cav charges using mostly Katanks and flanking with PAs and chasing routers and archers with steppe cav. My biggest problem is obviously spears against my cav, which I counter with my heavy infantry, not that I need to as Katanks (gold armour and valour upgraded from constantinople) grind anything they can catch. Still, the GH is coming and I still find myself scooping up spear merc armies (upgraded Rus and armoured spear only) JIC I need to block a bridge or wheel and trap their cav units. Do the Byz get decent spear at any point? I love the more mobile warefare, but I fear the Katanks will be too tired and slow to chase down more mobile Horde. Any suggestions?

Next, I'm curious, I looked at the build reqs for VGs and saw spear guild and a royal palace. I had assumed (having never played the Byz) that it was a spear unit ... it's like a Huscarle upgrade though, which suprised me. Any reason the build req's require a spear guild over say militia (more axe like) or sword (like huscarle reqs) buildings? All said though, VGs are simply awesome. Aside from the 2 year build time this unit is way better than my previous fav the huscarles (especially in hopeless fights).

[English assassin]

Byz don't get any decent spears IIRC. You are right the novelty of katanks wears off, once the chiv Knights etc become available. Pron A remain useful though and should match the horde. And in Byz cav you have about the best archer cavalry going (Boyars are better but I find the Russians dull.)

VG will eat a cav charge pretty well, especially if you have the upgrades from Sweden. Actually they eat anything then. (Watch out that you can't get them in late.) So will buffed Byz Inf, largely due to being 100 men units, but you need to be building them in a province with morale boosting upgrades. I've done bridge defences fine with Byz inf as the block (using my patented hollow box technique rather than a straight plug, often as not the unit crossing routs without even fighting)

No idea why VG require a spear guild, be thankful that they aren't a merc only unit which would be more historical, I guess its probably game balance to make you build the higher level spear buldings (which otherwise would not give you any inf at all)

[Adrian II]

(..) I'm having some serious questions about my future though, due to the availability of decent spear units.

I played Byzantines several times on Expert and each time I found that v1 Halberdiers with available upgrades do a fine job on the Golde Horde in combination with Pavise Arbalesters and some fast Cavalry. VG also serve the purpose. Looks like you have a fine army anyway, you'll survive.

[Adrian II]

I've done bridge defences fine with Byz inf as the block (using my patented hollow box technique rather than a straight plug, often as not the unit crossing routs without even fighting).

Sounds a bit like my "Red Carpet" technique, consisting of a U-shaped infantry formation backed up by ranged units and leaving just enough space between units to allow for a Cavalry charge now and then.

[Martok]

(oops)

[Martok]

Byz don't get any decent spears IIRC. You are right the novelty of katanks wears off, once the chiv Knights etc become available. Pron A remain useful though and should match the horde. And in Byz cav you have about the best archer cavalry going (Boyars are better but I find the Russians dull.)

VG will eat a cav charge pretty well, especially if you have the upgrades from Sweden. Actually they eat anything then. (Watch out that you can't get them in late.) So will buffed Byz Inf, largely due to being 100 men units, but you need to be building them in a province with morale boosting upgrades. I've done bridge defences fine with Byz inf as the block (using my patented hollow box technique rather than a straight plug, often as not the unit crossing routs without even fighting)

No idea why VG require a spear guild, be thankful that they aren't a merc only unit which would be more historical, I guess its probably game balance to make you build the higher level spear buldings (which otherwise would not give you any inf at all)

I also use upgraded Byz infantry as my main anti-cavalry units. Give them improved armor and/or morale, and they generally work pretty well in that role. Granted, VG are better overall, but also much more expensive. Byz infantry is a decent and relatively low-cost substitute.