Playing Guidelines – Battle mechanism
Some facts first, which describe how the BC2 is constructed. If you have questions on how some other aspects work, let me know, and I'll do my best to explain it.
- Levy units have no particular value other then reserve, or dead meat to tire the opponent’s forces.
- Cav requires micro management. Typical role of cav is to charge and use mobility to its advantage.
- Missile units are divide in classes. The higher classes will be more experienced, and so more accurate and deadly.
- All units require micro management, so may need to get accustomed to using “pause” during the battle to assess status of your units and plan new moves.
Defense value:
In the first role, "large" defense values allow for longer battles, where typically rallying only on the attack points of the units is not sufficient. You will notice that because of extended battles, most of your units will become tired, and as such their battle capability will lessen. To avoid this issue, a logistical planning is required before each battle. Always, keep reserves ready for the battle. Yu will need to exchange some of the troops during the battle with reserves on the field, and do even more so during the siege. This effect is direct representation of the real time battle scenarios.
In the second role, when combined with shield and armor values, we get what game refers to as Total Defense. This value is directly related with unit’s ability to withstand formed charge of the heavy cav. The BC2 is set so that if total defense value is less then 23, the unit's ability to absorb the charge will diminish with every dropping point after that (22, 21, ….)
Cavalry:
- Heavy Cav
Even though, still the most powerful item in the game, some precautions need to be taken to utilize the cav as best as possible.
DO always use heavy cav to eliminate opponents heavy cav unless opponent is not fielding many, in which case you should attack front line and brake unit formations.
DO make repeated charges if your cav unit is charger, avoid melee with infantry.
DO use harassment if you cav is heavy HA. Separate a particular unit you wish to target, attack them with missiles and let it separate form main body of army. Then use the heavy HA ability to withstand close melee engagements to attack them.
DO Make plans how you will utilize heavy cav right from the beginning of the battle. Your target should be either to destroy opponent’s heavy cav, or destroy front line of inf, if opponent lacks heavy cav.
DO use to your advantage if you have heavy cav with armored horse (cat types). They have extra stats against other cav.
DON’T bury your cavalry into the mass of infantry unless your cav is armored horse. Use common sense for this.
DON’T bury your cavalry into spearmen formations and expect them to win easily even with armored horse.
DON’T DON’T DON’T just drive your cav around like 69 Chevy, because they’ll become tired, depending on the ground terrain, and become less useful in the battle.
- Light Cav
For attack on light inf, other light cav (if playing as muslim factions), harassing heavy cav.
Chasing broken and fleeing units.
- Missile Cav
Use a lot more arrows, but accuracy is dependent on faction ownership and unit class. Light HA should attack form close distances, and dont use to try to score kills but to harass opponents.
Example: Use your light HA to get attention of opponent’s heavy cav. In the mean time, move your heavy cav to be ready to attack the opponent by charging them from flank or rear.
Missile Inf units
Again dependent on the factional ownership, some missile units can be weaker then other. For example, Turkish archer is better then ERE archer of the same class.
Always build your archer skills, and try not to waste them in melee fights, unless the unit is hybrid.
Here are some guidelines for using missile units
- Leavy Archer – attack light inf troops or light cav. Wait until opponent is in closer proximity, then positioned them on flank and fire. They can also use fire arrow to reduce moral of opponent’s army.
DON’T waste arrows on heavy inf with large shields.
DON’T waste arrows on fast moving cavalry
DO wait for unit to get closer before commencing firing.
- Professional Archer – allows for targeted medium level troops. Some are quipped with fire arrow.
- Elite archer – can target any types of troops.
- Javelins – effective against slow moving cav and all types of inf.
Foot Knights
Represent dismounted version of the regular knight unit, hence the number of solider and the cost of the unit is the same as the mounted version.
DO keep them close to the infantry center where they can support the regular infantry. They have command value which gives a moral to nearby troops, and it will protect your center form collapsing if you infantry starts to lose moral.
DO use them for siege defenses or siege attacks
DO keep them guarded from cav charge attacks
DO use them to flank infantry
DON'T attack heavy inf with heavy weapons with AP properties, unless you have 2H Axe knight