The effectiveness of Mounted the Mounted Crossbow.

**matteus the inbred** · 12-23-2005, 18:06

i can't remember how many German generals my one unit of valour 6 mounted x-bows has assassinated..certainly more than 4, including an emperor! one unit, kill the knights; use foot archers to decimate the rubbish, and as i haven't got the XL mod, my mounted x-bows are never allowed to go up close and personal with anyone except routing peasants.

**el_slapper** · 12-27-2005, 12:38

Every unit is useful(bar the crappiest ones). But it's always tough to find a use for EVERY in each strategy.

Mounted X are useful as an extra unit, outside the main group. They can slush armoured inf from position & lure it outside a defensive position(at least against IA). And having one or 2 is often a big annoyance for the enemy. More is a good way to lack firepower, though.

**gaijinalways** · 01-02-2006, 16:45

I have also enjoyed taking them behind the enemy units by continually flanking. Even when I have lost some of my mounted x-bows, the distraction that they have caused and the enemy soldiers they killed made it worth it.

**ah_dut** · 01-02-2006, 20:27

I've never found them to be worth the money but if I have some to hand or simply don't have any decent units they're better then nothing. I'm not a very good micromanager (especially comapared to others) so I prefer to use rathre more clumsy period-esque tactics

**matteus the inbred** · 01-03-2006, 12:36

i think, like the Berserkers in VI (or any other small and specialist unit like Naptha Throwers or Hashishin), they're a rewarding unit if you take the time and care not to get them slaughtered but instead allow them to slowly build up valour and get them off the field in one piece at the end, and upgrade/retrain them where possible. i like 'em a lot, although you've got to keep them away from those xyz*$£ jinetes...

**Vladimir** · 01-03-2006, 14:29

A tactic I've developed in XL with the Armenians is to pair them up with horse archers. Put the X-bows in front of the HA's and group them. If you're able to isolate a unit charge them with the x-bows and rear attack with the HA's, or just do the sandwich skirmish if their valor/upgrades are too low.

**Odin** · 01-04-2006, 14:44

They are extremely effective for what there intended purpose is, to penetrate armor units. ROF is a legit gripe, but if you take time with them you can run them back and forth between your line and the enemies and really get some value out of thier assults.

That being said, they arent very good at anything else, save for chasing down fleeing foot units. So yeah, effective unit if used for thier stated purpose but not very multifaceted if you ask me, and for that reason thier value/effectiveness as a unit is somewhat limited.