Favorite unit(s)

[nara shikamaru]

That's right, what is your fave unit from MTW/VI/XL/BKB, or any of the other mods? Why are they your fave? and how did them becoming #1 1st happen?

For me the 1st unit i really liked were AUM, why? well the 1st time i played i played as the Almos, and thought alot of my units were avg, but when i saw the AUM's in action, they owned everything on the field, the only unit my AUM's had any trouble with were the Byzantines VG's. I've also come to love the Italian Infantry, but that was more a looks thing then it became a "gonna kick some butt" thing later.

Remember your fave doesn't automatically mean who you like best based on pwnage, the your fave can be just something as simple you like the way the unit loos, well that's it for now, hope we have some fun with this.

[Martok]

Since I'm lazy, I'll just quote my post from this thread in the Entrance Hall:

Spanish Jinnettes - They eat Almohad Urban Milita for breakfast! With their armour-piercing javelins and excellent speed, they're well-equipped to take out heavy infantry while staying out of harm's way.

Gazi Infantry - Spurred on by their faith in Allah, these guys charge their enemies with suicidal courage! Great for flanking attacks and chewing up enemy infantry.

Huscarles - Heavily armed & armoured Vikings with very bad tempers! Virtually indestructible unless ganged up on by multiple units.

Bedouin Camel Warriors - Cheap, reliable, get a bonus in deserts, and horse units suffer a morale penalty when fighting them. Victory in my Egyptian campaigns would not be possible without them!

[cegorach]

I just love some ideas implemented in PMTW and I am damn proud of them too.

Ski infantry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

mounted infantry like those Imperial Dragoons

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

the anti-Ottoman wonder weapons

warwagons

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

and Ottoman Delil for the sheer look of this cavalry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Don't want to speak for medieval mods I just didn't play them for too long.

[Derfasciti]

So far for VI I'm really loving those Saxon and Viking Huscarles

[Wasp]

I love Longbowmen, Gallowglasses, the other Irish infantry unit (I avoid trying to spell it, because it would go wrong, but it was something like F.... E...), Vikings (so useful in Early) and strangely enough, Royal Knights..

I do tend to play a lot in Early, though.

[caravel]

Martok saved me the bother of hunting for that thread.

MTW/VI

1) Futuwwa
2) Janissary Infantry
3) Ottoman Infantry
4) Saracen Infantry
5) Turcoman Horse
6) Armenian Heavy Cavalry
7) Ghazi Infantry
8) Bedouin Camel Warriors

I rarely play anything but Muslim factions or the Byzantine, with the occasional Novgorod or Hungarian campaign. Of the catholic units I would have to go with:

1) Chivalric Foot Knights
2) Billmen
3) Longbows
4) Jinetes
5) Vikings

For the orthodox it's simple:

1) Trebizond Archers
2) Pr0n Cavalry

[Kavhan Isbul]

I have too many.

Vanilla VI - Avar Nobles & Szekely

XL Mod - Bashkorts & Varangian Swordsmen

MedMod - Bulgarian Brigands

PMTW - Adiga Djigit

BKB - Uzbek Heavy Cavalry

[Deus ret.]

PMTW - Adiga Djigit

why is that? granted, their looks are good, but I found them somewhat unwieldy and overall not that great on the field.

to constribute something to the list: my current favourite unit are medmod's russian dvors. played a late novgorod campaign recently and although I abandoned it after only 10 years I had a real blast with those guys. they are only slightly less armoured than gothic knights but they are fast.

my all-time faves are good ol' katanks. their looks seem somewhat overdone, they are virtual snails and they don't stand a chance against real knights, but I like them for all of that. and for the real punch their charge packs.

[Geezer57]

the other Irish infantry unit (I avoid trying to spell it, because it would go wrong, but it was something like F.... E...),

Probably Fianna Eireann (4/*3/3/3/6), an XL mod Irish unit similar to a Huscarle with slightly lesser attack/defense. Requires only a Swordsmith to build. One of my favorite units, also.

[Kavhan Isbul]

why is that? granted, their looks are good, but I found them somewhat unwieldy and overall not that great on the field.

80-men heavy cavalry/horse arcger unit. Playing with the Kazan Khanate, I have no access to sword infantry and the Adiga Djigit solved my problems with enemy pikemen - they shoot them to pieces. They are also great for charging into enemy cavalry.

[Ironside]

Almughavars, the most odd unit is un-modded MTW and very strong and fun unit to play with.

And golden/golden lancers of course, even if it's a huge overkill

[bamff]

When playing as the English, I love Fyrdmen - absolutely invaluable in the earlier parts of the campaign, and can still hold their own in High, if used sensibly....

Chivalric footknights are great to have as well.

Steppe Cavalry are great speedy little flankers.

Huscarles and beserkers are good fun in VI - also Huscarles seem to keep on keeping on in terms of usefulness well past 1205....

I like the old Turcopoles as well, but maybe that is just a horse archer thing...

[seireikhaan]

Not in any specific order:

A) Szekely-ultra fast horse archer, available VERY early, and dominates a lot of early era infantry straight on.

B) Avar Nobles-Equivalant of Khwarzmian cav. except out of the desert, much smaller requirements, and disciplined.

C) Swiss Halberdiers-Trainable by lots of people, very versatile, can deal with most units.

D) JHI-Really, do I have to say? These guys are monstrous, they slaughter nearly everything, plus have speed, discipline, and the ability to fight in desert.

E) Janissary Infantry- Equivalant to CMAA in hand to hand, except with less armor and with discipline. Plus they have the bow to make them extremely versatile.

F) Armenian Heavy Cavalry- Available very early on, AHC out of Armenia can dominate the battlefield for a very long time.

G) Gothic Knights- Its a pity these guys take so long to get to 'cause they are great. Even with just a strong charge, nearly everything just seems to bounce off them. Recently did a test run of V1 GK w/ +3 armor vs. V1 Lancers w/ +3 armor on a flat European landscape. The lancers went into wedge for the charge and made absolutely NO headway against the GK, and summarily got slaughtered.

[Noir]

For MedMod VI that takes my SP interest as of late:

Sicilian Chivalric Knights: reliable charging and killing machines.

Berber Cavalry: providing for the most elegant way to play with cavalry, i find - good in any terrain, good for charges - good for melee - good to cover all zones due to speed, stamina and moral - perfect for a combined arms approach

Handgunners: that is arquebusiers, in effect - with proper handling they can accomplish much more than meets the eye

Mounted crossbows (Be it Spanish, Italian or Russian): a sort of "aircraft carrier" that beats down the "battleship" knights and their one trick charge approach. Range, melee reliability, charge and speed all in one.

Knights Templar: no introductions needed - finally with lances!

Italian heavy Infantry: a sort of a terminator unit: moving slowly, ruthlessly and unmistekably towards annihilating anything in their path.

Contadina Cavalry & Stratiotai: Deceptively useful in the later stages where their speed/charge combination becomes deadly for their heavily armoured/slow opponents.

Polish Retainers: in the same league with Berber cavalry - its east northern cousin.

[mfberg]

Cav: Avar Nobles - Disciplined
HA: Steppe Heavy Cavalry - Heavy Horse Archers
Spears: Armored Spears - Fun in VI
Sword/Axe/Pole: Berserkers - even more fun in VI
Archers: Genoese Archers - nice and cheap and easy to get good valor on
Artillery: Organ Gun - well, any of the anti personell artillery

mfberg

[Caliburn]

I always loved Futuwwa, they pack a nice punch and yet can be a fickle unit to play with.

Armenian cavalry looks great, works well and doesn't break the bank. Along with Steppe cav.

I tend to prefer Gallowglasses over MAA, even if they can be wiped out by almost anyone if flanked. Still, they're cool, pack an armour piercing punch, add some colour, can be used in the desert...

Steppe heavy always has a place in my armies, though I think Byzantine cavalry is cooler.

Camels against Kataphraktoi always makes my heart race.

[Innocentius]

As I mod my game quite a lot, I've come to love Handgunners. They're like somewhat weaker CMAA, just - of course - with handgonnes (in my game, that is). Of course, I made them available in late only, upped their cost and made them dependant on Swordsmith's Workshop and Gunsmith's Guild.
Great unit once you reach them anyway...

Otherwise (un-modded) it'd be Halberdiers, the workhorses of all sensible armies

[gunslinger]

As the English, my goal is always to start making Billmen. I play the Rock-Paper-Scissors strategy pretty consistently, and I've found that Billmen don't really have a counter unit. I know there are other units out there that can beat them, but they can always at least hold their own for awhile until help arrives. I like an army of Billmen, backed up by vanilla archers (with tons of archers in reserve), a couple units of light cavalry, plus my general (heavy cavalry) to fight the Mongols. I've never seen anything absolutely wipe out a unit of Mongol Heavy Cavalry, or any other heavies, as effortlessly as Billmen.

For the most part, I've always been a good Catholic when it comes to MTW, but right now I'm trying out the Kievans in XL. I'm really starting to like the Voi in early. They are light, fast swordsmen. I don't usually check stats, but in practice they seem to be as fast as Urban Militia with better morale and more killing power.

[Innocentius]

Oh, yes, speaking of the Russian XL factions: How can one not love the Druzhina Infantry? Their info-pic has to be the best there ever was.

[Kavhan Isbul]

Oh, yes, speaking of the Russian XL factions: How can one not love the Druzhina Infantry? Their info-pic has to be the best there ever was.

I agree with this, but I also find the Cherniye Klobuki info picture nice - there is something about helms with visors I really like.

[Deus ret.]

I like an army of Billmen, backed up by vanilla archers (with tons of archers in reserve), a couple units of light cavalry, plus my general (heavy cavalry) to fight the Mongols. I've never seen anything absolutely wipe out a unit of Mongol Heavy Cavalry, or any other heavies, as effortlessly as Billmen.

In my experience the Mongols actually field an army which is quite dangerous to billmen. In my first English campaign (a long time ago...) I remember fighting a Mongol stack with a force consisting of about 50% billmen. I had been quite impressed of their killing power vs. MHC, too, so I figured they'd do the job for me.

Wrong. Granted, they took out the Mongols' cavalry, although they had significant losses. But it was the MHAs and MWs who teared them to shreds, first with their arrows, then the remainders in melee. Billmen are lighter armoured than Halberdiers, making them less unwieldy, but at the same time they succumb to massed missile fire at an alarming rate. I didn't have enough heavy cav to fight off all those MWs with them alone and thus lost the battle.

I learned the lesson to better bring some heavy armour when facing the Horde (this convintion changed in MedMod where the Mongols have AP missiles ) and to fight them only with a lot of trees on the battlefield.

[Kavhan Isbul]

Deus ret. has given some really wise advise here - it is one thing tod eal with the Mongol Heavies, and a completely different thing to deal with the pesky Mongol Horse Archers supported bu hordes of Mongol Warriors. Finally, bring in some Chinese Spearmen in MedMod and the Mongols are the challenge they should be. Which reminds me of two favorite units I missed, but should have included - Mongol Heavies and Mongol HAs. I usually end up with a nice number of them after I kill the Khan in the first wave and then bribe whatever is left of the Horde (my strategy, which is probably a poor one, is based on losing the major battle in Khazar, but killing the Khan and then bribing the remaining Mongol stacks to replenish my armies and provide me with some troops I can never dream of training myself, especially in MedMod). I have discovered the Mongol HAs to be able to deal with most light cavalry, such as Steppe Cavalry and Mounted Sergeants, which makes them almost invincible. The stupid tendency of the AI to move its missile infantry when approached by enemy units makes sure that you will always hit pavise crossbowmen and arbalesters in the back, routing them as a result. I love Mongol HAs, and add to that the punch that Mongol Heavies pack (they get all sorts of valor and armor bonuses in MedMod when they appear in Khazar), and you have a superb combo.

[The Unknown Guy]

The Prononai Kavalliori Toxotai in Medieval´s pocket mod. AKA: byzantine cavalry on steroids. Of course, they´re also horribly expensive (l20 upkeep cost), so its not like you can field entire armies of them. Still, two units as battle assistance are enough to turn the tide, since you can pepper with arrows the enemy to follow you into position (into the position you have placed your archers, ideally), and then hold them there with some melee unit, while slamming the cavalry at their rear.

[Don Esteban]

If it rides a horse and has a bow I like it!

I often start an attack with an entire army of horse archers, pepper the enemy wth arrows, break up their formation then withdrawl and bring on a more melee based force to finish the enemy off. Obviously it depends what you're up against but it can be highly effective.

[King of Bavaria]

a) Szekely fast horsearchers, much better than vanilla ones

b) Steppe Heavies both horsearchers and strong cavalry

c) Welsh bandits

d) Huscarls real tanks

[caravel]

The Prononai Kavalliori Toxotai in Medieval´s pocket mod. AKA: byzantine cavalry on steroids. Of course, they´re also horribly expensive (l20 upkeep cost), so its not like you can field entire armies of them. Still, two units as battle assistance are enough to turn the tide, since you can pepper with arrows the enemy to follow you into position (into the position you have placed your archers, ideally), and then hold them there with some melee unit, while slamming the cavalry at their rear.

I'm amazed that anyone is still playing the Pocket Mod to be honest. Most seem to have moved on/back to XL or vanilla, I myself have mostly been playing Rome for the last month or so. I haven't touched Medieval for ages now. I will probably get back to it at some stage though, Rome lacks Medieval's depth, not a game I could stick to for years and years.

The upkeep should be lower as the Pronoiarioi basically support themselves. I would decrease it just a bit and increase training costs further if necessary to balance it off.

Good to see someone still playing the mod though (you're probably the only one).

[Caerfanan]

If it rides a horse and has a bow I like it!

I often start an attack with an entire army of horse archers, pepper the enemy wth arrows, break up their formation then withdrawl and bring on a more melee based force to finish the enemy off. Obviously it depends what you're up against but it can be highly effective.

This is a funny strategy, this pile of horse archers progressively replaced! I'll give it a try. As soon as I can get OUT of the viking campaign!!!

[King of Bavaria]

Oh, I forgot: e) mounted crossbowmen

especially with factions, who cannot build horsearchers. I killed the whole norwegian royal family, when they were stupid enough to invade friesland being defendet by 5 troops of MC

[Don Esteban]

Obviously it depends on terrain (heavily wooded areas or bridge battles would be a huge no) but it can really thin out the enemy. the best thing is HA's can withdrawl fast so you get to use more of your army than would otherwise be the case. Also HA's are cheap and easy to train so you can withstand some losses from defensive missile fire and then combine the higher valoured survivors.

Let me know how it goes!

[The Unknown Guy]

The upkeep should be lower as the Pronoiarioi basically support themselves. I would decrease it just a bit and increase training costs further if necessary to balance it off.

But that was at the cost of taxes going straight to them instead to the state, so it´s not too unfitting. Besides, it helps to limit the number of PKT in the field, which would otherwise lead to one-unit-type-armies (they´re THAT good. I fielded three units of them against three byzinf and one psiloi unit, and massacred the defenders to the last man, suffering only thirteen losses or so-althrough, truth to be said, using the increased maneuver of cavalry against such a small garrison would have been easy with any kind of heavy cavalry, but instead of charging straightfoward-like I´d have done with chivs- I peppered them beforehand.)
Another alternative would be lowering the support cost and raising both the training cost and training time (justifying it in-game, the time&money investment symbolizing convincing 40 members of the gentry to join your armed forces)

I'm amazed that anyone is still playing the Pocket Mod to be honest. Most seem to have moved on/back to XL or vanilla
Good to see someone still playing the mod though (you're probably the only one).

Well, the mod fits rather well my concept of an "ideal" mod (as in altering the existing gameplay to make it more interesting as opposed to altering everything -XL is one mod I tried and didn´t like (and unfortunately deleted before I could think up looking into things I´d have liked to copy), and vanilla alone is rather tepid after trying your mod. Not that I have much time, as I have to keep up pharma, epidemiology, and general pathology, but when I do a TW, it´s with the Pocket Mod.

Sidenote: I don´t know what did you do with the "compound bow" projectile exactly, but Trebizond-trained Psiloi are MURDERERS. Not only they´re extremely effective in combined arms, but as single units they´re particularily
lethal as well. I moved one to çuell one of the infamous "siege weapons uprisings", and it managed to pull a shot as the rebels were running away, and still managed to kill 4 of the twelve crew. (It does lead to "historically accurate" armies composed mainly of bowmen, and it makes them be worth the extra support, but renders arbalesters a bit accessory, just for bridge battles and/or fencing off the first waves of the mongol invasion -which in my current game has opted to ignore me altogether-.

Maybe it´s just that the Hungarians are weaklings, in truth. In most of the former games I avoided them because Serbia and Bulgaria made a nice border, and this time they took them before I could, so I decided to bring my wrath upon them instead of the turks or the Sicilians-High Age beggining, took Trebizond, then Constantinople, then Greece, then leaped north)