When faced with a larger attacking force...

[Severous]

Hi

I would approach this situation very differently.

You stated the besieging force is adequate. I would take the offensive and capture the town quickly before the big enemy stack arrives. The enemy reinforcing army is then outside and you control the walls, towers and plaza.

Mobile forces go outside the walls to rout weaker enemy units. Those routers rush towards the plaza which you control/guard. They impale themselves on your forces guarding access into the plaza.

From RTW V1.5 M/M
Marginally superier Thracian forces attack Julii beseigers. Julii capture walls and gates. Here the garrison of Thracians hold the plaza still. Yet Julii are controlling the walls.


Had the relative strengths been more against me I would have had a tougher fight thats for sure.

[Ciaran]

Sometimes, an aggressive tactic can help as well. In my experience it works best with phalanx units (you´ll need about six of them), but I suppose you could try it with Roman infantry as well. Place your infantry in one straight line, skirmishers in front, archers behind and move up at the enemy. Try to literally push them from the battlefield. It´s risky, of course, because if the enemy chooses to slug it out, chances are you´re overwhelmed. And in Rome a field victory is less decisive than in Medieval.

[PseRamesses]

Hi

I would approach this situation very differently.

You stated the besieging force is adequate. I would take the offensive and capture the town quickly before the big enemy stack arrives. The enemy reinforcing army is then outside and you control the walls, towers and plaza.

Mobile forces go outside the walls to rout weaker enemy units. Those routers rush towards the plaza which you control/guard. They impale themselves on your forces guarding access into the plaza.

From RTW V1.5 M/M
Marginally superier Thracian forces attack Julii beseigers. Julii capture walls and gates. Here the garrison of Thracians hold the plaza still. Yet Julii are controlling the walls.


Had the relative strengths been more against me I would have had a tougher fight thats for sure.

I do belive he was in that initial turn as a besieger when the large stack attacked him so he couldn´t take it before. Since it wasn´t the town garrison, but the larger army, that attacked him the battle will NOT take place on the town battlefield but another one, one tile away, in open country so he can´t take the town before the larger army arrives either.

@invicta,
The guys give good advice and I think you did what you could. One Important things is when you get the enemy into a mass-rout you have to pursue with your infantry from the rear while your cavs engage the routers in the front. This way they will never get a chance to recouperate.

[Avicenna]

That's a massive amount of archers Severous, how do you use them effectively in a siege? or even protect them from being destroyed by the enemy cavalry?

[Severous]

PseRamesses: Sorry. I misunderstood the reference to 'routing troops returning'...I thought that meant coming back after their visit to the Plaza.

If faced in the open field with a bigger enemy I recommend sending a cavalry unit to the enemy flanks. Even one weak unit will help pin the enemy army. Use local superioity in numbers against any units you can pry away from the enemy. All the time refuse battle if odds are not in your favour. Run the clock down if you can.

Tiberius: 4 archer units in that army. Not high but one of the largest concentrations I had. That was near the end of the campaign. My play style is micromanage and pause a lot. So easy enough to control. Tactics are usually the same. Gain control over the battlefield with cavalry, pour fire on any good targets, retreat before enemy infantry until all missiles gone or numerical advantage obtained. I kill few troops in hand to hand except with cavalry.