Spearwall Polearms vs. Cavalry

**Miracle** · 03-17-2007, 05:09

I've done a bunch of custom battle tests and have concluded that the best way to use spearwall polearm units like Voulgiers and Obudshaers against melee cavalry is offensively.

With or without guard mode on these guys can fall quite easily against a charge if they just stand there and take it. The reason is twofold. First, their weapons are far shorter than pikes, which means they can't really keep cavalry away at a safe distance, nor impale them very well. Secondly, they don't start seriously attacking until awhile after the charge is received. By then a sizable amount of their troops would have fallen to cavalry swords and maces.

So, taking a cue from this MTW unit guide, I decided to use these guys offensively.

After some initial 1 vs. 1 tests, I found that the best way to deploy them was in a two rank deep long line, guard mode off and spearwall on. They should attack from a at least a half arrow-shot away. After careful observation I noticed that the polearms were lowered at an angle whenever the enemy drew near. If the enemy cavalry charged them in this state, the polearm units would partially resist the charge and the cavalry would suffer significant losses. If the weapons were not lowered the cavalry would utterly crush them.

I did some more formal tests to flesh out this theory. On each side were multiple units such that the total florin cost (in-campaign) for both was about equal. The enemy cavalry in every test were Famiglia Ducale, because they do not suffer from the shield bug, provide a good challenge, and are widely available mid-game. Weaker units were given armor upgrades since they would very likely have them in-game. At the start of the battle every unit was properly deployed and ordered to attack the nearest enemy. They would re-attack if the enemy retreated. The conditions were Scottish Glen, summer, clear weather, medium difficulty.

Test 1

6 Obudshaers vs. 5 Famiglia Ducale
Approx. in-campaign cost: 4360 florins

Results:
OS: (138 men lost/361 men deployed)*720 florins*6 = 1651 florins lost
FD: (171 men lost/201 men deployed)*880 florins*5 = 3743 florins lost
Florin loss ratio: 2.267

Test 2

7 Voulgiers (upgraded to heavy mail) vs. 4 Famiglia Ducale
Approx. in-campaign cost: 3545 florins

Results:

VG: (124 men lost/421 men deployed)*510 florins*7 = 1051 florins lost
FD: (131 men lost/161 men deployed)*880 florins*4 = 2864 florins lost
Florin loss ratio: 2.725

Test 3

9 Halberd Militia (Hungarian, upgraded to heavy mail) vs. 3 Famiglia Ducale
Approx. in-campaign cost: 2670 florins

Results:

HM: (125 men lost/541 men deployed)*300 florins*9 = 624 florins lost
FD: (104 men lost/121 men deployed)*880 florins*3 = 2269 florins lost
Florin loss ratio: 3.636

Conclusion

It appears that cheap spearwall polearm units such as Eastern European Halberd Militia are well suited to offensively taking on heavy knights, even if the knights' charges will cause significant casualties. Better spearwall polearm units will also work, but the economic advantages will be lessened. Polearm units in general are also good against armored sword and spear infantry, making spearwall polearm units especially good with their dual roles.

Non-spearwall polearm units such as Janissary Heavy Inf and Billmen will still die quickly against cavalry charges, however, no matter what they do.

**Foz** · 03-17-2007, 06:02

Interesting results. If you want a better indicator of cost-to-performance ratio for each of your units that was fighting the cavalry, though, then you need to lock in to using the same amount of cavalry in each fight. Ensuring the same value of troops on each side does not sufficiently guarantee that you have a similar battle situation in each case, which is what you really need to do a reliable test. So I'd recommend having another go of it, only this time:

1. Pick a set number of Famiglia Ducale to use in every battle. Probably 4 or 5.
2. Set a florin amount for the troops to fight against the cav, and use it for each battle, only changing the unit type you recruit - spend as close to the amount as possible each time.

That should give you a much clearer idea of which type of unit performs the best for that given cost, since they're all fighting the same battle then.

You'll probably still notice a significant benefit to having larger quantities of cheaper troops - more means they can surround the cavalry better while the cavalry beat on a limited few units. This can be a bit misleading though, as there are other things besides just cost and performance that should be considered. For instance, 9 of a bad unit take up far more space in a stack than 3 or 4 of a very good one, though 3 or 4 of that good unit may perform almost as well as 9 of the bad. Even if the few good units costs more than the many bad, then, you're still probably advised to take the better units instead, since you'll be able to fill the stack with far more firepower in the end due to having higher quality troops. There are many other considerations too... but for now suffice it to say that cost-to-performance is not the only factor you should look at to decide which troops are better to use.

**Miracle** · 03-17-2007, 07:56

Originally Posted by Foz

That should give you a much clearer idea of which type of unit performs the best for that given cost, since they're all fighting the same battle then.

That wasn't really my goal, though. I was testing whether the offensive strategy worked for different tiers of units provided there were financially fair conditions. I wasn't directly comparing unit value; that's a different issue. I understand the militia obtained a better florin loss ratio because of numerical superiority, but the fact that they could win at all was the main point. The florin loss ratio merely served as an indicator.

If I used the same type of test using peasants instead, they would get destroyed and I cannot say they would be good against knights.

Stack dynamics is quite a different topic so I'm not going to talk about that.

**Miracle** · 03-17-2007, 09:01

After playing around with armored peasant armies I'm beginning to see your point.

I tested halberd militias again - this time it was 8 HM vs. 6 Border Horses.

The HM won with a ratio of about 2.1.

Next I pitted 5 Swiss Guards vs. 5 Famiglia Ducale

The SG won with a ratio of 2.88.

I guess this shows the tests need to be fair financially as well as slot-wise; that is, the number of slots used for each side needs to be fairly equal.

But now it's without a doubt that these guys can hand cavalry a crushing defeat.

**HoreTore** · 03-17-2007, 13:15

Try the JHI next... They kill every horse in sight.

They're the most effective counter to cavalry I've seen so far, and they take a charge well too.

Once had two units of JHI cleave through an army of 2 crusader sergeants and a bodyguard... I lost 12 men and killed them all. Never, ever seen a bodyguard go down so quickly. The only thing coming close, is when they're trapped and shot at by x number of pavise crossbows/musketeers..

**pike master** · 03-17-2007, 15:05

spearwall polearm units need faster marching speeds even when out of spearwall. march them side by side with other infantry when out of spearwall and you will see what i am talking about.

i also think they are too slow in spearwall as well. pikes and halberdiers should have matching marching speeds when in spearwall.

otherwise they are good units as long as they are in spearwall and spread thin to contain the flanks of a cav charge.