STW How do you use battlefield ninjas?

[Triggaaar]

I've googled and read that they should be devastating, but mine have been rubbish. They're concealed, which sounds great, but they're not much good to you sitting where they're deployed and they're no longer hidden when you move them. So getting them close to the enemy generals doesn't seem too easy, which means letting them engage whoever is nearby, and they're don't seem to do as much damage as one of my heavy cavalry units. Are you supposed to get them into melee mode, or just let them throw darts about?

I'm not sure I'd bother with them at all next campaign.

[Triggaaar]

Ok, so I've loaded an old save game, and used nothing but ninjas to attack an enemy. Whilst keep the lead unit out of range of the enemy archers, they just ran away (without losing a man). Pathetic (seems a fault with STW IMO that marching units away from the enemy can cause them to rout). Fortunately the other to units were great once they'd run out of things to throw. They're so good in close combat it's annoying you can't ask them to charge the enemy.

[Axalon]

Ok Triggaaar, using the battle-ninjas....

In order for them to attack the desired target in close combat press and hold the “Alt”-button and then (with mouse) click on preferred target and they attack that target. Same goes for all ranged troops in STW and MTW....

Apart from that, this is clearly a pure STW-matter and as such this thread happens to
be placed in the wrong section since it obviously belong in the STW-section - thus...

Moved...

[Triggaaar]

In order for them to attack the desired target in close combat press and hold the “Alt”-button and then (with mouse) click on preferred target and they attack that target. Same goes for all ranged troops in STW and MTW....

Perfect, thanks

[caravel]

Units such as the Battlefield Ninja and Kensai that were introduced in the MI expansion are actually very imbalanced units and don't really add to the game in a positive way. The same goes for the Najinta Cavalry and the other stat/cost changes that were made both in MI and in previous patches to STW v1.x

If you want more info on STW I'd advise that you head over to the .org and have a read through the "Sword Dojo" forum. That place has been running since STW was first released (it's actually been running for 10 years now) and has all the info you will ever need about the game.

[_Belisarius_]

there cool but worthless

[Eesolk]

Hmm.... Your using them wrong.

1. Position them on the FLANKS of your army, while your main force is butchering the enemy.

2. Order the Ninjas to attack from the sides or from behind the enemy. You will either scare them to routing or butcher them.

As i always say: Even the smallest of things can be deadly if drawn on tactically.

[maxlurifax]

or, you just buy something more useful to flank your enemy.