Flanking question

[TinCow]

Does anyone actually split their infantry units up into groups or use one big line?
Does anyone keep re-enforcements back?
Does anyone bother to flank?
Does anyone use thier General to try to route the enemy?
Does anyone try to lure cavalry into the line of spears?
or does everyone just walk up to the enemy with archer units and shoot them to bits when the just stand there. (Well pre BI anyways)

1) Depends on the army and the battle. I use many different formations depending on the circumstances, though one long solid battle line of infantry accounts for probably about 50-60% of my attacks.
2) Not in RTW, but with the improved BI AI always. At least one cavalry unit to deal with enemy flankers and sometimes up to a full second line of infantry in equal size if the situation is serious.
3) Always, unless they are heavily outnumbered and poor quality.
4) Yes, regularly though carefully. I prefer to take the occassional general death in exchange for the use of an excellent cavalry unit and positive trait gains for the general. The only time I will absolutely keep my general out of the fight is when I am fighting a battle that will be long and where morale breaks could pose a serious problem for me.
5) I sometimes lure cavalry to spears, though I prefer other methods. My preference is to entice them into charging a deep-ranked unit of any kind and then pinning them with a flank cavalry charge of my own.

[A.Saturnus]

If you have a unit of infantry behind another - say swordsmen behind spears - you can get the swordsmen into the enemy´s flank by dragging them to a line so that they face the flank of the enemy. Command them to run if you fear your spears won´t hold long enough. Make sure that you leave enough distance between the line and the enemy to prevent your unit from engaging while moving to the position.