Perfect 16 unit English army

[antisocialmunky]

If you can get Gallowglasses to stay in battle, I've seen their effectiveness up there with JHI and GK. Though... they need to have atleast +3v to keep on the fight meaning they get +3/+3 to A/D with the +6 morale.

[King Kurt]

In my English campaign, I have been producing gallowglasses ever since I could. i particuarly like the speed of them and have found them useful against eastern armies who need a bit of pinning down. Their morale and fighting ability means they can operate indepentantly and I have used them for clearing woods etc. In hindsight, perhaps I should have popped a couple in the perfect stack, but I was looking for a more traditional feel to the army - but out east and in the desert - wouldn't be without them.

[Grey_Fox]

I love Gallowglasses. In my online games in Viking era I usually play as the Irish, with a bunch of Bonnachts, Kerns, some cavalry and gallowglasses.

The Kerns receive a charge, the Bonnachts which are directly behind use their javelins and run in to pin the opponent. My cavalry and Gallowglasses take on any opposing cavalry if they are on the flanks before running in to hit the opponent's infantry from behind.

I always find it comical to see heavily armoured Vikings running from what are effectively angry farmers armed with pitchforks and pointy sticks.

[m52nickerson]

The more you look at Gallowglasses the more you can see that they are a very good unit.

There stats before any bonuses.
Gallowglasses.
Charge 8 Attack 5 Defence 0 Armour 2 Morale 0

Now add the valour bonus for Ireland

Charge 8 Attack 6 Defence 1 Armour 2 Morale 2

Plus a master armorer

Charge 8 Attack 5 Defence 4 Armour 5 Morale 2

Plus morale for religous building.

Charge 8 Attack 5 Defence 4 Armour 2 Morale 8

Towards the end of a game they can become very scary!

[Ciaran]

Don't need them. I never use spears when I have Billmen. IMO they own any spear unit in a fight plus against most armies, you have to worry more about armored units than no armored units.

Right, they´re slightly worse when it comes to receiving a cavalry charge, but apart from that they can do all that spears can do and then something, due to their armor-piercing attack. So, strictly speaking, from High era on, spears are obsolete, swords dito, because polearms - and billmen especially, can do their job, too.

[m52nickerson]

So, strictly speaking, from High era on, spears are obsolete, swords dito, because polearms - and billmen especially, can do their job, too.

I disagree about the swords. Lets look at the stats.

Billmen
Charge 2 Attack 2 Defence 4 Armour 3 Morale 2

vs.

Chivalric men at arms.
Charge 3 Attack 4 Defence 3 Armour 4 Morale 4

Cmaa have a higher (or equal) attack even if you add in the armour piercing bonus.
Facing armor of 3-4 Billmen only get a +1. Armour 5-6 +2.

So against any units with lower then 5 armour CMAAs will still do better, plus they have a higher morale, and still get a bounus vs spears.

Polearms are best left to Cav and HIGHLY armored units.

[Yoyoma1910]

Ah yez... zee moo-ton ea-ting Brit-eesh.

I have sought about zis very sing four many, many contemplative nights. ()

Here iz what I sink you should doo. Wit az close an emoticon az zey have here fer ze sub-jyct...





14 Sherwood foresters.
1 Single unit knight, left over from a crusade, who will act as your "general."
1 Unit of highly poor and oppressed peasants, that the enemy simply cannot help but attack.



You might also consider droping a priest in the province along with the troop for good measure... only think of him as more of a Friar (mmm fried chicken legs), whatever that is.


See what happens, and then maybe write a story about it that people will read for years. Maybe even make a film starring some dreamy actor who is in the process of balding .








Or not.