Sieges

[Martok]

BTW how does the AI manage to conquer more or less intact provinces always? Or is it just a handicap for the player?

To what are you referring, Deus? Most of the time, I see the AI factions grind each other into hamburger more often than not. When I invade a province, I can usually tell if their (now former) owners took it from someone else in the fairly recent past. Its castle and infrastructure won't be built up very much yet--there *might* be a keep there, if the faction had some money to spare.

[Vladimir]

One thing I can tell you is that if you have a faction leader trapped in a castle, always autoresolve assault. I did this a couple times in VI against the Scots and ransomed the king back twice. If you fight it out yourself or let him starve you don't get the money. It sort of makes sense historically as well.

[macsen rufus]

It sort of makes sense historically as well.

Hmmm, I'm sure Bohemond of Taranto would have liked the "autoresolve" option at Antioch, but historically I don't think he did....

But I do get your point, as siege assaults usually see the defenders fight to the death. I very, very, very rarely ever have any captives if I fight the assault in person.

I find it very irritating that my forces trash the province I've just taken because it's nicely teched up, only to find "6 facilities destroyed, 6 facilities damaged" and the inhabitants back living in caves and using flint weapons. When you need the tech, spies and emissaries are the best way to go.

[Archayon]

But I do get your point, as siege assaults usually see the defenders fight to the death. I very, very, very rarely ever have any captives if I fight the assault in person.

It does work when you do it like this:

1) Smash some walls
2) Put a horse archer/fast archer unit in the gap, some decent infantry/pinning unit on both sides of the wall next to the gap, and some other high attack units a bit furder.
3) Shoot some with the HA, let them charge you...
4) Carefully retreat, making sure the defenders leave their castle. The little trick it not to place the pin units too close to the gap, because they might frighten the defenders.
5) When the defendes are far enough out of their castle, close the gap with the pinning units.
6) With a closed castle (your pin units are the gate), it looks like a normal battle (but you are under fire a bit). Make prisoners then... They will root faster because they are cut off from their castle.


It worked several times for me, especially when the castle is not too big, like a castle or fortification (it takes a while, and your troops remain under fire).


edit: i think somehow, defending in a castle has such a HUGE morale boost units just doesn't rout at all. The solution is getting those defenders OUT of their castle.

Arch

[Vladimir]

Hmmm, I'm sure Bohemond of Taranto would have liked the "autoresolve" option at Antioch, but historically I don't think he did....

But I do get your point, as siege assaults usually see the defenders fight to the death. I very, very, very rarely ever have any captives if I fight the assault in person.

I find it very irritating that my forces trash the province I've just taken because it's nicely teched up, only to find "6 facilities destroyed, 6 facilities damaged" and the inhabitants back living in caves and using flint weapons. When you need the tech, spies and emissaries are the best way to go.

Any king with his wits about him, surrounded and cut off from all reinforcements would surely surrender with the hope of being ransomed. I just hope the spies in M2 give you a decent chance to take the castle/town without all the infrastructure damage. We all know how much troops like to pillage.

[macsen rufus]

@ Archyon - I like your six-point plan. It shows I've let my siege assaults get a bit stale and repetitive, and have devolved to a two point plan.

1. Empty all my artillery into any walls/towers still standing
2. Send in the killers and massacre the enemy

I ought to use the sort of finesse I use in field battles, I suppose, but always feel the pressure of time limits is more with an assault. Normally I don't let any cavalry get anywhere near a castle due to all the arrows flying around, so hadn't tried the HA technique...

In fact I think it's even affected my strategy - I normally only have the enemy king under siege when it's his last province and there's no chance of ransom anyway. Maybe I should try harder to catch him sooner in the campaign!

[Deus ret.]

To what are you referring, Deus? Most of the time, I see the AI factions grind each other into hamburger more often than not. When I invade a province, I can usually tell if their (now former) owners took it from someone else in the fairly recent past. Its castle and infrastructure won't be built up very much yet--there *might* be a keep there, if the faction had some money to spare.

I can't help, I seem to make strange observations all the time ....but one of the most constant observations in my games is that in most cases when a province changes ownership between AI factions it suffers no or rather neglectable damage - if it's taken either by assault or starvation doesn't matter here.
Since I tend to keep a lot of spies/emissaries in enemy provinces to be aware of the general development on the map, it shouldn't be too hard to prove. ....except that I'm playing HRE now and everyone else seems to attack only me. damn it but I'll try and post some screenies in due time.

Of course, if AI factions battle each other over a longer time span and provinces change ownership often, their infrastructure suffers, albeit in a rather snail-like manner --- say, ~3 AI conquests match 1 of mine in terms of destruction.

Again I can't help, it's the way my games are

[Martok]

Sorry man, I wasn't trying to imply you were lying or anything, but now I realize that's how I sounded. My apologies, Deus ret. I need to remember that everyone's games are different. Goodness knows I myself have run across some pretty weird stuff in MTW that no else has encountered!

[Deus ret.]

@Martok np