Archer stakes

[Caoimh1N]

Hi @ all

long time lurker first time poster.

I just reinstalled m2tw again after a good while, updated to the latest patch and started a new game.

Playing as the English, a good few turns in and i'm tech'd up nicely after building a nice economy and conquering the isles for my self. Other than holding the isles and fending off some small landings by both spain & the danes I hold tunis with a very strong garrison after a crusade and am turtling in my 2 cities in northern france, while my 2 full stack armies commanded by 5 star generals wreak havok against the spainards and the (extremely) unreliable French.

I however strayed my armies too far south and a spanish army was able to sneak into rennes and launch an attack. I looked at my garrison and it was woefully small, 3 archer units, no cav and 2 spear militia v a full stack. I noticed when the battle began the Spainards were cav strong & no siege equipment other than 2 ladder teams,it was then i thought of something I hadnt thought of before. I placed one unit of archers behind the front gate, and placed stakes(pulled the archers back then). Sure enough it wasnt long before the ram was through teh gate and the Spanish gen's bodyguard led the speartip through the breach, and I watched with grim satisfaction as a command unit were slaughtered faster than I thought possible.

I ended up losing the battle but I have been kicking myself for not thinking of this rather simple tactic before now, anyone else tried this? I am hoping to use it from now on in seige defence, one row of stakes behind gate, and 2 off to the sides where the walls usually get battered down.

[Don Esteban]

Nice idea!

i usualy play the English as well and to be honest I've never thought about using stakes in sieges.

Another oprion would be to put stakes near the central square so if they break through that far more slaughter results.

[Lupiscanis]

I think, although don't quote me on this, that you can't use stakes at higher setllement levels - I believe you can only lay stakes on actual 'ground' as opposed to stone/tarmac whatever.

[Don Esteban]

I think, although don't quote me on this, that you can't use stakes at higher setllement levels - I believe you can only lay stakes on actual 'ground' as opposed to stone/tarmac whatever.

that makes sense - certainly on a field battle you can't lay stakes over roads.

[Lupiscanis]

that makes sense - certainly on a field battle you can't lay stakes over roads.

Of course.. and I'm not sure if it would work, but it shouldn't stop you from laying stakes outside your walls if your archers move quick enough, methinks.

[trickydicky]

Of course.. and I'm not sure if it would work, but it shouldn't stop you from laying stakes outside your walls if your archers move quick enough, methinks.

I didnt think you could deploy outside the walls?
If that's the case how do you get your archers to lay down the stakes?

[Lupiscanis]

I didnt think you could deploy outside the walls?
If that's the case how do you get your archers to lay down the stakes?

Er yes, nvm, hadn't woken up and forgot you could only deploy stakes in the.... deployment.. stage.

~sigh~

[trickydicky]

And here I thought you knew something I didn't

Cure for not being awake: coffee!

[Lupiscanis]

And here I thought you knew something I didn't

Cure for not being awake: coffee!

If I could stand the stuff, I would =p

But meh, coffee is just wrong.

[Kraggenmor]

But meh, coffee is just wrong.

To quote any of my many priests!

"This apostate shall pay for such heresy!"

;)

[trickydicky]

To quote any of my many priests!

"This apostate shall pay for such heresy!"

;)

Couldn't have said it better

Back on topic. Stakes are a great idea in castles, especially at the gates.
Just remember to avoid running your own cav through them though

Oh and welcome to the ORG Caoimh1N

[Monsieur Alphonse]

You can put stakes in any level of city /castle. It is a very good defense against cavalry heavy factions like the Mongols/Timurids. Some players see it as an exploit. I see it as a good tactic to be used because England doesn't have strong spearmen. If you have more than enough archers it is a good idea to to put several lines of stakes behind the gate. One facing outward and one facing inward (remaining cavalry that routes will kill themselves). Left and right of the gate (facing the gate) is also a good idea. If the enemy has some siege artillery than it would be wise to put further lines of stakes in your city.

[Furious Mental]

Well, I have never heard of or read about stakes being planted in the ground behind a gate, but that doesn't mean it was never done. In any case, gates in MTW 2 are pitifully weak. I mean, there are no barbicans, no murder holes, only one portcullis in the passage rather than 2, 3 or even more, no drawbridges, etc. Charging through a gate should be damn near suicidal, so I don't feel guilty about putting stakes behind them.

[gardibolt]

If only! My game seems to be bugged, because it has never allowed me to deploy stakes when I'm defending a siege, except on top of the walls. Not a lot of horsies manage to get up there, so I fail to see the point, myself.

[trickydicky]

If only! My game seems to be bugged, because it has never allowed me to deploy stakes when I'm defending a siege, except on top of the walls. Not a lot of horsies manage to get up there, so I fail to see the point, myself.

You should be able to deploy them behind your gates if you leave sufficant room in front after deployment.

It may take some work but it is possible, I do it all the time against cav heavy armies.

[John_Longarrow]

The "Stake the gate" tactic is one thats been discussed on here before. If I'm remembering correctly, another poster put up a very nasty trick he uses. He has his first line of stakes pointed in, then a second almost on top of it pointing out. Takes moving around your archers a bit to get this in right. Then he puts billmen on either side to slaughter anything stuck in the stakes.

[trickydicky]

The "Stake the gate" tactic is one thats been discussed on here before. If I'm remembering correctly, another poster put up a very nasty trick he uses. He has his first line of stakes pointed in, then a second almost on top of it pointing out. Takes moving around your archers a bit to get this in right. Then he puts billmen on either side to slaughter anything stuck in the stakes.

Ouch! that sounds nasty, I might have to try that me thinks.

[John_Longarrow]

TrickyDicky,

From what I gather, he's got the spacing such that the first line of horses gets past the in pointing stakes but gets hung up on the out pointing ones. Then if they try to move at all they get nailed by both sets of stakes. I'm not too sure of how wide its got to be, but I'm guessing its really vicious as it holds the cav in place for the billmen.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

What he did and what I meant is he put one row of stakes pointed out. Almost every cavalry charging in will be killed. Some cavalry doesn't charge but marches through the gate. If they route they get killed by a second row of stakes pointed in.

I use this tactic but add a box of stakes to stop cavalry that marches through the gate and charges the second line of defense.

[Husar]

Never tried that myself but since when can you plant stakes on a road? Since cities and gate areas are full of roads...
Or don't city roads count as such?

[Monsieur Alphonse]

Never tried that myself but since when can you plant stakes on a road? Since cities and gate areas are full of roads...
Or don't city roads count as such?

Cities / castle roads aren't paved. They may look like but how they are really made is one of the great mysteries of all time.

[Aaronontheweb]

Sounds like this is a good case to recruit free company longbowmen for us non-stakers... hmmm

[TevashSzat]

What you do is build yourself a box. Have an army half pikemen and half stake placeable archer. Drop a Box of stakes around your army and position your pikemen just behind the stakes. Have archers in mid. Basically, incoming infatry gets slaughtered by your archers while cav gets killed by stakes