Heroic battles that you have won (or lost but made them bleed badly)

**Spart** · 12-01-2006, 07:04

This thread is for all who have a battle story that made them feel proud of their skills when they gained a victory in face of impending doom or made the enemt bleed so much that their attacks on a city had been blunted.

For me it was in the city of Tylis I had to defend against a bunch of filthy barbaric Dacians with their super heavy infantry and archers.

I started off the battle by placing archers on the wall (duh) and I got my infantry outside in a large group so that they could withstand a hectic barbarian onslaught my cavalry I had placed right behind the city gates that was right behind my infatry

Press the Start battle button and I rush the infantry out as the Dacians pull back to safety from the Archers, because I love playing with arhcers I rushed them all out at once and by doing that the Dacians came at me with a vengeance, I waited until the right moment to charge my cavalry, but I was also trying to put my archers on the walls and the gateway became jammed. So after I had managed to pull all my units behind the walls to stop further casuslties the Dacians again pulled back to avoid archers.
I then made all infantry with more than 15 men go out side the wall and my cavalry go out side, I took my archers out one at a time and set them to flaming arrows (barbarians and elephants hate the flaming projectiles), Luckily while I was getting slaughtered I managed to do some of my own and it was severly weakend units versus sevrely weakend units except for two units of 50+ chosen swordsmen (2 silver chevrons each), So I et them come at me one at a time and the flaming projectiles made their moral low and started routing when getting to my pitiful frontline of +/- 50 men and +/- 34 cavalry, End result was 75% losses on my side and 80% losses for them (Thank G-d for the arrows that kill men when they get to close to the walls or elso I never would have beaten the second army, and thank you G-d for Good Brutii discipline)

, That will teach them to mess with me

They shall now bow down to the Roamn Yoke after betraying me

**Warluster** · 12-02-2006, 07:38

I had about 54 Roman horse guys, was charging around the place cleaning up rebels, when I walked into an ambush, about 800 of them! The ambush failed (Funny how that happens) and I lured them to the edge of the map, where I then hid, they came charging in, and I hit them from behind, man that was good! I think they were Gaul.

**Abokasee** · 12-02-2006, 09:05

One Battle I was Armenia's (yes can play them with a little twicking of the game) I had About 960 Armenian heavy spear men, 112 cataphrick archers, 240 of those really cheap spear men which eastern faction can recruit (120 in each, not pike men) and 1 generals body gaurd (late period) Vs the eyptians who had 1 eyptian general in chariot, 2 groups of chartiot archers,2 groups of axemen (IMBA IN vanilla 1.00 so update ur game) 8 groups of standerd spearmen and 1 mercanary elephants!

So what did I do I put all my Heavy spear in phalanx and got them all around me general in box, with cataphrics and cheap guys out side... the cheap guys, I did the only realy desicion, send against the merc elephant, the cheap guys lost 220 (both groups had ten) but they took all the elephants, by then the cataphric archers took out the general and the axe men, leaving the enemy spearmen into a meat grinder (which I won easily) with my much better equiped and armoured heavy spear men

Result victory

**Somebody Else** · 12-03-2006, 14:20

Playing as HRE VH/VH, defending Arhus (only with arrow towers) against the Danes. A full stack army, including many high era units - mounted priests, dismounted feudal knights, pavise crossbowmen, sword staff militia, and loads of trebuchets and catapults. I had a 3/4 stack of mainly halberd militia and crossbow militia, a few spear militia and a couple of ballistas too.

I lost it, but not until they'd lost about 85% of their men. The walls were completely destroyed, piles of dead in the streets &c.

Next round I walked in with a few units of knights and took it right back.

**Orb** · 12-03-2006, 22:04

EB.

800 Elite Armenian Cavalry (400 HAs, 200 Cataphract/weak general cav, 200 medium/skirmisher cav) and 720 infantry (cheap Celtic mercs)

against

4,600 highly elite mixed Greek Phalangites and heavy infantry and cavalry.

Ended up with the loss of just about all the infantry and 600 of the cavalry dead in exchange for all of the Greeks.

**Rhyfelwyr** · 12-03-2006, 23:56

I have one heroic General, Sextus Dexius Proceus, now Sextus Dexius Africanus (playing EB). He conquered the city of Carthage and later all of Carthaginian Africa. Then he sailed to the Beleares, killed four Carthaginian family members, including the faction leader and heir, and so earned the title of Africanus. This reduced the Carthaginians to two provinces in southern Spain. So, he sailed there and conquered one of them. After doing that, he caught out a Carthaginian family member on his own fleeing accross the campaign map. Sextus's troops couldn't reach him in the turn due to being infantry, so Sextus fought the Carthaginian general with his own bodyguard. It was one unit of bodyguards against another, and Sextus wins. Sextus returns to his main army, and goes to conquer a nearby Iberian settlement. However, an Iberian diplomat bribes the only Roman spanish mainland town, leaving Sextus and his army stranded. He has one full stack army, and is surrounded by three full stack Iberian armies. He goes to some high ground, and is attacked by two of the Iberian armies. On the battlefield, the Velites do enough to hold off one of the Iberian armeis while the Hastati/Principes fight the other. With Sextus's command they win, and then go and rout the other army. By the end of this battle, Sextus is victorious, but reduced to a half-stack army. So, he is attacked by a full stack Iberian army. The Romans form a square like formation shielded by some farm houses. Hastati and Principes form a square protecting the Velites and slingers. Surely enough, ten percent of the Iberians die before they make a kill themselves. However, the Iberians have a far superior army, with many Scutarii. As the battle goes their way, Sextus charges at their General, managing to rout him, and taking a few swings at him himself! However, the main Roman army is simply too weak, and routs. Sextus is the last man to flee the field. Sextus regroups at the Baleares, and return to Spain with a new full stack army. So far, he has defeated a full stack Iberian army at a river crossing, taking only 5% casualties and killing 100% of enemies.

He's now 45, hopefully he'll be able to wipe out the Carthaginians in his lifetime.

EDIT: Also, a lowly Captain with a half stack army wiped out an entire army of Pantodapoi, and took only two casualites. And it was a mixed army with only a couple of Triarii, some Hastati/Principes, several Velites/Accensi

**Cesare diBorja** · 12-05-2006, 12:34

As the Papal States, I have been at war with venice for 12 almost 13 years. The battles started off small. There have been at least 50-70 battles. Casualties started at around 70 to 500 for both sides but as technology progressed casualties entered the multi-thousands. In one particular battle I lost 3001 men and the Venetians lost 548. They outnumbered me with pavise crossbowmen, wiped mine out and then shot up most, along with siege artillery, of my army before I could really get a foot hold and then swept me away with light cavalry and 'broken' Lancers. I had two armies and they had three. THere have been several reversals in the war. Right now, its a stalemate. I have the very best tech, but the Venetians seem to counter my moves. They use their(AI) Venetian Archers as commandoes. Sometimes there will be two of those with 4 cavalry and 4 pavise crossbowmen and some artillery to follow up a previous attack to clear up one of my battered armies. The year is 1123.
I have made certain changes, one being 2 turns per year.

**Debe2233** · 12-05-2006, 13:28

This battle wasn’t a massive bloodbath, it wasn’t two vast hosts clashing… it was a semi large Turkish army vs 1 unit of Byzantium infantry.

I forget the region it’s the one to the right of Constantinople on the ME:TW1 map… I forget what its called now but this is still one of the most memorable battles I ever fought.

I’d left the region pretty undefended as I was good friends with the Turks, no problem I thought so I started expanding west, then the Turks attacked, their army consisted of horse archers and foot archers, against a unit of Byzantium infantry I knew it would be impossible.

I decided to fight them outside the castle to get it over with so I got sent to the battle map and noticed there was a large forest in the middle… so I set my unit up in there.

The Turks moved forward to engage… of course being in a forest, archers didn’t work very well, they pelted me for a few minutes for the death of 2 infantrymen.

You could almost see the computer considering its options, it kept pelting with arrows me but decided to move its archers to attack in melee, of course being light archers and up against pure sword infantry that didn’t work very well, I slaughtered the archers for the loss of 3 more men.

The Turkish horse archers still sat there still trying to shoot me but only 1 more man died… you could almost see the computer getting frustrated... then it decided the only way was to rush me, it sent 2 units of horse archers into the forest to get me, being in the forest and only being light mounted troops they got trashed… with that the entire Turkish army decided it would come back another day and fled the field, my 1 unit had beaten a force over 4 times its size!.

Needless to say that particular units leader got a nice hefty title plus some great traits and proceeded to lead my armies to victory over the treacherous Turks!

Byzantium infantry still hold a place in my heart because of that particular battle.

**GoldenGod** · 12-05-2006, 23:10

Playing as the Brits King richard (the somewhat mediocre I suspect) was forced into leading a crusade on Antioch. After meandering all over eastern Europe and having half his army desert from sheer boredom the remnants reached the eastern side of the Bospherous and ran smack into two Mongol armies.

Going through one of his increasing common ADHD stages King Riccy bought all the locals he could to bolster his flagging force and entered the fray with three units of horse, seven of infantry including three of Pilgrims, two of archers and one of crossbowmen and one of those strage six barreled cannons.

Quickly the Brits claimed the high ground, the cavelry seeing off a couple of units of horse archers. Once established there they could see the what they had gotten themselves into. One Mongol army was arrayed to the north in front of what could possibly have been the playboy mansion, the other had allowed itself to be forced off the high ground.

The British archers started firing at once drawing a measured response from the Khan. Horse archers started peppering the Brits with arrows until the British cavelry drove them back. In doing so one of the Brits cavelry struck some mongolian infantry archers scattering them but they had become too scattered themselves to do the damage they should have.

So it continued, thrust and counter thrust while the cannon fired into any big lump of enemy it could. Slowly the tide turned though. For every charge more and more Mongols were falling but never enough. Several Mongol units had even been forced to rout. Then the Brit quivers started to run dry... and there was nowhere to run to.

There was only one thing for it. As the cannon fired it's last shell King Richard ordered the attack. The British infantry ran headlong at the Mongol bowmen while the remnants of the Brit Cavelry sought to split the Mongol horsemen. See that the mongols were too fleet of foot the wheeled and struck the fleeing Asiatic archers ripping two units to shreds as they were caught between the elements of the dying British Crusade.

For a moment it seemed that the British might just redeem themselves. Clustered they presented a tattered but cohesive unit against the enemy. But with each second that passed more arrows drove into their forces. They charged yet again forcing still more Mongols to withdraw before them but now at last the British began to falter. King Richard was last seen leading his few surviving horse troops into battle before being overwhelmed. Seconds later the British attack collapsed as half the survivors decided to get outta dodge. Then it was over.

By the end of the day the British Crusade against the holy land had ceased to exist but the motly crew of professionals, mercenaries and pilgrims had shattered two Mongol armies

**Bijo** · 12-11-2006, 02:59

I recall a battle in RTW but it's been long ago but I'll try to memorize as best as possible :)

The enemy's army at full strength and mine at half to three-quarters. I played as Carthage defending the city of Carthage against the Romans who thought they could imperialistically barge in and take over. My weak infantry took care of them while suffering heavy losses. Keeping the battle line intact, my general had to constantly run from one place to another to assist the infantry by charging into this line along with some extra cavalry. The battle became so chaotic full of disarray yet there was much structure at the same time.

During the ending part of the battle both armies were severely weakened and it'd be a close call as to who would be the victor. Having only a heavily diminished unit of phalanxes left, and a general, and I mean ONE general without guards, I had to constantly let him flee from the Roman general's unit consisting of about three guards. If they'd get my lone commander all would be lost. The beauty was the actual tactical maneuvering I portrayed.
It was a constant play of tactics. Them trying to flank my phalanx and this said phalanx to maneuver properly to counter them with their long spears. So finally they they targeted my lone general and and he had to run for he could not defend himself all alone.

Here comes the killer you gonna like :D

With this constant responding to each other's moves to outmaneuver each other I played a dirty move on them. I used my general as bait to take them out. I had my phalanx unit in one position with their weapons held up undefended. My general got close to the enemy and they gave chase. They'd move Heaven and Earth, the mountains and the oceans to kill him, but they failed :)
My phalanx unit made way for their brave (and cunning leader) as he ran through their ranks finding himself behind them. The foolish Roman commander and his leftover guards still pursued thinking they could get him or otherwise hit my slow undefended infantry unit hard. Unfortunately for them, well... how to say this? :)
Just in the right moment the phalanx formation was set and they all PERISHED. Their horses slaughtered, the horsemen themselves slaughtered, and all because of a roguish cunning mind, as they fell before my brave warriors as they ran into the mighty spears of Carthage! XD

**Cesare diBorja** · 12-15-2006, 11:08

I landed on Sardinia with a sizeable force as Spain(M/M) to take Cagliari.

1-feudal knight troop
1-mailed knight troop
3-Jinetes troops
4-peasant crossbowmen
2-peasant archers
2-spear militia troops

I divided this force into three separate forces, the largest being in the forest nearest Cagliari. On the next turn, I was left with a Jinetes troop, a troop of crossbowmen, and a troop of archers, the rest had gone rebel and were moving towards me. I met the first force angrily and having the advantage of the heights I swept through them in ten minutes, pouring arrow and bolt on my foe and releasing my cavalry to sweep the hillside. I destroyed the mailed knights, one of the Jinetes, a troop of crossbowmen and 2 troops of archers and one of the spear militia.
In the next battle, the second 'rebelled' force sat on a desert plain(maybe the computer thought the other force was enough). I rushed into them at first being overwhelmed by the firepower of two crossbow troops. One of them decided to move closer and I decimated them, when the enemy Jinetes came in to finish me, throwing spear before hitting my archers, full charge. My men held, dropping several Jinetes with point blank archer fire and help from the crossbowmen, then engaging in melee. The Jinetes soon ran off. The other crossbow unit kept up fire, but were outmatched by both of my missile units. My ranged men the put down the enemy spears which came in before the noble cavalry. Soon the Feudal knights were bearing down on me and I decided to engage with my remaining 25(+/-) Jinetes, which had lent javelins to put off the enemy light cavalry and spears. When the Knights engaged my archers with the lance, I led my cavalry and crossbowmen into the fray. After a terrible melee, the knights disengaged and rallied to come at me again to meet a hail of darts. The enemy was broken and fled the field. I won two battles with fewer men than the enemy, but, I was not given a 'Man of the Hour' boon.

Remaining forces:

5-7 Jinetes(41)
12-18 archers(60)
20+ crossbowmen(60)

I am currently being hunted by men of the garrison of Cagliari. My Company and I are hiding in the wooded hills just north of Cagliari, awaiting relief from Valencia, as our fleet has been sent off home.

**Severous** · 12-15-2006, 20:48

Against a well balanced Egyptian force (RTW V1.5 on vh/vh)

The Egyptian chariots dominated the battle tactics...until I walked a phalanx of spears into them.

**GeneralHankerchief** · 12-16-2006, 05:22

Well, this wasn't a victory but it was still pretty sweet:

It's my (never-ending) Scipii campaign, and the civil war is raging. My governor of Capua died of old age so I sent a new family member from Sicily to take over running of that city.

Of course, I botch the landing and my guy doesn't have enough movement points to make it to safety.

So he's pursued and trapped by the full-stack Army of the Senate, commanded with its faction leader.

So let's review: One general and his escort vs. a full-stack, high-tech army.

I manage to kill over a third of the enemy forces before I finally routed. As a bonus, my general survived so he respawned his escort and jauntily made his way to Capua the next season.