Stats on Naval units

[adembroski]

Anywhere I can find the numbers on all the naval units in MTW? The unit guide seems to have neglected them.

[ajaxfetish]

I believe you can find them in the appendices to frogbeastegg's totalwar beginner's guide. You could also look them up using the gnome editor.

Ajax

[.:vVv:.Monkey]

The more important question is how these stats affect the outcome of the naval battles? :/

[Geezer57]

The more important question is how these stats affect the outcome of the naval battles? :/

While high-number stats might affect naval combat outcomes on occasion, the most important factors are quantity and valor. I've had my best results just building as many of the cheapest ships I can, preferably under a high-command King (seems to affect the starting valor of the ships). When you have to fight a naval battle, bring more ships - hopefully with more stars than the other guy's.

Sometimes other issues become a factor, like deep-sea capability, so I'll have to build a few higher-florin vessels. But a 2 or 3 star cheapie will almost always defeat a zero-star high-expense ship, so it isn't cost-effective to build lots of high-tech ships. Stick with lots of budget barges, and keep 'em busy!

[ajaxfetish]

I'd agree that quantity and valor are definitely the most important factors, but along with deep-sea capability another one to look at is speed. Fast ships like dromons can outrun more powerful ones like caravels, and the AI is notorious for leapfrogging its ships from sea-zone to sea-zone and keeping your sea routes blocked. You can try to attack them each turn but they get to move to another spot before the battle is ever joined.

Also, there's considerable randomness to sea battles period. I've had fleets of two or three good ships with two or three stars annihilated by a brand new zero-star barque. Spamming ships in big numbers is your best bet but there's no guarantees.

Ajax

[Roark]

When spamming cheap ships and using them to mob your opponents, NEVER use dromons. Having a defence of zero means that, if the enemy decides to stand and fight, you will almost certainly lose at least one ship.

They are better used as nippy little blockade ships, which you should keep moving (in tandem), to disrupt your rich opponents' trade routes.

[Geezer57]

To deal with Dromons and other fast ships, remember that your ship stacks are limited to the speed of the slowest one. Even if you don't have any ships matching the speed of the enemy, you can maximize your chances by breaking out all your fastest ships into individual units, then attacking with all. If any one catches and holds the fast ship, the rest will be able to engage it as well.

[Ludens]

I'd agree that quantity and valor are definitely the most important factors, but along with deep-sea capability another one to look at is speed. Fast ships like dromons can outrun more powerful ones like caravels, and the AI is notorious for leapfrogging its ships from sea-zone to sea-zone and keeping your sea routes blocked. You can try to attack them each turn but they get to move to another spot before the battle is ever joined.

Also, there's considerable randomness to sea battles period. I've had fleets of two or three good ships with two or three stars annihilated by a brand new zero-star barque. Spamming ships in big numbers is your best bet but there's no guarantees.

This is all true, but Katank and several other members reported that the succes of a sea battle is inversely related to succes on land. So to win a naval battle, you would have to sent a unit of peasants on a suicide mission to the enemy. I never tried this though, and it may not be an option when you are figthing sea battles far from home.

Otherwise, the golden rules of sea battles are:

• Quantity beats quality
• Admiral's valour is important
• The A.I. usually has an edge (perhaps this can be explained with the Katank-effect)
• The A.I. also probably knows when you attack, so make sure you use fleets consisting only of fast ships. Or you can attack with two fleets, the first attack coming form a sacrifical, fast scout, and the second of the slow, strong battlefleet.

[mfberg]

As to spamming ships - attack with as many fleets or individual ships as you can. If one of your ships catches the enemy the fight is on. Big stacks are fine for defense, but split them and attack with every single ship individually.

mfberg

[adembroski]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Unfortunately those stats are not present in the appendix, guess I'll have to get into the program.

EDIT: nevermind, yes they are, I was in the wrong document. Thanks again!