Need help fast! (Quick Question)

**Tigranes** · 02-25-2006, 04:23

I've got a unit of kataphraktoi facing another unit of kataphraktoi. Both are valour six, command seven, and full.

How can I win this battle on Expert? If I lose, my campaign is screwed. I play where I don't go back a save if I lose a battle, and if I lose this one, my Turkish Empire will be reamed by the might of a massive Byzantine army (over seven full stacks). If I win, I just might pull through and defend my territory with only minimal losses. Please help me!

**Martok** · 02-25-2006, 06:49

It sounds like you're the defender, yes? If that's so, then park your Katanks on a hill as far away from the Byz as possible--this will force them to tire themselves out marching all that way to engage your forces. Then when they're marching up the hill towards your position, just charge them when they're about halfway up the slope. Also, if it's in any way possible, try to hit them on one of their flanks to make them take a morale hit. Given that on Expert the AI gets an extra +4 morale bonus, anything you can do to sap the enemy's will to fight could very well be the key to victory.

**Geezer57** · 02-25-2006, 16:59

Originally Posted by Martok

It sounds like you're the defender, yes? If that's so, then park your Katanks on a hill as far away from the Byz as possible--this will force them to tire themselves out marching all that way to engage your forces. Then when they're marching up the hill towards your position, just charge them when they're about halfway up the slope. Also, if it's in any way possible, try to hit them on one of their flanks to make them take a morale hit. Given that on Expert the AI gets an extra +4 morale bonus, anything you can do to sap the enemy's will to fight could very well be the key to victory.

All the above is good advice. Another thing you might try with your Katanks is to spread their formation out wide, to almost just 2-deep (keep only your unit General and a couple of bodyguards in the back row). This will allow your formation to overlap both ends of the enemy unit, and gain the flank-attack bonus against them. Better yet do this from uphill, if possible.

**Tigranes** · 02-25-2006, 20:06

Whew, that advice allowed me to pull through... I was worried throughout the battle, however. The enemy never routed. They held on to the end. I managed to kill every last one. In the end, there were three of my kataphraktoi versus one of the enemy's. And they were still "winning slightly".

The Byzantine's took four of my nonessential provinces, but I needn't worry. Jihad is on it's way. ;)