Catholic Faction Army

[Ciaran]

Four sergeants, each two swords, polearms (militia sergants or above) and cavalry, and three ranged units (two archers, one crossbow type) are the basis. The three remaining slots get filled by whatever might be needed, usually a General and two extra units, swords or polearms if the army´s going to be attacking, an additional archer and crossbow if it´s likely to be defending. When the demi-culverine is available that´s the weapon of choice for the two free slots.

But, as a matter of fact, in the campaign I usually have more than one army per province, so what actually marches onto the battlefield can vary. For example, I like having an archer-heavy first wave and keep the knights in reserve.

[matteus the inbred]

But, as a matter of fact, in the campaign I usually have more than one army per province, so what actually marches onto the battlefield can vary. For example, I like having an archer-heavy first wave and keep the knights in reserve.

Definitely agree, my offensive and defensive armies vary in the amount of archers and 'killy' stuff...more archers for defence, more swords and cavalry for attack, although I'm rarely given to fielding no cavalry at all, even if it has to be hobilars or viking raiders. Not much of a jav fan, as that really relies on the AI not flanking and basically being so good as to stroll up to your battleline and engage without a care in the world. I'll field them if I have to, but I think a unit of archers is a better investment.
Artillery only features in defence, and then rarely...

Big Fan Of: mounted x-bows, Swabians, Swiss Halberdiers, Italian LI, all sortsa knights (especially feudal)
Not a Big Fan Of: peasants anywhere near a battlefield, Slav anythings, ballistae, jinettes in the opposition army...! Dunno whether early Spanish forces really qualify as a 'Catholic' army (not as in their religion, but the sort of things they field before they get Lancers)?

[Knight Templar]

In general, I 'd put 3-4 swords, 2-3 polearms (in earlier era chiv/feud sergeants), 3 archers, 2 light and 3-4 heavy cavarly.
Of course choice of troops depends on terrain very much: if the terrain is desert, I'll take more archers and lightly armoured troops, if it's bridge, I take less cav, if it's hilly i take more spears/poleamrs who can hold position when fighting uphill, if it's forest, I take more swords and poleamrns and less cav and spears. If I'm defending on forrest terrain, I take more cav as ambush troops.

[Procrustes]

I love dismounted chiv knights once I get to high. I'll bring extra knights and then dismount half of them.

[Boris of Bohemia]

I love dismounted chiv knights once I get to high. I'll bring extra knights and then dismount half of them.

It's easy to mod the foot knights to be buildable if you want them, download the gnome editor

http://www.mizus.com/Tools/Files/

and find the entry in crusaders_unit_prod11.txt

Or else, build the cathedral next to an iron province. A cathedral-trained halberd retrained at a +2 metalsmith is almost a 60-man CFK, less one point of attack and 2 points of morale, and non-elite. Most Catholic factions can arrange this in adjacent provinces by 1205, except probably the French and Sicilians. A militia sargeant so trained is almost a JHI, less the same. It's a neat trick.

[ajaxfetish]

No need to mod them. Chivalric knights can dismount on any battlefield, and so training the mounted version allows more flexibility.

Ajax

[BrSpiritus]

I usually invariably play as the English so:

Early 2 Saxon Huscarles
2 Norman Foot Knights
4 Fyrdmen
3 Archers
2 Hobilars/Feudal Seargents
2 Norman Knights
1 Royal Knight (General's Unit)

High 2 Norman Foot Knights
2 Chiv MAA
2 Billmen
2 Chiv Foot
2 Pav Arbalests
1 Longbow
2 Norman Knights
2 Chivalric Knights
1 Royal Knights (General's Unit)

Late 8 Arqebusiers
4 Serpentines
3 Assorted Cavalry (Whatever I have on hand that is high Valour)
1 Royal Knights (General's Unit)

Castle Busting Early And High
6Trebuchets
8 Swordsmen
2 Cav +General

Castle Busting Late
8 Culverins
4 Serpentines
4 Swordsmen or Halberdiers to mop up the mess :)

Defense Army Early and High
3 Archers (1 Longbow + 2 Pav Arbs high)
4 Spearmen, Chiv Seargents etc. (Halbs or Billmen on high)
4 FMAA or CMAA
4 dismountable cav units
1 General

Defense Late
4 Arquebusiers
6 Pikemen
4 Serpentines
2 Cav +General

Alot of people dismiss the use of Arquebusiers but with a few historically accurate mods they reach their potential. Mine are modded to .5 accuracy, range to 12,000, armour piercing ON. Load time can be modded to 20 but I always use 3 ranks so it doesn't make much difference. Arqs also make decent swordsmen in a melee if they have some valour.

BrSpiritus

[Quietus]

My old MTW configuration (vanilla).

Early:
1 Royal Knight
6-7 Spears (up to Feudal Sergeants)
3-4 Archers
1 or 2 Light Cavalry (Steppe Cavalry preferably).
1 or 2 Militia Sergeants
1 or 2 FMAA
2 Urban Militia or Woodsmen.