What is the most difficult faction to fight against?

[Ferdiad]

Well then excellent sir. Excellent I say.

Cheerio old chap and all that, now back to the topic I do say.I do believe it is those damn Mongrolians, they always breaking down my chitty wall!!!

[StupidAlarmClockGuy]

I decided to try out a few battles to see what's what. I put French Feudal Knights against Arab Cavalry in the desert (1 unit vs 1 unit), and the feudal knights suffered a third of their army's worth of casualties, and the Arab Cavalry routed with over 90 percent casualties. Using anything higher in quality than the FFKs, the AC got smacked around even worse.

Seems to me that it's probably a numbers thing. If the AC has any sort of support against the knights or does a "2 units vs 1" attack, they'll overwhelm knights of that quality level, but that's about all they can actually fight against, even on their own turf. I think that withdrawing incident that happened to me was a random glitch. AC animations don't look any different from normal cavalry, and the more battles I'm fighting against them, the more it seems that my knights are winning.

[Andytheplatypus]

Yes but by looking at the stats, you shouldnt have lost that many knights

[-Myth-]

Bit of an off-topic thing still, but why was the AP property removed from ranged troops in SS?

[Andytheplatypus]

They did too much damage against armored units. You cant adjust how much damage AP does, so when its added to crossbow men, it was overkill

[k/t]

Because there is no difference between an arrow and a bolt other than how much force it delivers, which is represented by different Attack numbers.

[Andytheplatypus]

Bolts are shorter, usually.

[Ferdiad]

Bolts are shorter, usually.

They also seem stockier if you get my meaning, more heavy.

[k/t]

And sometimes they have different colours.

[Andytheplatypus]

And sometimes they have different colours.

Exactly!

[riknap]

minor question in regards to the Arab factions (you were discussing them a few posts ago, so I'm "on topic" right?) , but are ll Fatimid Caliphate units that aren't described as "tribesmen" (e.g. Saracen Militia, Arab Infantry, etc). really heavily armored at least as strong as light-men-at-arms? I tried my first crusade with ss (usually been ignoring them before) and was surprised how many spearmen a unit of "Saracen Militia" took before routing during a siege.

[Forever Steadfast]

minor question in regards to the Arab factions (you were discussing them a few posts ago, so I'm "on topic" right?) , but are ll Fatimid Caliphate units that aren't described as "tribesmen" (e.g. Saracen Militia, Arab Infantry, etc). really heavily armored at least as strong as light-men-at-arms? I tried my first crusade with ss (usually been ignoring them before) and was surprised how many spearmen a unit of "Saracen Militia" took before routing during a siege.

Were they lead by influential leaders (I.E. Leaders with a lot of command stars)? If so, then it'll be harder to rout any unit within his army.

[Ferdiad]

minor question in regards to the Arab factions (you were discussing them a few posts ago, so I'm "on topic" right?) , but are ll Fatimid Caliphate units that aren't described as "tribesmen" (e.g. Saracen Militia, Arab Infantry, etc). really heavily armored at least as strong as light-men-at-arms? I tried my first crusade with ss (usually been ignoring them before) and was surprised how many spearmen a unit of "Saracen Militia" took before routing during a siege.

Saracens aint exatly bad during the very early era, decent enough unit.Also as mentioned high star generals are very bad m'kay.

[ShadowKiller2000]

Yeah the Fatmid stack spam is very hard to combat in the Holy Lands. The Sacracen militia are brutal off the bat to face with the Crusader States in the Early Campaign. Even in the Late period those units are tough (and the Fatmids create at least an extra stack each turn). I recently gave up on a campaign in Late Period as the CS, because no matter how many armies I killed......2 more sprang up in their place.

I am giving it a shot in Early right now with 6.4, Medium, Medium, Savage AI. I allied the Fatmids turn 1 with the hopes of snagging enough rebel settlements to be able to hold them off when they stab me in the back once the 1st Jihad is called. I wonder if causing the Fatmids, and Turks to go to war with the Roman EMpire will help send a Jihad that way before it goes to Jerusalem? I will give it a shot and take some Roman islands for the extra income and relative safety.

I think this should work out well, and give me the time to get some Templar and St. John's Guilds up and producing crack troops before I am under attack from all sides.

Back onto topic LOL.

I think the Fatmids are one of the most difficult factions to fight in the Campaign due to their stack spam ability. Other factions like the Mongols are tough, but they come later on, and you can prepare to weather their assaults. The Fatmids are just nasty to fight against in the desert as well, and it is very tough to keep your line troops from tiring while chasing thier mobile light armies across the battlefield.

The Roman Empire is also a tough foe to face in the Early period, but less so in the Late Campaign. Their spearmen and swordsmen are almost as tough as dismounted knights, and they make up the majority of the Roman armies I have faced in the field in most campaigns. Plus those javalin troops are a nightmare to attack in seiges.

Fance and it crazy Knights can give headaches once they have Gendarmes and Lancers running over everything in sight.

I suppose my short answer on the most difficult faction to face depends on the Era, and campaign setting.

The Danes are pure evil in the late period with decent mounted/dispounted knights, and Obudshear (I can never spell those guys). They lack ranged troops, but their heavy infantry cut through any armies.

But I guess the Fatmids are the toughest to actually kill and completely eliminate from the campaign.....even if their armies are not the best the pure number of them gives me headaches. When you fight 10+ battles a turn it is easy to burn out after a short time!

[Ferdiad]

Yeah the Fatmid stack spam is very hard to combat in the Holy Lands. The Sacracen militia are brutal off the bat to face with the Crusader States in the Early Campaign. Even in the Late period those units are tough (and the Fatmids create at least an extra stack each turn). I recently gave up on a campaign in Late Period as the CS, because no matter how many armies I killed......2 more sprang up in their place.

I am giving it a shot in Early right now with 6.4, Medium, Medium, Savage AI. I allied the Fatmids turn 1 with the hopes of snagging enough rebel settlements to be able to hold them off when they stab me in the back once the 1st Jihad is called. I wonder if causing the Fatmids, and Turks to go to war with the Roman EMpire will help send a Jihad that way before it goes to Jerusalem? I will give it a shot and take some Roman islands for the extra income and relative safety.

I think this should work out well, and give me the time to get some Templar and St. John's Guilds up and producing crack troops before I am under attack from all sides.

Back onto topic LOL.

I think the Fatmids are one of the most difficult factions to fight in the Campaign due to their stack spam ability. Other factions like the Mongols are tough, but they come later on, and you can prepare to weather their assaults. The Fatmids are just nasty to fight against in the desert as well, and it is very tough to keep your line troops from tiring while chasing thier mobile light armies across the battlefield.

The Roman Empire is also a tough foe to face in the Early period, but less so in the Late Campaign. Their spearmen and swordsmen are almost as tough as dismounted knights, and they make up the majority of the Roman armies I have faced in the field in most campaigns. Plus those javalin troops are a nightmare to attack in seiges.

Fance and it crazy Knights can give headaches once they have Gendarmes and Lancers running over everything in sight.

I suppose my short answer on the most difficult faction to face depends on the Era, and campaign setting.

The Danes are pure evil in the late period with decent mounted/dispounted knights, and Obudshear (I can never spell those guys). They lack ranged troops, but their heavy infantry cut through any armies.

But I guess the Fatmids are the toughest to actually kill and completely eliminate from the campaign.....even if their armies are not the best the pure number of them gives me headaches. When you fight 10+ battles a turn it is easy to burn out after a short time!

Dude, just raid their heartlands and they're done for.

[vtec.dominion]

Yeah the Fatmid stack spam is very hard to combat in the Holy Lands. The Sacracen militia are brutal off the bat to face with the Crusader States in the Early Campaign. Even in the Late period those units are tough (and the Fatmids create at least an extra stack each turn). I recently gave up on a campaign in Late Period as the CS, because no matter how many armies I killed......2 more sprang up in their place.

I am giving it a shot in Early right now with 6.4, Medium, Medium, Savage AI. I allied the Fatmids turn 1 with the hopes of snagging enough rebel settlements to be able to hold them off when they stab me in the back once the 1st Jihad is called. I wonder if causing the Fatmids, and Turks to go to war with the Roman EMpire will help send a Jihad that way before it goes to Jerusalem? I will give it a shot and take some Roman islands for the extra income and relative safety.

I think this should work out well, and give me the time to get some Templar and St. John's Guilds up and producing crack troops before I am under attack from all sides.

Back onto topic LOL.

I think the Fatmids are one of the most difficult factions to fight in the Campaign due to their stack spam ability. Other factions like the Mongols are tough, but they come later on, and you can prepare to weather their assaults. The Fatmids are just nasty to fight against in the desert as well, and it is very tough to keep your line troops from tiring while chasing thier mobile light armies across the battlefield.

The Roman Empire is also a tough foe to face in the Early period, but less so in the Late Campaign. Their spearmen and swordsmen are almost as tough as dismounted knights, and they make up the majority of the Roman armies I have faced in the field in most campaigns. Plus those javalin troops are a nightmare to attack in seiges.

Fance and it crazy Knights can give headaches once they have Gendarmes and Lancers running over everything in sight.

I suppose my short answer on the most difficult faction to face depends on the Era, and campaign setting.

The Danes are pure evil in the late period with decent mounted/dispounted knights, and Obudshear (I can never spell those guys). They lack ranged troops, but their heavy infantry cut through any armies.

But I guess the Fatmids are the toughest to actually kill and completely eliminate from the campaign.....even if their armies are not the best the pure number of them gives me headaches. When you fight 10+ battles a turn it is easy to burn out after a short time!

Their full stacks of saracen/spear militia are ideal to train up your cavalry and get gold chevrons quick + heroic victories.
Playing with Turks they are my first target along with CS and usually are dead before turn #50. Use your navy and raid their coastial settlements, then look at the map ... bridges are everywhere in Levant