RTW/BI Poll : Do you use PEASANTS ?

[AndyNgFL]

I wanna find out if anyone use PEASANTS in RTW/BI and for what purpose and why. Thks !

[Telys]

Aside from using them in the beginning of a campaign the only time I really use peasants is to quell squalor because the size of the unit is larger than most.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Aside from using them in the beginning of a campaign the only time I really use peasants is to quell squalor beause the size of the unit is larger than most.

Seconded. Or if I want an army to leave a just-conquered town in a hurry I queue up a couple of them.

Bottom line: They only ever see garrison duty, and that's if I'm desperate to leave.

[Avicenna]

I just keep the free peasants given at the beginning. Otherwise, I find they're completely useless. I think some people use them as arrow fodder in sieges though.

[AndyNgFL]

I just keep the free peasants given at the beginning. Otherwise, I find they're completely useless. I think some people use them as arrow fodder in sieges though.

So far, seems like u all dont use peasants .... are peasants that USELESS ?

[Telys]

You can use peasants in battles, but they are only effective when facing other peasants, weak skirmishers that don't have any missles left or attacking an enemy from behind when they are already engaged in combat in the front. Still, calvary can do these jobs a lot better than any peasant.

[Arbaces]

peasants aren't such useful, militia units are enough

[Severous]

I would not build peasants or town watch for combat purposes. They will get used in battle if they happen to be in the wrong place at the right time.

Only plan to use peasants for garrison and population movement (I play large setting).

Dont build town watch. Not as cost effective as peasants for public order and not good enough for combat.

So thats another use for peasants..thanks to Antagonist for mentioning it...moving population around

[longbowmen]

for RTW i spam lots and lots of peasants to maintain loyalty in conquered towns so that my fighting troops (hastati, equites etc.) can quickly move on to conquer the next town.

for BI its necessary to keep in mind that peasants have halved effectiveness as garrison units, meaning for 120-unit peasants has the same effect as a 60-unit town watch, so it really depends.

they are gd for pumping the population size of a small town (build peasants at large towns and disband them in small ones) so that you can get to a large town quicker. small towns' growth rate are really slow until they get to a decent pop size.

[Wardruid]

I use peasants to do ram and sapping work when the enemy has archers.
Peasants are also useful for wearing and slowing down units esspecially cavalry.

[YAKOBU]

I never ever use peasants in my game. I know why some people use them but I don't agree with filling a setttlement with them to keep public order down. Each to their own I guess.

[AndyNgFL]

for BI its necessary to keep in mind that peasants have halved effectiveness as garrison units, meaning for 120-unit peasants has the same effect as a 60-unit town watch, so it really depends.

huh ? 1/2 effect ? is it true ?

[Ludens]

huh ? 1/2 effect ? is it true ?

Yes, but only in BI. Not in R:TW.

[Thracian 06]

I never use peasants. I only save up and build good buildings to produce better armies.

[ArnoldLol]

i only use them to garrison rebelling cities.

[Barbarossa1221]

I never use peasants on the battlefield and when I do its usually because some fool has decided to siege my city and I throw peasants at him before my main force hits
But other than that I use peasants as a garrison because of their large number and cheap cost.

[Goalie]

Peasants are completely worthless on the battle field except if you want to waste the enemies arrows. The only time i ever use them is in campaign to raise popularity.

[allfathersgodi]

I use them only as Garrison forces in my rear areas and as cannon-fodder. I was thinking of ways of how they would be more valuable to me and came to this conclusion.

It was a common practice of the Roman Empire to use its soldiers to build public works and other such stuff, using peasants as help to construction work would be an immense boost to their status, but of course you should be able to take any ground combat unit (except siege crew since there are not enough of them) and use them as workers....

What would also be nice is to take them and sell them as slaves, or rapidly train them to better units...