Bridge Battles, Yea or Nea

[ToranagaSama]

Wedge has it's uses, for quick redeployment into a compact formations(H Archers) so you can run away.

This seems curious. Since in Wedge units move at their slowest pace. If you want to "run away", wouldn't you prefer to do so at their fastest?

[lugh]

This seems curious. Since in Wedge units move at their slowest pace. If you want to "run away", wouldn't you prefer to do so at their fastest?

I don't know about him but I know when I use it.
Mainly when you've horse archers in two ranks being approached from different angles. The line is too long, and if the troops on the flank get caught in a melee, it can pull the whole unit in if you're not quick enough, and besides that can give the other enemy unit time to close in
This is made worse when juggling 3-4 HA, all being charged! (I usually lose at least one in that case, I'm only just getting used to micromanaging HA)
I didn't know wedged troops move slower but putting them in wedge makes 'em more compact and maneuvrable and as long as it's not light cavalry approaching your HA, they can quickly get out of the way.
That's just me though.

edit: hah, forgot to post what I wanted to say about the bridges.

I picked up the tactic of forming a box about the bridge (when defending) and it's working out quite nicely, especially in the early campaign, as you can't really expect a single spear unit to survive the assault. In High, hell, just put a single fully teched Chiv Foot on the bridge and go eat dinner!

[Vladimir]

Going from a line of 2 or 3 deep to a wedge is a must when you must beat a hasty retreat using mounted archers. If you don't those bastards try to keep their formation when they should just get the hell out of harm's way. I'm a HA HAppy kinda guy and want to get those puppies valored up. Come to think of it the wedge formation may be good when assaulting a bridge depending on the defender's stance. I know I like to use a box or triangle formation to defend and the wedge of swords should be a perfect counter to that. Providing, of course, that your unit can reform after it crosses the bridge.

[ajaxfetish]

The wedge is also useful for other units besides horse archers if they need to squeeze through a gap in the battle line. Wedge can make them narrow enough to make it through without getting caught in the fighting on either side, then switch back to close and hit the enemy from behind.

Until someone suggested the maneouvering uses for wedge formation I was pretty disappointed with it. As I understand it it was used (primarily by cavalry) to dig into a unit from the front and then "explode laterally," effectively flanking it from within without having to get around the side. But in the game the wedge just stops when it hits and becomes pretty useless after that. Oh well.

Also, as far as stats go, one doesn't have to be completely stat-focused or completely play-focused. It's possible to balance the two outlooks on the game, and I think that's what most players do. Stats are meaningful for understanding the game's mechanics, but are not the final word (at least not in TW).

[lugh]

As I understand it it was used (primarily by cavalry) to dig into a unit from the front and then "explode laterally," effectively flanking it from within without having to get around the side. But in the game the wedge just stops when it hits and becomes pretty useless after that. Oh well.

I don't know about that. the effects aren't always spectacular but they certainly disrupt the enemy lines more than a flat fronted charge, important if you're out-maneuvred and have no choice but to stall their line with a frontal charge.
If you want spectacular though, charge teched up Lancers downhill into pretty much any unit and you'll see the enemy formation burst apart. You need to time the change in formation back to tight though.