How do I combat Varangian guard???

[fester]

So how do I combat these unstopable killing machines, Every time I go up against them I suffer massive losses and only beet them by wieght of numbers.I play with a typical catholic army

[cutepuppy]

you can counter them with mounted xbows or jinetes. Or, if you can't build these units, with (pavise) arbalesters and then charge them with a good unit.

[Mithrandir]

actually, I wouldn't go for ranged units since they're armour-heavy.

Because of that reason, use armour piercing units, beefed up militia sergs work wonders on them :).

[CBR]

Well they are no more armour heavy than say FMAA/CMAA or Chiv Sgts. Yes AP units will get a +1 attack but thats it. Difference in valor and a general's command stars can do it for you and depending on what year you are in get the best heavy inf you can buy. Or shoot them to pieces with arbs


CBR

[Zarax]

AP will get at least +2 attack IIRC since they are heavy armoured.

[antisocialmunky]

Make them chase you around and shoot them with missiles until they start chasing you.

They are SNAILs. Attack them with Feudal Spearmen and attack them from behind.

[CBR]

AP will get at least +2 attack IIRC since they are heavy armoured.

It depends on how much armour. Against infantry they will get the following:

armour/bonus
1-2/0
3-4/+1
5-6/+2

Against cavarly just add +1 armour like 2-3/0 etc

Varangian guards have armour 4 plus a shield that adds another point of armour but the shield doesnt get added to the armour for AP.


CBR

[Shahed]

So how do I combat these unstopable killing machines, Every time I go up against them I suffer massive losses and only beet them by wieght of numbers.I play with a typical catholic army

Which faction are you playing ?

[fester]

Which faction are you playing ?

the english

[econ21]

the english

Longbows might be good - you probably have 3 bribed from Wales even in the early game. Arbalests are better once you get to the the High period.

Another thing to do is not to combat them. Try to avoid contact, focussing on killing the rest of the army - e.g. get them to chase one of your units to the edge of the map. If you can wreck the rest of their army, their morale should become low enough that they will rout when you turn and gang up on them. (Rear charges by cavalry have a particularly negative effect on morale, IIRC).

But yes, they are formiddable fighters. I remember fighting a confused action with a big Byzantine army. We kind of blundered into each other and then I noticed it had a solitary VG warrior spearheading its charge. I threw 60 woodsman at him and the VG warrior routed them single handedly. It was funny having to get my whole army to out of the way of this one man. Must have been a real berserker!

[ah_dut]

Longbows might be good - you probably have 3 bribed from Wales even in the early game. Arbalests are better once you get to the the High period.

But yes, they are formiddable fighters. I remember fighting a confused action with a big Byzantine army. We kind of blundered into each other and then I noticed it had a solitary VG warrior spearheading its charge. I threw 60 woodsman at him and the VG warrior routed them single handedly. It was funny having to get my whole army to out of the way of this one man. Must have been a real berserker!

I like longbows a lot as at the last resort (when they're out of arrows) they can sort of fight and also, they shoot their arrows a lot faster. They run out of arrows faster but I'm not the best player and often find that I never get to use up all of my arbalest bolts before the battle ends...

And on the note of the VG, they are norsemen

[Mithrandir]

Don't VG's also have AP ?

That'd mean they'd get a bonus vs cmaa, but not vs mil sergs :)