Firing into combat

[duncan.gill]

Does anyone here ever fire into melee with their own missile troops? Is this ever a viable tactic (unless of course your own missile troops are behind the enemy so that you are hitting them from behind and any stray missiles are hitting your troops to the front and bouncing off their shields)?

I have found that when I retreat slingers behind my lines and attempt to target the enemy once they engage my lines that I often loose men on the main battle line because any stray missiles are hitting them from behind. Does this have to do with the missile type (i.e. would I be better off using archers who could arch the arrows over my battle line)? Any suggestions?

[CrownOfSwords]

Definately cant do it with slingers their arc of projectile is too low. I've done it with archers before but expect still to run into some friendly-fire.

[Watchman]

I had this one Pontos game where I had the bright idea of blitzing Ankyra right at the beginning. Obviously the idea was sort of that the Pantodapoi guys with pikes would create a "kill box" around the gate when the AI sallied, thus keeping the nasty naked men and other Celtic affectations at a manageable distance. Worked pretty well actually, but there was this one bunch of those nasty little shortsword guys that got between one of the flank pike units and the wall and started carving them up - and I had no reserves to throw into the fray at the moment.

To the rescue went my slingers, who didn't have other targets. Turned out the Galatians in their trousers suffered considerably more from the point-blank enfilade than the almost-armoured Pantodapoi pikemen, even if the whole thing was kind of a redshirt job for them...

[Narhon]

They are only grunts. One can always recruit more.

[Watchman]

Personally, I was feeling all feudal warlord like in the event. "Who cares about a bunch of peasants anyway?"

[Cyclops]

Yeah fire over your guys into enemies and you'll do at least as much harm to yourself.

If you scuttle around the flank and shoot 'em in the butt, the casualties for you should be lighter, much lighter, unless you're using a seige engine.

I'm not a great fan of that though. Is it not very realistic to flank with archers/slingers and shoot 'em in the butt?

I think its alright to line up missile troops behind the enemy line for the post-break duck shoot. Also I'm very happy to run javelin-armed boys around the flanks, let 'em fling a volley into the rear of an engaged enemy unit and then close for the kill.

[Cyclops]

Personally, I was feeling all feudal warlord like in the event. "Who cares about a bunch of peasants anyway?"

What, you've gone all Longshanks on us?

"Send in the Irish"

Except the next line is:

"...arrows cost money"

[Apgad]

And remember, more friendly fire = less upkeep. Everybody wins!

I presume that you can't gain experience by killing your own men?

[Danzifuge]

personally i find archers and the like useless. on average i see about 10-20 kills per archer unit in a battle with an above average archer (missle attack 4). that just isn't enough kills to make a difference and you have to keep reserves in the back to keep em protected from the inevitable cavalry flanking maneuver. keeping reserves in the back to counter the flanking maneuver is a good idea anyway, but protecting these worthless units is getting annoying. i might try that "shoot em in the butt" maneuver some time though.

[Apgad]

i might try that "shoot em in the butt" maneuver some time though.

Once you go for the backdoor, you never go back. Especially using a solid 12 inches of shaft with an iron head...

[fenix3279]

Once you go for the backdoor, you never go back. Especially using a solid 12 inches of shaft with an iron head...

I just had the wrong image

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Ranged units are best used against light infantry or other ranged units. Archers and slingers will pin down skirmishers and prevent them and their javalins from coming in range of your main lines. In most armies they should still only be a small proportion, though.

[Watchman]

Slingers can put quite a bit of hurtin' on even cataphracts, though.

[Moosemanmoo]

I just had the wrong image

you're not alone

[General Appo]

you're not alone

Indeed. Makes me wonder what kind of person I´ve become, when such a comment brings me such a image.

[TWFanatic]

A few lead bullets or flaming arrows in an enemy unit's right side or rear will cause casualties and fear (slings more lethal and have higher rate of fire from my experience, but flaming arrows cause fear). Pin with infantry and throw missiles up the enemy arse.

This tactic is common amongst the best clan players on multiplayer: whoever wins the skirmish can screen their heavy infantry with light infantry/missile troops while sending a few around to the flanks with the cavalry. Fire a few rounds on enemy cavalry before charging, then swing missile troops around to enemy rear and fire missiles at their backs.

[Dhampir]

What, you've gone all Longshanks on us?

"Send in the Irish"

Except the next line is:

"...arrows cost money"

"Archers."
"Won't we hit our own troops?"
"Yes. But we'll hit theirs as well. And we have reserves. Attack."

[jabarto]

And remember, more friendly fire = less upkeep. Everybody wins!

I presume that you can't gain experience by killing your own men?

I probably shouldn't be laughing at the thought of using your own men as target practice, but...