What is your favorite army makeup?

[JanderOmega]

Was just wondering what everyones' favorite mix of units where, when you make an army!

[Lord Boreal]

If Catholic: Powerful Sword Infantry E.g. Templars, Tuetonic Knights etc, backed up by Feudal Knights. Dependant on availablility of course.

If Muslim: Janissaries and Saracens, with Camel Riders or Ghulam Cavalry, then I'll go conquer Byzantia to get those Elite Roman Infantry and Cataphracts

Orthodox: Erm...I don't like these kingdoms because they **** due to morale penalty

[Mortimer]

I usually mix and match a little depends onwhat I come up againts and what units I have and how much, but against a well mixed army with infantry, archers, and calvary. I would like to have about 4 swordsmen, 2 spearmen, 2 archers, and a calvary unit.

the archers and swordsmen will hold of the main assult, usally with the archers in front. the spearmen will probally help some but will also take out the calvary, and my calvary will try to sneak around the main infantry force and take out the archers. I usually keep my marthial's knights behind the main line, and charge them at the last minute, they are much too important for an archer raid.

[Angryminer]

4 or 5 squads of armored infantry (defense-value is the most important here)
2 or 3 squads of archery
2 squads of cavalry (attack-value is the most important here, though speed is also important)

My strategy depends on the enemy. If I find weak melee units (swordsmen, archers) in the enemy's army without protecting squads I make my cavalry charge into them. The heavy loss due to the high attack value and the charge-bonus make the weak units flee and spread fear among my enemies. Then my cavalry can usually wipe out the whole army single-handedly.
If this strategy is not possible I rely on the defensive capabilities of my infantry. They are first placed in a long line, then the archers move between the infantry some steps towards the enemy. From there they can shoot a while at the enemy until I withdraw them. While the archers move back the outer infantry squads move forwards. The two cavalry squads also move forward on the flanks of my position. Within a minute I have trapped the enemy army in a circle-formation and the enemy usually soon flees from the melee fight into the middle of the circle in fear due to the fact that they are encircled. Then the archers can shoot at them without killing my own troops.
I usually move my marshall near the weakest melee-unit I can find. If the fate of the battle turns against me I charge the marshall into the weak unit. That poses another morale-penalty upon my enemy and gives a morale-bonus to my troops.

Angryminer

[Illuminatus!]

9 ranged units (Heavy Crossbowmen, Longbowmen, or Steppe Cavalry)
and, if I plan on taking towns, 2 Ballistae, 1 Catapult, and 1 Trebuchet.

Strategy: Overkill, plain and simple. If you're in a tough spot, find a nice hill and other terrain features that give you a bonus and are likely to prevent the enemy from flanking you and trying to go for your marshal. Moving your marshal around to "steer" the enemy into your ranged units is pretty convienient. Also, using a combination of "marshal steering" and steppe cavalry, you can skirt around the enemy's troops and destroy the enemy marshal.

Until I start playing a Catholic kingdom or play an Islamic kingdom and limit myself to just the desert units, I don't think I'll try a combined-arms approach.

[Lord Richard I]

I run 2 longbow, 2 cavalry (to run down fleeing troops) and then just what ever I pick up along the way.

[Largefry07]

I usally have 3 squads of longbowmen or hv/crossbowmen.

My infanty, I like medium or heavy infanty. I usally goor with Templars but due to their small sqaud size I have been converthing into Roman infanty or men at arms. I need my infanty to be fast and deadly. I have 6 squads of infanty.

I usally have 2 armies that are discribed above with one of them have 2 ballistaes and 2 catapults.

My third army contains nothing but meduim of heavy cavalry. I use them to put out rebelions and to assist my other marshalls. The units and Feudal cavalry or caraphracts.

[Gabo]

The makeup of my army varies according to the nature of the army, and to where I post the marshall. A rebel hunter for instance, in rebel times, usually adopt local military troops; My expeditionary army (old roman style) is made by one basic structure. Don´t ask me why, it´s just makes the game harder.

As Byzantia expeditionary army , I use Roman Infantry as the backbone of my army. Swordmaster skill maxed. Cavalry (Cataphracts) to dispose of enemy archers and finish off enemy infantry.Archers are optional, but siege machinery is a must. Skills: sieging, swordsmaster, healing, cavalry, leadership, tactics. (dread optional, for to compensate the morale penalty)

BTW, why is it Orthodox kingdoms have a morale penalty!?

[Largefry07]

Byzantia does not have a morle penalty.

[Gabo]

Weird then, at the beggining of the game any fresh new marshall (when called to battle somewhere) low its morale.

[Mortimer]

the moral penality is due to be subserviant to byzantia. makes your people less happy. but you can always negate the penality by decaring independance at the cost of your income and piety bonuses to religion. it is a lot like being excumicated without the threat of crusades, though I am guessing it causes war with byzantia, though have never done that and the manual did not say anything about it. also being independent gives you a book bonus, which is always nice to educate people. not to menction since you need a 5 star cleric to declare independence you will probally not have other educated people in your court, especally since a cleric is hard to raise without books, or taking a chance to convert a provence and getting killed. not sure why but I have never seen a cleric gain a level by adopting populations.

[Largefry07]

Declaring Independance does cause war with Byzantia.

[Billy Fish]

Generally 2 archer units, 2-3 cav and the rest swordmen. I let the swordmen and archers whittle down the infantry and then loose the cav when I see the enemy morale drop. :swordfigh

The only thing that I don't like is when the enemy tuck tails and runs, I should be able to run them down. Evil yes I know but kill them now rather than fight again later. :angry:

[Largefry07]

I agree. I think a morale drop is to light of a penalty for retreating. Generally when an army retreats they take the heaviest losses. I feel that each squad needs to take a percentage loss of men when an army retreats.

[DangerousMinz]

I like the following:

Firstly - one army comprised all of Feudal Knights - Then I assign them the 'move fast' and 'knight' skills to them (cant remember exact names). Now I can use them to move VERY quickly to battles and assist other armies I have. They have really helped so far. Very versatille, and striking lots of fear!

Then for most of main armies I pick:

3 x Feudal Knights
2 x Men-At-arms
2 x Templars
2 x Longbow Men or Heavy Archers

Or

3 x Feudal Knights
3 x Templars
3 x Longbow Men or Heavy Archers

This of course is assuming these armies are available to use! Once I did have these I deployed my King to recruit these armies from my province, move them to another province for a knight to use, then recall the king, and repeat the process.

Question : my Feudal Knights have 3 experience points, can they get any more than that? I has not increased in many battles. Not to be confused with the points you get from battles and then can grant your army more skills. All armies are scared of my Feudal knights, hehehe :eek:

[Angryminer]

Three stars of experience represent the "veteran"-status. Troops can't gain any more experience.

What strategy do you use on the battlefield to use 3 (an odd number!) effectively?

Angryminer

[DangerousMinz]

Hello AngryMiner,

You mean my stratagy in terms of 3 x archers, etc?

I basically set my Feudal Knights into triangle formation and move one set to either flank (unless I have my amy of feudal knights as backup, then they flank instead). I move my archers slightly forward, with my men-at-arms in front of them. Then I wait for the enemy to move towards me, usually they lose moral whilst they move to attack me (8 times out of 10). Once in suitable range I have the archers fire on the advancing armies.

Once the enemy is near enough, I drive the men-at-arms forward to attack their now depleted squads. In the meantime the knights can attack from the side if needed (or sometimes I will have them go after the enemy leader who stays back from the main enemies army). Whilst my men-at-arms are fighting, I have my archers repeat their process for any other advancing squads.

Works a charm so far!

Thanks for the answer to by the way

[the knightly sword]

3 templar squads , 2 feudal knights squads , and the rest heavy crossbowmen , but it really depends , thats what i choose as basic elite army . for infartry 6 templar or teutonic knights army units and the rest missle infarty.

[CarolusPelegrinus]

I only use peasants... massive plain old peasants. They are cheap, and they allow you to re-bild your army everywhere, anyhow... They are awefull at sieges, which I usually end-up waging wars of attrition and focusing on poor provinces for conquests. I give my Marshals the "Tactics" skill and have enemies come to my marshals with a 350% defense bonus.

I end up having less fetchers/swordsmith, which helps build more defense and economic improvements, and hire my king to any local province that ends up rebelling for 1 reason or another...

Once in awhyle I'll hire mercenaries (when I cross some in my invasions here and there), but never spend the money to create my own: mercenaries are cheaper (no population and no wheat cost!)

[Da Bomb]

Actually mercenaries aren't cheaper. They get much, much more expensive over the coarse of the game. Maybe no pop or food, but gold can be more important because there is much more to do with it. You can't offer food to stop a war, only money basically.