I'll discuss my opinions in Saxon military experience since I've noticed most of these guides focus on Saxon overall strategy rather than how they function in war, I'll probably comments on some other observations as well.


The Saxon war machine by Mithras:

Overview
The defining aspect of the Saxon military is their infantry for the Saxons the infantry are the be all and end all, all other units should be seen as an extension of this, they do have access to Calvary and tactical infantry. But as I’ve already stated, these are best used to support the infantry rather than as an independent arm of the military-simply put their not well enough to function without the main fighting arm. As an army their fairly simple to use, forgiving of mistakes and straightforward style of fighting make them a good choice for a beginner, (especially since they avoid the issues of religion or loyalty). And they fight well in forests. Their shrines all boost troop skills in one way or another so ideally try to retrain them under a different shrine to the one they were trained in.

Weaknesses: as with most barbarian factions they have no artillery-making siege battles frustrating. Their cavalry and archers are minimal making an over reliance on heavy infantry inevitable. Making the army vulruble to more maneuverable armies and thrice damned horse archers

Recommended for:
For anybody who likes the Saxons and Vikings in Viking invasion I'd recommend playing these blokes, as the experience is very similar. As an army their fairly simple to use, forgiving of mistakes and straightforward style of fighting make them a good choice for a beginner (especially since they avoid the issues of religion or loyalty). They’re also the barbarian faction for those who like prefer static heavy infantry battles.

Units

Peasants- Not very useful ideally used for arrow fodder, sappers or as a moral booster by standing behind the main army...but then again why not simply take another unit of axemen instead? The only real use for them I can find is keeping populations in control through numbers, when a city is threatened disband and train something which can actually fight. I wouldn't even recommend sending them as cannon fodder since the enemy can carve them for experience . They probably do better in forests but then again so do axemen and hearth troops.

Levy Spearmen-the first real unit you get rather than just axe food. A solid unit of spearmen who won't perform miracles but won't simply stand there and die. They’re best used against peasants and similar low level scum were their ability to throw spears will give them a nice booster in battle. They also make good line holder while you send the real men out to fight they can also be used to engage light Calvary. However in over fighting ability I would recommend upgrading to Keels at the earliest possible opportunity. In later stages they're best used to support a governor when he rides out to break up small bandit armies


Keels

The Saxon frydmen...err sorry wrong game. The Keels are good solid spear unit and will probably make up the numbers in your armies in most of the battles in the game. Most cities would be able to produce them and they're pretty good in a fight. They can be used at a pinch early on to attack low-tech enemy units. But their real strength is as a defense unit. Their shield wall will hold against most head on assaults and they’re a good flank anti cavalry unit. These lads make good usage as a general workhorse and when combined with the hearth troops and axemen become a meaty proposition.

Axemen-This is where the fun begins . Think of these lads, as a meat grinder for the enemy and you can't go far wrong. They’re best used in full on assaults where their berserk can be used to smash through the enemy infantry and grind through anything, which can put up a fight. When supported by hearth troops they change from meat grinder to buzz saw. They're also pretty good at sieges were they can be relied on to hold/attack walls with a great deal of success allowing the shieldwall hearth troops and the keels to fight in the gates and streets. They're also the ideal choice for unexpected attacks on your cities where a single unit can make all the difference.

Hearth Troops
These with the axemen are what make the Saxons such an awesome army for the infantryman the two words to describe these troops are reliable and flexible. The hearths troops can form shield wall and be used to defend or they can break wall and attack competently. Their very good warriors so can be relied on to pull through against most units even if outnumbered. The only weakness I can observe is the two turn waiting time, which causes problems if they're needed yesterday.


Hunters
Very little to say about these. They're bog-standard archers however they’re also the only ones you have. They perform reasonably well. They do however have a religious shrine upgrade allowing them to become slightly less mediocre. Since their the only ones you have they'll be fulfilling all the jobs archers do such as defending walls and supporting fire. The best use for them I found was killing those bloody horse archers, which my lovely troops had no real change of catching.

Sea Raiders
Light cavalry. Use them to plug holes in the line, flank attacks and to chase routing enemies and if possible, catch horse archers. As I've already said Saxon cavarly is there to support its infantry rather to win the same


Mounted Nobles
Mediumish cavalry. Use them to plug holes in the line quickly chase routing enemies and if possible, catch horse archers. They can also be used to engage medium infantry if the terms are favorable and are devastating in flank attacks

Warlord
The general. A good heavy Calvary unit and you only one you have. He is however the general so don't send him out like a regular unit. Use him to boost moral, hunt down the big routs and as a line filler. Try to get him into an easy to win fight in all battles as it builds character and if your desperate or if his personality sucks and you want him dead he be relied on in 'meatier' punch ups to hold his own.



Mercenary units:

Top of you shopping list should be siege machines grab any you can find! Try to hold regions where theirs an ample supply of them. You should also look out fro graal knights: a super heavy cavalry unit, which can chew through enemies like a fat man through cake. 2-3 units can change the dynamics of your army allowing for heavy cavalry tactics combined with heavy infantry tactics (until the losses build up).




Enemies
These observations are based on what I encountered on campaign so don't expect any sassasids to show up. The commentaries are based on what you’ll usually face rather than overall military ability.

Western Romans/rebels
The ideal target for the Saxons (and everyone else) these poor buggers have a mixture of scum backed up by cannon fodder. You'll usually find yourself facing a spear throwing version of the town watch and some auxiliary units of cavalry and spearmen with some mediocre archers to back them up as well as some juicy peasants to provide experience for your men. These don't present much of a challenge and can be picked apart by engaging them in an infantry assault. However if there is a mithratic temple nearby you may find them being experienced and may put up more of a fight. If they hold their ground for long enough you may start seeing better units in the field usually the Sarmatian Auxilia
and Comitatenses
. The Sarmatian Auxilia are a respectable medium cavalry unit and should be treated cautiously engage them with spearmen or in forests if possible, try to avoid fighting them with your own cavalry as they tend to loose. The Comitatenses are not as good as their predecessors but still not a bad unit. They perform reasonable well in the field and can hold there own against your men (especially after a Mithras training boost). Fortunately they’re usually watered down by their usual lack of numbers. Engage them with chosen axemen or hearth troops after whittling them down with arrow fire. I never encountered anything harder under the Romans but towards the end I did notice that after they withdrew to Spain their military was gradually becoming more formidable. More legionnaires and less auxiliaries: all boosted by an awesome mithras temple and priests in an ironic and deadly mix (if encountering priests shoot them to pieces with your archers and try to flank them with any cavalry you have).

Eastern Roman Empire
I only encountered them once so I can only really comment that you should treat them like the Western Empire but with more cavalry


Romano British:
This is where things get ugly, if several stacks popping up wasn't distressing the fact that their packed full of battle experienced elite soldiers should make you need a fresh change of underwear. This is what the Romans could be given time: lots of legionnaires meaning that your going to have to engage them seriously in brutal infantry fights backed up by monks (shoot them) Samarian cavalry and graal knight avoid the graal knights until you have no choice try to engage them in forest with Keels shieldwalls after whittling them down with arrow fire. make sure you have your best army in Britain when you take the cities after some heavy casualties their capacity to fight should be severely weakened leaving you ready for the kill...

Celts
The Celts are an odd lot. Their units look quite nasty on paper and they remind me of the original game gauls crossed with Britons. However they have laugthibly low moral and will run if put under pressure. Their kerns are good solid troops that will go toe to toe with your men however; their spearmen will crumble and run. Watch out for the berserkers these nutters will punch a whole in any unit they fight send in your best after heavy missile fire. Kill their general and they will run. Hit them in the flanks and they will run. Kill the druids and they will run, wear a mask with Magret Thatcher's face on and they will run. You may want to get some extra cavalry to run them down when they run...they only usually have enough cash for one stack then they're done so one good battle will see them crushed.

The Slavs.
These gits will pop up in horde in the east. A mix of troops (chosen swordsmen fight like inferior hearth troops) combined with various quasi nomad and barbarian units. Your best bet is to fortify the eastern lands muster several well trained garrisons and watch them batter against your walls, wearing themselves down while using a large army to retake any cities they overrun.

The Hun and the Sarmatians

My least favorite enemy their forces are made of lots of cavalry and horse archers. Your army is heavy infantry this means the battle will involve them trying to force you to break formation or outflank you. Hold the line use your archers to shoot their wait for them to run out of ammo and then make them suffer for the frustrating twenty minutes of watching your chosen axe men stand their and die when they charge.....

Other barbarian nations
I had surprisingly little conflict with these guys they wore themselves out in wars against Rome and each other. The only ones I engaged were the Lombard's who's superior archers means you should close the groups as quickly as possible and watch of for their chosen axemen!



Saxon Tips:

-Whenever you take a Christian settlement trash exterminates the populace and trash the churches. Your faction is 100% pagan you won't ever have Christian leader or buildings so the churches will be endless source of unrest and negative personality traits for your faction. If anyone is squeamish about this consider that the Christians of this era tore one the of great mathematicians of history (who was also an unarmed woman) apart on the way to lectures on the grounds of her not being a Christian.

-Keep any stonking Mithras shrines you find- the experience bonus combined with law bonus is worth it.

-Keep a large navy in the North Sea at all times-trained at a Woden shrine city for experience.

-Watch out for the Slavs and the Romano British-they appear from nowhere!

-try to stay on good terms with the eastern empire.

-...and with eastern factions in general.

-try to command battles with small hordes yourself , the AI will seldom eliminate them all which is what your aiming for.