First Contact with the Mongols - Strategy.

[imnothere]

note you can move your cavalry OUT of stakes without casualties as the sticks are not sticking at your horses' chest.

i didnt realise this and was only exploiting this for the past 2 weeks.

i was very surpised that you withstood the attacks (even from AI) for that long without lots of spearmen. even with mercenary spearmen, pikemen, etc... my unit would have been already running half way to Bern. from the sound of it, at least you kept your units together. it is very hard to keep units from scattering all over the battlefield when fighting the middle-east and eastern (mongol/timurid) forces. well done.

more yeoman would have help, alot. even longbow archers are superior to the mercenary crossbowmen that i was using initially. for the middle-east screnario, spear-wall units are not that great due to wide-open space.

[Syrous_PL]

Net Hercules contra plures, or something to that effect. Well, Mongols are tough because their generals are top notch and their troops are usually experienced. I would try to stay out of their way as much as possible. They tend to go for Antioch and Jerusalem, so you may want to get out of those cities and try to make peace with Mongols. I had a game where they would attack me, then make peace 2 turns later and even pay me some tribute, then do it all over again. So, get on their good side and avoid confrontation until their armies dissipate all over the map and you don't have to deal with 6 stacks at the time.
Defending in castles/cities can be a good way to slowly reduce their numbers. I would put my archers (playing as Poland) in front of the gates and have them deploy stakes. Then when the battle starts you run up to the walls, but the stakes stay there and cause severe damage to Mongolian cavalry once they break through. Hopefuly you can take out many that way and cause the rest to rout.
I would avoid open field encounters as they will wear you down with horse archers and finish off with heavy cav.

[Cadwallon]

I was the poles, with lithuanian archers who have stakes. I'd managed to carve a reasonable pole away from pole in the Holy Land when the Mongols invade. I'm not sure whether this is buggy - but if defending a castle or bridge, stakes can get up to 90% casulaties against horsemen. And without horsemen mongols are pretty second rate. Providing you have some decent spearmen or heavy infantry, plus archers with stakes, mongols just don't stand a chance.

Haven't tried them against elephants yet!

[Syrous_PL]

Woodens stakes don't work against elephants, sadly. But they are great vs cavalry. Just don't run your general into them

[Henry707]

Ahh Galain, that's the best part of MTW2 - that cold realization when you first come up against the hoard & think S£&$!!!

Sometimes I think forums can give too much advice & spoil the challenge by describing when, where & formation etc. If you are not ready for it, the mongol invasion has much the same impact as it had in real life - shock - much bigger then anything etc etc etc.

I'm playing the Egyptians at the moment & it's always on your mind as my cities are so exposed. If I were you, I'd learn what you can about the armies & retreat back to say Cyprus to re-group & re-arm.

If you want to take them on, get a reinforcements from England, plenty of longbows. Check your finances as well. Clear out the hospitals as there will be some heavy casualties.

Good luck

Henri

[Galain_Ironhide]

Ahh Galain, that's the best part of MTW2 - that cold realization when you first come up against the hoard & think S£&$!!!

ROFL. You hit the nail on the head there Henry707

I have been away on business a lot lately so I havent much chance to encounter them again. However with the small amount of time I have been able to put into my English campaign, I have been building up an army in the heart of my lands. I have 42 provinces (and about 95 turns left), so I have no desire to conquer any more European lands.
I will march from Venice (the edge of my kingdom), take Constantinople from the Byzantines (they have been annoying me for decades) and cross the land bridge there, plus take a citadel (located to the left of Trebizond - which I have owned since about turn 30ish)to replenish my troops, which is only loosely defended by the Turks, then finally drive into the Holy lands and take Jerusalem from those Mongol dogs! (thus ending my game - )

My army consists of 7 generals with a minimum of 5 stars (one is a 10star and still young) fully stacked with at least 6 units of Longbows, plus 3-4 units of heavy cav, 3-4 units of spears and the rest dismounted knights - oh and plus mortars and trebs too.

It's going to be a long trip and there will be many fights on the way, I am sure. But I think the AI wont pose much of threat until I get into the Mongol lands.

I'll keep you good people posted as to how my "English Crusade" goes. LOL I am so looking forward to this, whichever which way the tide of war may go!

[Galain_Ironhide]

My army consists of 7 generals with a minimum of 5 stars (one is a 10star and still young) fully stacked with at least 6 units of Longbows, plus 3-4 units of heavy cav, 3-4 units of spears and the rest dismounted knights - oh and plus mortars and trebs too.

To avoid confusion. I meant 7 full stacks each with a general consisting of roughly the above.

Tally Ho!