Your Favorite Strategy

[PittBull260]

mine would definently be the outflank and sourround strategy, it creates chaos :)

I only listed the ones that I think are the most famous ones, sorry if i mised some :(

[NodachiSam]

Of course... they all are important and not mutal exclusive so it is really hard to say. I picked battle field positioning.

[Graphic]

I tried horse archers but it's just too much to handle. I use the standard charge with spears, flank with horses tactic.

[Budwise]

I know its not the best but I like hitting them in the center. I change my strategy whenever possible to use flanking manuvers but I just feel - well - not like a pussy running up the center. I feel like a true comander and not a coward. Thats all.

[manbaps]

A good head on charge can be effective but you really need super elite troops for that, and i would say it would have to be after a hail of arrows. Even with a head on charge you would still need calvalry to flank atleast partly.

[BAD]

Well tactics change from battle to battle, what troops do I have? What troops do they have? Am I attacking or defending? But one thing I will always try and do. . . kill their general.

[VikingHorde]

I would say I use a combination of "flank and attack from rear" and "location on battlefield advantage". Killing the general early in the battle is of cause good, but it mostly does not happen. There is nothing like a good attack from the rear

[antisocialmunky]

Sometimes as the Turks, I get bored and make Gold Shield and Sword JHI in Castille, Leon, and Aragon. That way, I can field 8 man strong JHI stacks and rampage through Europe. It's ridiculously fun.

[Patron]

I've heard a lot about Janiisary heavy infantry, are they the best in the game?

[BAD]

I've heard a lot about Janiisary heavy infantry, are they the best in the game?

Pretty Much. From the Gnome editor:-

Janissary Heavy Infantry
Cost: 725
Charge: 4
Melee: 5
Defence: 3
Armour: 3
Morale: 8

They are armed with Polearms (Bonus against Cavalry).
They also have an Armour Piercing attack. (Bonus against troops with armour 4+?)
You can have a valour bonus for them in a province. (Bulgaria I think.)
You can also use them in the desert due to the regular 3 Armour stat.
And also they are in the Fast Infantry Category (March 6 Run 12 Charge 13)
Also disciplined I think.

w00t!

[Grey_Fox]

I like the feigned retreat. Send a few units to suck them in, keep them coming, thin them out as they try to charge, then hi from three directions at once.

[Martok]

When in doubt, always go for the general. Killing and/or capturing him is the single best way to cause the enemy army to route. I've managed to win battles this way even when I was heavily outnumbered (you can read my initial post from the "Best Battles" thread for a good example).

[ichi]

take a strong army, gain the positional advantage, soften em up with missiles and cav archers, get the best matchups unit for unit, concentrate on destroying the morale of one unit by pinning, flanking, and shooting simultaneously, stay organized and roll em up.

ichi

[Uesugi Kenshin]

The infantry line supported by archers and heavy infantry+assorted cavalry who flail about in the rear and on the flanks, and sometimes join the line until all enemies are dead. If the line fails all units switch to flailing about to attempt to retain control and defeat the enemy through any desperate measure possible. It's worked so far...

[Grey_Fox]

Today in my Turkish campaign, the Sicilians attacked my Sicily with a stack and a bit, with their 2 star King in charge. I had a small force of just under 252 men, comprised of 4 Turcoman HA's, 2 AHC and a former prince that had both the pride and Often Drunk vices, with 2 stars.

I used the Mongol tricks against them, put my HA's on their flanks and split them up, and picked their flanks apart unit by unit. the bult ok their troops moved towards my general (who had 6 valour, which was handy) and AHC. Then their cavalry (about 4 units of Mounted Sergeants) attacked. My general countercharged, and my AHC hit from the flanks, the Sicilian cavalry routed.

Then the Sicilians formed a battle line with Infantry (Feudal Sergeants and FMAA) in front, archers behind, and their King and the remaining Mounted Sergeants behind that. I reformed my army, with 2 THC and 1AHC on one flank and my general and the remaining cavalry on the other, and rushed both sides at once.

It was a slaughter, Sicilians lost 270 dead and 660 captured (who they did not want back). I lost 119 and had 133 men left.

In case you are wondering, I've been fielding lots of cavalry armies in this campaign to get close to the way of the Mongols.

[m52nickerson]

When I'm attacking I normally take my whole army to the enemys flank. This sometimes makes then abandon a good position. Then once I have them were they have little or no advantage I march straight at them, stopping just inside missle range. Most of the time they will ether chage me, or sit and take heavy losses from my alabasters. If they start to charge I quickly sent my Cavs around the flanks to cause some added confusion. If there is a lot of woods around I try to use a unit of Brigands to get behide and shoot at the generals unit, most of the time my unit gets killed, but when it works it can be devistating.

[Graphic]

A good head on charge can be effective but you really need super elite troops for that

Not neccissarily. I only attack if:

1. My unit's are at least a little superior.
2. Have much greater numbers.

In either case I could charge head on and do OK. I usually don't though.

[Ludens]

Janissary Heavy Infantry
Cost: 725
Charge: 4
Melee: 5
Defence: 3
Armour: 3
Morale: 8

They are armed with Polearms (Bonus against Cavalry).
They also have an Armour Piercing attack. (Bonus against troops with armour 4+?)
You can have a valour bonus for them in a province. (Bulgaria I think.)
You can also use them in the desert due to the regular 3 Armour stat.
And also they are in the Fast Infantry Category (March 6 Run 12 Charge 13)
Also disciplined I think.

They are disciplined and elite, which means that they are not very worried about non-elite troops fleeing and they don't suffer a big penalty if the general dies.

The AP bonus is +1 attack at 3 or 4 armour, +2 at 5 or 6 armour, +3 at 7 or 8 armour, and so on against infantry.
Against cavalry it is +1 attack at 4 or 5 armour, +2 at 6 or 7 armour, +3 at 8 or 9 armour, and so on.

[EatYerGreens]

If the line fails all units switch to flailing about to attempt to retain control and defeat the enemy through any desperate measure possible. It's worked so far...

Heh heh, sounds a lot like my battles. I've not voted yet because 'barely organised chaos' is not one of the options on offer.

I will go for the enemy General if the opportunity arises and with the crazy AI, it often does.

My initial plans resemble m52nickersons, which is to maneuvre and do the Pacman routine, munching away at one end of the enemy line. Of course, they respond by rearranging and it ends up with point and click attacks on anything which looks advantageous. No finesse at all, really.

I have only recently mastered the user interface to pull off the 'pin with spear, flank and rear with anything else' routine. Previous mistake was selecting a spear unit and making them engage an enemy unit by clicking to order a charge or attack. Of course this previously led to frustration with them abandoning their position to pursue enemies running away. Divided attention means I often don't find them again until they've finished the chase but they're uselessly positioned at the edge of the map, a mile from where I really need them.

Of course the trick is to use click-drag to set formation depth, width and orientation, then use hold position, hold formation but ask them to do 'nothing'. They will defend themselves quite happily for long enough for supporting units to march around to flank and rear whatever is hitting them.

[LoboSoulman]

I go for the enemy general as well.
I tend to use spearman to contain enemy units (and draw fire from archers etc) and use my better units to fight my way to the general. its always nice to sweep down with a few units of lancers as well.

As for Janissary Heavy Infantry they are great BUT when i make them fight (in the custom battle mode) against swiss armourmed pikemen they loose.
But in the game JHI seem more effective.
I would like to know if janissary heavy infantry can beat joms vikings (my favourite unit) but i couldnt do the battle in the custom battle mode.

[Geezer57]

As for Janissary Heavy Infantry they are great BUT when i make them fight (in the custom battle mode) against swiss armourmed pikemen they lose.
But in the game JHI seem more effective.
I would like to know if janissary heavy infantry can beat joms vikings (my favourite unit) but i couldnt do the battle in the custom battle mode.

There have been long threads in the past (both here and over at the Medieval: Total War site) comparing the various elite infantry. The consensus was that SAP's vs. JHI depended on how the units were used: head-to-head, the SAP's win; if maneuver is introduced, the JHI win. Remember that SAP are normal speed (6/10/11), and depend on their rank bonus for power. JHI are fast speed (6/12/13), and attack just as well only one rank deep.

When comparing JHI to Joms Vikings, the rank argument doesn't apply, but the speed issue remains. Head-to-head, almost no unit will stand against Joms. But if you can tire them, get terrain advantage, position, etc., then they become vulnerable. I once gamed two Kerns (250 florins total) against one Joms (725 florins). The Kerns skirmished, with the non-target Kern chucking javelins at the Joms when possible. This went on with light casualties on both sides until the Joms became exhausted - at which point they routed.

The moral of the story is that even the most humble units can gain victory if used correctly.

[antisocialmunky]

IMHO the best way to engage with spearmen is to order the main spearline to walk right up to the enemy lie and sit there.

[LoboSoulman]

Thanks geezer 57, I am new to these forums as I have only got the game recently. I have had my fair share of problems with kerns when i have had joms vikings in the past!!!!.
Going back to strategy a lot can depend on fate. I have seen a very high skilled enemy commander get hit by a freak cannon shot (great great moment) and his army crumble soon after.
My strategy to flank with cavalry normally works , theres nothing like charging into the rear with heavy cavalry to turn a battle.

[PittBull260]

Thanks geezer 57, I am new to these forums as I have only got the game recently. I have had my fair share of problems with kerns when i have had joms vikings in the past!!!!.
Going back to strategy a lot can depend on fate. I have seen a very high skilled enemy commander get hit by a freak cannon shot (great great moment) and his army crumble soon after.
My strategy to flank with cavalry normally works , theres nothing like charging into the rear with heavy cavalry to turn a battle.

I get that all the time man, whenever I have cannons, and they aim at the commander, they almost always kill him (unless he's really far away)
it's certainly a great weapon for a quick win

[Martok]

I get that all the time man, whenever I have cannons, and they aim at the commander, they almost always kill him (unless he's really far away)
it's certainly a great weapon for a quick win

It really is amazing how accurate artillery and cannons are when aiming at a general--be it the enemy's, or your own.....

[PittBull260]

It really is amazing how accurate artillery and cannons are when aiming at a general--be it the enemy's, or your own.....

yep, happens to me all the time, cause I send my general in to fight, trying to be all brave and encourage my men and shit, and BOOM I die lol

[Roark]

Being a Turcophile, I love the hit and run tactics, and fake retreat to draw units out of formation.

Missile cavalry all-rounders (SotP, Szekes, Boyars) are my favourite units. Skirmish with arrows to get their morale down, and then charge to break them completely.

[Martok]

yep, happens to me all the time, cause I send my general in to fight, trying to be all brave and encourage my men and shit, and BOOM I die lol

There's a reason I keep my general in the rear if the enemy has seige weapons. Now if only the AI would be at least that intelligent as well.....

A few days ago, I fought a castle assault where my catapult took out the defending general, even though he was right up against the inside wall. I mean, come on!! I know catapults have a high angle of fire and all, but that shot was still one in a million. I know I shouldn't complain, as killing the enemy general made it easier for my troops to storm the castle, but it still struck me a tad unrealistic.

[dgfred]

take a strong army, gain the positional advantage, soften em up with missiles and cav archers, get the best matchups unit for unit, concentrate on destroying the morale of one unit by pinning, flanking, and shooting simultaneously, stay organized and roll em up.

ichi

Of course this is a great plan . Sometimes I fall into the 'organized
chaos' category .

[yesdachi]

A fake retreat is sometimes referred to as a feint. That seems to get me good results with the AI but a good cav charge into the flank is my fav!