Gendarmes: What's Your Thoughts

**sir_schwick** · 03-11-2005, 15:52

Gendarmes are a heavy cavalary unit avaliable to the French, Spanish, Italians, and Aragonese in the late era. They are armed with swords instead of lances.

In comparison with Chivalric Knights here is how they differ:
They have base 3 attack instead of base 5.
They have lower base morale.
They cost less florins(based on froggie's unit guide).

Also, their building prequesites are a Master Swordsmith and a County Militia.
The Chivalric Knights require Baronial Castle, Armourers Guild, and a Horse Breeders Guild.

For those of you who have used or fought against Gendarmes, what are your thoughts?

**BAD** · 03-11-2005, 16:12

Only used them a few times. Basically I use them as Heavy Cavalry. By the time you have them they will most likely have weapon and armour upgrades especially if you ar Spanish or Aragonese. Because they are armed with a sword I think they stand better in a prolonged melee than official "Knights". I tend to think of them as a cheap Gothic Knight unit. For the price of one Gothic Knight unit you can have two Gendarmes units. This is their biggest bonus I feel, their cost, they are one of the "cheaper" heavy cavalry units.

If I had a choice I would take 2 Units of Gendarmes over one unit of Gothic Knights/Chivalric Knights any day of the week. That's just me though.

**ichi** · 03-11-2005, 16:43

Since Gendarmes are armed with swords they have a charge bonus of only 4, half that of Chiv Knights (8). Their attack bonus of 3 is quite low, compare them with Chivs who have 5.

Most significant is the low honor (morale) of 4, which means they need to be Valor 2 before you can count on them fighting head on and holding for any length of time.

Their armor 7 makes them OK for soaking arrows, but makes them fatigue in arid or desert. and they are no faster than Chivs.

Overall Gendarmes seem to me to be low quality, wannabe knights who have a weak charge and low rate of kill, but not much holding power.

I prefer almost any other HC, even Feudals.

ichi

**Thessalos** · 03-11-2005, 18:40

Dear friends...
I believe that you have missunderstood the Gendarms.The gendarms are a very flexible support heavy cav.To create a massivly strong Bulk of heavy cav you do not need to spend a fortune thanks to the Gendarms.
First of all allow me to introduse you my strategy:The first line consists of the fearsome Chiv knites for maximun damage on impact.Then as suport numbers two or three units of Gendarms follow the Chiv knites for close combat.I think this strategy provides everything that a cav leading general needs...

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PAS MI HELLIN VARVAROS...

**sir_schwick** · 03-11-2005, 18:43

I hardly ever get to the late era in games. However I will take your word BAD that the cost value of Gendarmes make them really useful, especially if you have a couple of Chiv units to act as shock cavalry.

It seems the building requirements also mean a lot of territories that normally are not tooled up to build heavy cavalry can now. That means you could be producing nearly double the HC as enemies. Those stats are not overwhelming for HC, but with proper application they are just as deadly and hard to kill. With a lot more of them the enemy gets overrun.

**_Aetius_** · 03-11-2005, 19:10

I have a soft spot for Gendarmes not because they are particularly effective I just prefer *knights* that dont use the lance.

Let's remember Gendarmes are militia, they are infact the most highly developed militia unit on the game as far as im aware, I prefer to look at them as medium cavalry something most western factions do not have, Jinetes perhaps the best and maybe only exception.

The west has an abudance of heavy cavalry and some light cavalry but dont really have a medium cavalry unit, Gendarmes can provide support for heavy cavalry, and do the jobs you really dont want your expensive heavy knights doing, you want your heavy knights hitting specific points in the enemies line, you want light cavalry to chase down archers and chase routing enemy troops, that leaves a big gap in what your cavalry can attack.

Gendarmes used as medium cavalry can support infantry whilst your Heavy cavalry is causing mayhem on the flanks and your light cavalry is mopping up weaker units, because they have swords they appear to be more suited to fighting infantry like Templar Knights.

In practical terms they are an accessory like Gothic Knights, they come so late in the game that they cant really make a massive impact and even if you got them earlier they wouldnt make a major difference, Gothic knights really have little use because you have everything you need to defeat late period armies before you can concievably train Gothic Knights, its the same for Gendarmes but I still like them

**Thessalos** · 03-11-2005, 20:01

You forget the bigest diference of Gentarmes to the other cav...
They have the most beautifull flags and colours...
I just like coloury things...

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PAS MI HELLIN VARVAROS

**Kralizec** · 03-11-2005, 20:05

I'd rather have multiple units of good cavalry then one or two units of excelent cavalry, and for that I like Gendarmes. But I rarely play the factions that get them (French and Spanish right?)