phonicsmonkey -

It's interesting that this subject has come up because I, too, complained in another thread (M2TW Guides/Hunters All Their Lives, etc) that I thought I was suffering a high rate of casualties in my assaults on settlements.

I'm an RTW player and the rate of casualties I've experienced in M2TW is significantly higher than what I'm used to. Some of it I've chalked up to inexperience, and some to the fact that the units in M2TW move more slowly and ponderously in the combat phase than they do in RTW. Cavalry in M2TW seems to move and respond to commands at a snail's pace by comparison.

From my reading in the Guild I understand that CA has given settlement wall defenders in M2TW an edge that they didn't enjoy in RTW. But, even when I have stormed inside the gates of settlements or through wall breaches I'm realizing similar levels of casualties to my fights with defenders on the walls. Even enemy peasants have whooped up on my much superior troops. It was exasperating!

In M2TW it seems the defender has a much better time against an attacker when defending a breach if he rushes troops to the breach quickly. The casualties pile up fast. (This also seems to be true in bridge fights. One enemy cavalry unit can bottle up several of your cavalry units at the end of a bridge and inflict heavy casualties on you.)

Master Doug-Thompson by virtue of his greater experience seems not to have too much problem with siege towers securing walls. But even here, I have suffered huge casualties. A 1-1 tradeoff in casualties may still secure you a victory, but the replacement costs to rebuild your army are high. And I hate that, especially as I have been cash strapped in alot of my games. Again, some of my problem is inexperience with the game flow of M2TW.

Yes, by all means assault a city or castle with artillery - catapults, etc. And I have made the siege artillery building a priority in construction. But, so far my best solution has been to attack the city from more than one side.

While the AI will assign troops to defend against that, for me, the trick is to punch a couple holes and kick open the gate on the front wall, while also bashing through another gate on another side of the settlement. Then, do whatever you can to slip cavalry insided the city. Try to get at least one infantry unit in behind an already engaged enemy infantry unit somewhere, anywhere. Or, use your cavalry to hit an engaged enemy unit from behind. Once you rout one unit, you free up units to further engage the enemy defenders elsewhere. Eventually a rout cascades. Once the enemy units start panicking back to the town square, hit them hard!! Use your free cavalry to pounce on them. Don't give them any chance to regroup.

Banging straight ahead through a breach in the wall or through a forced gate is going to be costly if the defender can pin you at the breach. But if you can get any unit through to assist in a flank attack or rear attack on a unit bottling up your breaching unit, you can break free of the impasse and it reduces your casualties.

Attack a city from more than one side seems to be one answer. It spreads the defender's garrison out to more than one wall and gives you a better opportunity to divide and conquer.

It was a painful lesson to learn. I'm sure that there are other methods. And I'm sure as I gain more experience I'll have less problem with settlement assaults. But I've learned not to take my own unit superiority for granted.

Getting your archers on the enemy walls is certainly desireable. But most of my assaults have been too breach bound to give my archers much opportunity even when I do get them on the wall.

Run down fleeing, routing enemy units fast. Don't let him regroup. I haven't tried this myself yet, but there may be some validity to one Guild member's advice about bum-rushing the town square, since the game considers holding the town square a key to victory. The enemy will rush back to the square abandoning its fight at the breaches in the wall giving up his advantage. Then you can piecemeal him to death.

One other point deserves further mention. Sometimes it helps if you can afford to hold an enemy settlement under siege for awhile or until they attempt their final desperate sally. I've seen besieged units lose as much as 50% of their unit strength while under a siege. Taking on enemy units attrited down to half their original strength will surely reduce your casualties.

Good luck, phonics guy! And I hope my counsel serves truly.