Ambushes what types of troops do you use

**gaijinalways** · 07-11-2006, 16:44

I just read the ambush threads and am wondering, what kinds of troops do most people usually use?

I have used peasants, some spearmen, cav, and archers. Peasants are peasants, and often need an accompanying unit to keep them from panicing if the enemy comes nearby. Cav have a problem that if they are forced to fight in the woods, they are somewhat useless.

I have had a few recent battles when I was defending where the ambushers seemed to help, though I was worried about them getting to the battle in time. Though when they hit the enemy on the flank, it saved the day as my soldiers were near to routing.

I know I have read previously on people positioning cav, especially horse archers to harass troops and attack their rear positions. I often like to use them as distractors, but are many having success with ambushes?

**caravel** · 07-11-2006, 16:50

Ghazis are good for wood ambushes in defensive battles. You have to position your main force next to a wood and hide the Ghazis there. If you keep your general at that side and leave your flank seemingly exposed (apart from the forest) the AI may start maneouvering up that flank, if you're lucky... straight into the waiting axes of the Ghazis. Basically in the confusion of the wood, and with the element of surprise they can be quite devastating, especially if it was cavalry that blundered in there.

**Shaun** · 07-11-2006, 17:02

I use any unit of fast cav, preferably something that has missile capabilities as well.

**Ciaran** · 07-11-2006, 18:21

Ambushing is dishonorable.
Really, that was way into the 13th century a common concept.
But to be honest, I just suck at it, be it in MTW or RTW. I´ve given up even trying.

**Alexios** · 07-11-2006, 19:21

Originally Posted by Caravel

Ghazis are good for wood ambushes in defensive battles. You have to position your main force next to a wood and hide the Ghazis there. If you keep your general at that side and leave your flank seemingly exposed (apart from the forest) the AI may start maneouvering up that flank, if you're lucky... straight into the waiting axes of the Ghazis.

The way I usually like to use the ambush strategy with infantry is on the edges of my spearwall. Whether I'm attacking or defending, if I have many spear units with ranged units (which I usually do), I will almost always line up my spearwall so that one flank is near the edge of the woods. I then hide an infantry unit or two within the woods, so that if the enemy attempts to flank my spearwall with cavs, which oftentimes they will try to do, I will ambush them from their side or rear. The results can be most devasting... for the enemy that is.

Lately, I usually play as English, so I find the clansmen built in Scotland to be a highly-effective unit for such ambushes when used in early or mid. They are also very inexpensive to build and support.

**Tony Furze** · 07-11-2006, 19:37

I agree about the Ghazis-in-woods. I've disposed of quite a large cav armada that was trying to attack from the rear using the forest as cover. And that with only one unit of Ghazis at 2 valour.

I also like to send cav on a gentle trot round a forest as cover and attack from the rear. I ve discovered you can be quite slow with it too. That way you can either trap the enemy gen. or run down the routing army as it flees your main force.

**Knight Templar** · 07-11-2006, 20:37

There are 2 types of untits I put in woods in order to ambush:

1) infartry with high att and charge and low defence like Ghazis, Highland Clansmans, Gallowglasses, Nizaris or Futtuwas.
2) cavarly- with good att and charge

. In my recent battles I used Armenian heavy cavalry.

**caravel** · 07-11-2006, 20:46

Originally Posted by Alexios

The way I usually like to use the ambush strategy with infantry is on the edges of my spearwall. Whether I'm attacking or defending, if I have many spear units with ranged units (which I usually do), I will almost always line up my spearwall so that one flank is near the edge of the woods. I then hide an infantry unit or two within the woods, so that if the enemy attempts to flank my spearwall with cavs, which oftentimes they will try to do, I will ambush them from their side or rear. The results can be most devasting... for the enemy that is.

That's the one!

Originally Posted by Tony Furze

I agree about the Ghazis-in-woods. I've disposed of quite a large cav armada that was trying to attack from the rear using the forest as cover. And that with only one unit of Ghazis at 2 valour.

I also like to send cav on a gentle trot round a forest as cover and attack from the rear. I ve discovered you can be quite slow with it too. That way you can either trap the enemy gen. or run down the routing army as it flees your main force.

It helps to hav fast cav to deal with routers. As soon as they begin to rout you need to (try!) give the Ghazis a new target to get to work on if there is one. Those routers fleeing the wood can be mopped up by your cav.

The thing to remember is that while any decent cavalry can charge down Ghazis and destroy them due to their weak defense, in the woods it's a totally different scenario, with the Ghazis usually having the upper hand. Futuwwas are good for surprise flanking attacks also.

**Sensei Warrior** · 07-11-2006, 21:59

I am going to agree with alot of people on this one.

Non-Cav Ambush Units = High charge, moderate to high att, decent morale, and faster than most like the (6-12-13) units. These units would be Muwahid Foot Soldiers, Ghazi Infantry, Fanatics, Highland Clansmen, and Nizaris. Hashishin and some of the skirmishers, Although I have toturn of the fire at will on those or it blows the element of surprise. There are also Galloglasses and Woodsmen.

Cav Ambush Units = I prefer speedy with a High charge, like Steppe Cav, but will take slower with a high charge like Mounted Sarges.

I will also state I am not very good at staging ambushes to this day. I try, but more often than not, it ends up in failure.