Quote Originally Posted by Marquis de Said
I think peasants are pretty much useless.
Well, they are not useless. They are not useless even in a battle.
Believe me or not but they helped me gain a victory against the Italians. Late period, Byzantines(attacker).
I wanted to be historically accurate in a Byzantine manner I attacked them from the right side - my general himself lead the attack. Then the battle became - my brave general was fighting as a lion while his 'colleague' was watching the battle. We all know that Byzantium was not a great military force at late and the situation became really difficult. Fortunately I have some 'reinforcements' on the map- one Proniai unit and Zero Valoured byzantine infantry. I took the risk and sent the ByzInf supported by the Proniais against a unit of Peasants ( Don't think that I take Peasants in my army - their work is to work for us, their masters ) . The Peasants were fighting for their contry and they didn't run as I expected. Then the Enemy general with all his reserves (knights, elite infantry and not so elite infantry) attacked in the rear my Byzantine infantry and the Proniais. We know ByzInf are notorious with their poor morale but that time they were brave ( my general hadn't high command TILL that battle). Most of my Pronias were killed and only three of them managed to run away but the ByzInf continued to fight ( wonders,wonders). At that time the enemy fighting against the bigger part of my army started to route my general and the rest of my army helped to the ByzInf ... the battle was one. My people even managed to captured the enemy general. I am sure that three facts helped to me:
1.My byzInf were fighting against peasants
2. I promised to the bravest to spent some nights in the best brothels of the empire
3. One of the Orthodox Saints himself participated in the battle (I think between the heroic ByzInf).