Swiss units

[General-Winter]

I was bored last nite so I decided to do a few custom battles.

I found that the Swiss are a playable faction and they have a few nice special units, in particular swiss pikes swiss halberdiers and swiss armoured pikes.

I combined the three with arquebusiers and fought a few battles with Germans and Italians.

Conslusion: THE SWISS ROCK!

The arkys held off most of the enemy and those that did manage to come close with poked to death by the pikes or chopped up by the halberiders.

What exactly are the build requirements for these guys? I've used swiss halberdiers before but not swiss pikes.

Second, has anyone actually have to deal with the Swiss as a faction before?

[Peasant Phill]

The Swiss are playable in Late. I believe that they appear due to a rebellion just like the Burgundians. If there is no rebbelion in Switserland around the time they should appear (due to good management from the players part) than there will be no Swiss faction.

Yes the rock. They, however, have high high building requirements ( not the halbardies of course) and aren't cheap.

[Ironside]

What exactly are the build requirements for these guys? I've used swiss halberdiers before but not swiss pikes.

Second, has anyone actually have to deal with the Swiss as a faction before?

The pikes need a county militia (highest militia building) and the armoured ones need a master armourer on top of that.

They can occur in high and late (there's a historical message about the swiss confederation, but they can show up earlier) if Switzerland rebels.

They're a faction if you start in late.

Thier royal bodyguard is SAP (Swiss armoured pikemen)...

[macsen rufus]

Ah, yes, the Swiss - I met them once in a campaign. Can't remember what faction I was playing but they decided to rush me in a bridge battle. Bad mistake. My arbalesters and arquebuses were lined up either side of the bridge, a bunch of beefed-up halbardiers blocked their way and I shot the living daylights out of them, wiping out their entire royal line. I sure was glad of that bridge, in the open field I would have been mincemeat

I played a Burgundian campaign in XL a while ago, which is a good way to get easy access to Swiss units - IIRC the build requirments are turned down as well. Very powerful unit roster - then after you've played with them you have to have a campaign in PMTW as the Pike and Musket bug is infectious

[caravel]

They're quite a strong faction if they emerge and always seem to go first for the French rather than the HRE in my experience. They're dealt with in much the same way you'd deal with any other heavy pole arms/spears/pikes unit. Wear down with crossbow/arbalest/longbow fire, then charge heavy infantry such as CMAA, followed by a charge to the flank with devent cavalry. They're only dangerous if you do something stupid like charging them head on with any cavalry.