Army Structure & Recruitment

[gollum]

Originally posted by Asai Nagamasa
Those are more so the exception than the rule. I make use of Byzantine Infantry in Vanilla MTW due to the large unit size and that faction's lack of spears. They're a very nasty unit. In fact any sword unit that you up to 100 men from 60 becomes very dangerous - I found that out with Arab Infantry. AUM are another exception. They are almost like "Almohad Legionaries" and make good line infantry. The alternative is the 60 men Muwahid Foot and they are only useful as flankers and gap pluggers due to their smaller size and good charge.

Playing as the Turks I use what are technically swords all the time, in the form of Futuwwa and Turcoman Foot, but they are always backed up by a backbone of the dependable Saracens.

And yet BI are quite balanced for their class, especially in terms of thinking that they are the only foot swords the Byz get throughout the campaign. Their low stats (2 att, 2def) and morale (0) have to be made up by their numbers. When they are led by the jedi Byz imperial family - they are horrors indeed especially in early. But when not - they are quite average and need caution in how and where to engage them because they flee all too easily when things get a bit hot. Their size and low morale also prevent their use as flankers (as they might flee before completing the rear charge or get charged by enemy heavy cavalry that covers the enemy rear, and are too cumbersome to maneuver).

Your Arab swords had higher morale and higher attack IIRC - hence they were really dangerous regardless of general leading.

I personally think that the FMAA are far more steadfast and reliable than the BI. They have better stats (3 att, 2def IIRC) and more importantly better morale (2) that makes them very good line infantry. If combined with HC like knights or other - they are unstopable - have only to match the HC to enemy swords and your swords to enemy spears - you can rout the enemy army in record time (almost on contact) when having such an army composition and do the match up.

Agreed fully about the AUM and Muwahid - actually i make Mywahid to 100 men speaer units and exclusive to the Almohads in my *vanilla mod*.

Your tactics with the Turks is the one i also use too - simply because the Turks have no other unit than the Saracens that can stop enemy assault units like HC and Knights and offensively their swords are weak in defence and armor. Need to shoot them, tire them in fight against the SI while shooting them some more, and finally flank them with Armenian Heavies, Futuwas, Ghazis, Ottoman Inf, Turcoman Foot or even Desert Archers before unleashing the Turcoman horse and Ghulam BGs in their tails ... ah! the galloping, the slaughter, the cries, the... endless poetry... Actually, talking about this, i just remembered i had something in the oven - gotta get going... see you later