Quote Originally Posted by Griz
I think the archer thing is a side effect of the semi-intelligent battle line management where you select your entire line and click the enemy line and they automatically choose targets instead of all piling onto the one you clicked.
That would be great if it only did it when, say, 'fire at will' was on.

what's the trick to make charges work? I double-click the enemy, they run up and then stop to adjust formation and stroll into the enemy with swords out. I single-click the enemy, sometimes they just walk all the way up with swords out, sometimes they stop and pull lances and start charging but they almost always stop for formation and end up walking in with swords.
ALWAYS single click, NEVER double click. You also need to let your unit form up first, i.e. stop them far enough away, facing the target, wait for formation to stabilise, then click the target once and leave them to it. Yes, its a pain to set up, and requires a bit of time and space to do it in (which your enemy might not allow you to have) - but IMO thats a good thing - cos when it works its devastating.

And given enough space I find it works pretty much every time. Carnage ensues in enemy ranks.

wedge formation seems to work more often but generals can't do wedge.
Only just occurred to me that possibly which shape formation you use also makes a difference - i always use 2 deep wide formation. I've also noticed that once your cav get tired they wont charge as effectively (or maybe they only get a couple of charges before their lances are broken or something) but by that time i'm usually using them to chase down routers.