Best ways to kill Trolls (Instructions)

[Lagbug]

Looking at Trolls individually vs units then they aren't as great as one would think. The AI doesn't use Trolls correctly. They are usually the first into battle plain and simple. This way amassing the required six hitpoints to bring trolls down is no great feat. However, I agree that siege weapons are the best antidote for Trolls. ONE DIRECT HIT and they are gone. This is different than with any melee or arrow unit. Not a single one of the latter can bring down a troll with one hit because of their 6 HP advantage. That is why I think siege engines are the best and fastest thing to bring down trolls, albeit that your engines can fire depending on the terrain, etc.

[Kong_babylon]

What I hate about those trolls is that you can't kill any by placing pikes. At least that's what I concluded after testing it in campaing mode. They ran right through and didn't die.

The best way is to soften them up by Archer cavalry and charging them in the back. Repeat this a couple times and they will drop like flies. I did this by using one depleted Silven Archer Cavalry (23 men with 3 silver shevrons) during a siege.

[Serrow]

Any tips for catapult trolls?

I know it sounds silly, but one time I fought an army with three units of catapults as the high elves, one lucky shot decimated a group of my best swordsmen, (which really impeded my progress, since they weren't close to any locations that could retrain them.) Becoming frustrated, I sent two lancer units after the damn catapults without looking at their crews, I hadn't been aware trolls man Orcish siege equipment.

So they go in for the charge, I figure I'll check on them in a second and manage my archers real quick -I go back and one unit is routed, the other only has twelve soldiers left. The trolls hadn't taken any losses, and destroyed both units, THEN they -abandoned- their siege equipment and charged into my lines, decimating the spearmen there and letting the rest of their army smash against my understrength forces.

I ended up winning, but the army was useless at that point. Was extremely frustrating because catapults being manned by trolls means that your usual counters (archers and cavalry) are pretty much ineffective unless you sit there and baby your cavalry men for several minutes. Even then, there's a good chance they'll lose. Infantry can't get through in time to prevent the worst of the damage, because they have to fight through huge amounts of orcs to get there. Archers do very little in my experience, unless I focus the entirety of my missile force.

[BeachedWhale09]

I would like to know why in the hell trolls can climb ladders and siege towers. I just started playing this mod as Gondor and nearly lost E Osgiliath because of this ridiculous notion. I see that people are saying its because they are considered infantry. Well i would think they should be listed as cavalry if its between the two. That should fix this ability. I guess that would also make them more vulnerable to spearmen but that is probably accurate do to the range of the weapon. It would be a lot easier to stick a troll with a spear than get in close with a sword or axe.

[Lagbug]

I agree about trolls climbing ladders as a bit unrealistic, but I can see them climbing siege towers which are sturdier. I also agree that Trolls should be more vulnerable to spear due to their size. It would be great if you could create an entirely seperate unit type for monsters. I guess this cannot be done when modding or else Kong would of already done something like that.

About catapult Trolls, I dont suggest a direct cavalry charge or a heavy infantry charge by itself. I played as High Elves a long time ago (about a year ago) and when dealing with trolls I would pin them down with infantry men and basically surround them with other infantry. If you want to avoid loosing important units, then dont have these engage the trolls. Rather use infantrymen or light archers. Have your general closeby to counter the morale drop due to fear from the trolls. Of course every battle is different and when engaging a full stack army with infantry and catapult trolls you should try your best to route the main army and then its easier to handle trolls on their own. This is of course easier said than done. Have you tried ballista units, I used ballistas successfully to kill trolls with one shot, and have a faster fire rate than catapults. Remember that trolls have 5HP, but are killed with one direct ballista shot.

[Serrow]

Yeah. I seem to be unlucky with artillery versus trolls. It seems like most of their shots are right on, and yet mine just soar miles away overhead, xD.

[Chad360]

Well I play as Rohan and my armies are cavalry heavy so I get them to chase me away from main battle and I surround them and charge repeatedly while taking time to catch their main forces in the backs occasionally. But Cavalry is supreme in my OP. Plus Rohan body guards are the shiznit

Edit: Oh and I pause the battle frequently to manage decisions during this process. Dont let you cavalry just duke it out with Trolls (Not good)

[sami]

my silvian elf archers sort trolls out pretty well. however, you need quite a few and need to manage them- make sure they're shooting at the trolls and not wasting arrows, and get them out the way if need be... my horse archers do well too, shoot them from behind.

[P|A|ntZ]

I agree that Silvan archers do a very good job of taking care of trolls before they reach your lines, in most cases. The AI sends their trolls charging ahead of the main force every time, so focus fire on them as they charge. If the AI army has multiple troll units, you may be in for a tougher fight with an early Silvan army. I'd suggest focus fire on the lead group of trolls to register a few hits, then switch to the 2nd unit of trolls. The first unit may still have a full 12 trolls in it, but they'll be bloodied and have fewer hitpoints. Then send a cheap unit of spearmen to pin them.

Also, go with loose formation for your archers in case the trolls get to your lines and turn skirmish off - they aren't fast enough to outrun trolls anyhow.

Many people undervalue archer units against trolls, but personally I think they are effective en masse. Those arrows disregard defense ability, which is a big factor with trolls. The higher quality the archers, the better (naturally).

Now, if you wake up the Balrogs... God help you.

[Erunion Telcontar]

Massed arrows are the way to go against trolls. Just target them with 4-5 high-quality archers. By the time they hit your lines, they'll be damaged enough for you to take out with any high-attack melee unit. As Eriador, I tend to use Dunedain Rangers backed up by Dismounted Battle-Ready Dunedain. Together they make short work of even those scary cave trolls.
However, I warn you - do not rouse the Balrog!
I once played a campaign as a "good" Isengard (Ally with all the Good factions, fight the Evil factions. Difficult to do because of those darn anti-orc prejudices that the "good" guys have, but fun) and, with a full-stack of Elite troops, invaded Moria. I let the garrison script trigger, with the Balrog. Fighting the orcs wasn't too hard, I just captured the walls with my archers and had my eight units of Pikemen march towards the town square. It would have been an easy victory. It should have been an easy victory.
It was a nightmare. Of my four thousand Uruks, only two thousand survived the assault. Fifteen hundred had fallen to the Balrog. I didn't even kill the blasted thing (well, I killed two or three of him, but on Ultra unit sizes...)! I eventually won the battle by clearing out the town-square, filling it with my troops and then having every single Pikeman unit fight the Balrog. The Balrog was too busy massacring the ants-with-long-sticks to notice that I had captured the town square. I eventually won the battle with every single Goblin dead, 2-3 of the Balrogs destroyed, and the rest of those monstrosities playing soccer with my Pikemen.

[GondorCaptain]

How do you use balistas to kill trolls in siege defense? I'd assume you wouldn't be able to shoot across your walls. Unless you move them out of the city but that just leaves them vulnerable plus they are really slow...

[sami]

im not sure about balistas. fair enough they will kill a troll with one hit, but they have to hit them first... their fire rate is too slow, not accurate enough, and not enough missles get shot. they will shoot and reload maybe 4 or 5 times before the trolls are on them, and what if they miss? in my experience, even veteran balista units are not effective enough.

[JoesGeo]

I'm playing the one ring campaign. During the Pelennor Fields, I mobbed the troll catapult with three units of vault wardens. They didn't have any problems defeating the trolls.

[GodWarner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ujw8Jv7PA

Just did abit of a test to see which units are most effective. I used a unit of Silvan spearmen and archers which proved quite effective. Shield wall was on.

If anyone wants me to upload any other troll "duels" gimmie the heads up

[Vifarc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ujw8Jv7PA
used a unit of Silvan spearmen and archers which proved quite effective. Shield wall was on.
If anyone wants me to upload any other troll "duels" gimmie the heads up

Yeay, good video. You should put the same, but Olog-Haï vs old/light Elf silvan units, as we often can meet them and we have not yet our heavy units. Rep.
Note: In your video, you could have turn the infantry with shield face to archers, but in true battle it is not always good as they could show their back to orcs following trolls.

[GodWarner]

Cheers Vifarc! A video of light Silvan units vs Olog Hai is uploading as we speak.

Or even easier just swing the archers round the back of the trolls because units in shield wall aren't very maneuverable!

[Meraun]

Now, if you wake up the Balrogs... God help you.

I did taht.. I manged to route the enemy army. Only the Balrogs where left... They slaugterd my army
and killed Gandalf... i had no change. And nod a single one of them died.. (i had no art at all)
every archer was fiering at them...


How can you kill those things?? ( i love them)

[Great_Emperor777]

Well i would suggest light archers !!!!!!!!! (i tried it and it worked)The reason that it works it is because they have light armour so they can avoid the troll hits !!!!!!!!!

[HighElves]

At turn 40-45 of my HE campaign,trolls were nearby,so,I just made a test at the Custom Battle option,only 2 Sword Quendi units(The High Elven light infantry) of attack 10 and Defence 14,smashed 1 unit of cave Trolls,and for my own surprise they were with 80-100 men...

[HighElves]

"I did taht.. I manged to route the enemy army. Only the Balrogs where left... They slaugterd my army
and killed Gandalf... i had no change. And nod a single one of them died.. (i had no art at all)
every archer was fiering at them...


I did like this in my campaign:

First I got an useless general and sieged Moria,in order to wake up the Balrog,then in battle the Eldarinwë Nobles were slaughtered,and under 5 turns later I saw the Balrog near Imladris,after that....Disappeared....

Now,only 3 Settlements is left for OotMM,Moria,Howarwell and Mountain fort...Right now I head with a 13 Elite Units army to attack Moria...

I hope there's no way of waking up Balrogs 2 times.