[Guides] Chivalry I : Factions - Units

[Alavaria]

Links to guides will be posted here, and some of mine will go right in this thread!

Obviously any guide writer has their own preferences as to how units might be used or selected for use. Keep an open mind!

• England (Unit) ~by Ala
• Leon ~ by DAVIDIRRACIONAL

Discussion and so on can go here, even if guides are being posted, as links (to all guide I am aware of) will go in this first post. I will be reading through the thread to "catch" new guides, so don't worry!

[DAVIDIRRACIONAL]

really interesting and very good explain. itīs a good help.
my next game will be with theem (i love scottland)

i can speak a little about spanish (leon), but i am a new chivarly-adict, and i dont know a lot
when i have time i write something about the units that i check (in easy mode)

[DaVinci]

Stickied.

[Alavaria]

We're looking at England's units today. Not gonna cover all, so ask if you want to see some others.
I quote "men @ attack+charge/total defense" eg: 40 @ 1+2/13 - for non-horsemen, I tend to ignore the charge value.

Spoiler for From the Tower: 

These are heavy foot infantry. I would not suggest worrying about these. For one, they need a Tower, which is for a Huge City - this is harder to obtain than you imagine. Also, they're not recruitable many places anyway.

And then the unit itself is rather expensive. Probably a pass.

Spoiler for From Feudalisation Line: 

In London, the capital, you can get quite a lot of of your first 2 or 3 tiers of feudalisation.



The sergeant infantrymen are a pretty good buy. For their price you get 62 @ 1/13. This is pretty good for a very low tier unit (in London, they're available in the Tier 1 feudalisation, in most others Tier 2).
The AI spams these with good reason. However, they are brittle, and only have +1 against cavalry, so they're not particularly good against any heavy units.

I tend to not like Sergeants. 62 @ 2/16 might not seem bad, but if you are going for armored speamen, there are better options available early on for comparable cost. They still only have +1 against horsemen.




Mounted sergeants, I don't know if I like, I tend not to use them because they can be fragile. 37 @ 2+25/17 is alright, but you tend to have to replace them a lot.

Norman knights, on the other hand, are 21 @ 6+32/31. However, their upkeep is 500 (mounted sergeants is 450). This suggests using the knights, however their recruitment cost is 2700. Seriously, you could get 3 units of heavy spearmen for that recruitment! (but the upkeep for 2 units of those is greater than the knights')



Vassal knights are not bad. Recruitable at a decent tier, and a very reasonable recruitment cost. For 23 @ 5+30/25 suggests they are a little worse in a charge, and definitely in a melee, however if you just charge them over and over, you'll be glad to see that losing men isn't too painful (and you tend to bleed losses in frequent charges).

Feudal Knights are like the Norman knights, except with higher upkeep. You'd prefer Normans over Feudals, and possible Vassals over Normans.




Similar with the black knights, these guys are not too good. Consider that they have 6/31, and mounted knights have 6/31. Mounted knights are vulnerable to spearmen and cost more (well the Vassals are a good buy) however for the cost, you could get a lot more heavy spearmen (more in a unit).

Even if the men-at-arms have less attack and defense, they can hold out long enough for a hammer to come down.

Spoiler for Tavern Has a Variety of Stuff: 

The archers aren't good from the start. 2 attack isn't going to kill many enemies, even if they have 0 armor. Then you have the armored troops (8 armor+shield) and then knights etc can have 12+shield or more. Definite pass.

The cavalry, similarly. That javelin isn't bad, but for the number of men, and that cost (more than even mounted vassal knights!), I'd say no, as their melee+charge isn't going to keep them going much after they are out of stuff to throw.



Fyrdmen aren't good compared to the sergeant infantrymen. No bonus against cavalry, either.

Similarly, for the little over the price of Norman axemen, you can get better troops with large shields and some armor.




These guys you get in Scotland. Take some settlements there and check the tavern line. They have decent defense, but very good attack (4+AP) which is like a foot knight's. And 41 men as well.

Spoiler for Control Post: 

Pass on these. They take 2 turns to train, compared to 1 for the sergeant infantrymen, why bother, lol.

Spoiler for Armory Line: 

First off, the levy peasants are your garrison troop of choice, until you can get settlers. This building gets you the good armored spearmen that will form the base of a sturdy army.




Vassals are generally easy to train, however Feudals are better in every way. Vassals have +3 against horsemen, Feudals get +4, and also have a banner.



These are even better than the Feudals, and that excellent morale means they'll HOLD that line.

Unfortunately, you can only train them in London and Rouen, so spam them out and use them for the edges, while Vassals or Feudals hold the middle. Quite a lot of troops have command banners, so don't worry about spreading out your infantry.

Spoiler for Siege Buildings: 

For the siege engines, I prefer the Catapault. Mangonels have less range, ballistas don't have the area-of-effect firepot option. Trebuchets are really expensive, and have less ammunition!



These guys are good. Very good. 6 attack + ap. If you can shoot a unit of armored spearmen in the right side or the back to bypass their shield, that's 6 attack vs 4 armor. Killer! Against knights it would be 6 attack vs 7 armor. Pretty good for killing knights (especially mounted ones).

However, it is probably better to ignore the siege building and instead rely upon mercenary italian crossbowmen, who have even more attack (yes). Still, for the low cost of crossbowmen, if you happen to want to grab some siege stuff as well, it might be a good investment.

BTW, I have a whole set of tactics revolving around the use of ranged units on the left flank, who move forward (with escort) in order to attack enemies pinned to the front line on the (enemy's) right side, bypassing the shield. Pin the enemy, on something then shoot them off. Very deadly.

Spoiler for Royal Stables: 

Not good. 17 men only, stats aren't better than your normal knights. A pass, probably.

Spoiler for Toll Road & Tax Office: 

Another pass. The unit is expensive and lightly armored. AP, but that doesn't help them as they tend to take large losses, and have a small soldier count.

On a side note, the building is good as well. Nice tax bonus, mmm good

[DAVIDIRRACIONAL]

THE KINGDOM OF LEON

I have wrotten a little guide about spanish Leon. i have started to chivalry not a long time ago, so perhaps it isnt a really good guide, but i will explain my tactics and experiences. I play in easy mode, but in normal mode i thinks it is a good too.

THE MAP TACTICS, the objetives are conquest all Iberian peninsula, some Mediterraean islands and a part o the north of Africa. Leon starts with 2 cities (Burgos and Leon), so the first is conquest another regions. i think the best is going to the west (Portugal) and take Guimaraes and Lisbon to the rebels. it will be easyer than other cities and like they are in the corner, it will be more difficult that your enemies attack them. Moreover you can recruit some interesting units in Portugal, that you can use at the beginning (ej portuguese raiders). in few turns you will have 4 cities, you will earn more money with the taxs and you will make a good army for the begining.
Later is time to take the rest of the peninsula. you should know that in the south cities of spain you will have the religion problem. you are Cristian and these cities are musulmans. so you try to conquest before the Spanish east and center (Pamplona, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Toledo), and finally try to conquest the musulman cities (Sevilla, Granada, Murcia etc etc) and the north of Africa.
you mustnīt have a city isolated (you must have connect all your cities)
For take the mediterranean island you can preparate a good boats in barcelona and valencia. attention of the sea battles (you can lost a big army in a ship battle without you can do anything).
other important thing is that you must avoid to be in war with several kingdom.

DIPLOMACY your enemies are the musulman, France and some Italian kingdom for the control of the mediterranean islands, so you should try to sing aliances with other kingdoms that can attack your enemies, for example england has interests in the north of france, some central european kingdom too, so you will get your enemies must send part of his army to fight in the other fronteir of his kingdom, but i think you dont spend too gold in this, if you are strong is easy convince other diplomatics offer your maps, some money, trade rights etc. if you would get that other faction attack the musulmans it will be very good. the diplomacy isnt easy, one is the teoric and other the practice.

COMBAT TACTIC depend of the units that you have in the moment. but in easy mode isnt dificult, and with some battles you will know enough to enjoy.
you must try to kill the enemy general, when you get it, the moral of the rest of the enemy army down and you can kill them easyly.
usually i use the archers for start the battle and down the moral of the enemies. i put in the center and behind i put infantery for charge when the enemies are nearly. in last behind center my general are waiting for the last charge (when all units are "in mele").
in the laterals (right and left) i put cavalry and if i have enough infantery one of them (hueste axe for axample) with the cavalry. they surround the enemies and first attack the infantery and last the charge cavalry
some notice:
- be careful with the spear (use against enemy cavalry, and avoid that spear enemies attack you cavalry)
- archers isnt good in forest, trees etc. and you must avoid mele battle with archers
- you can hide your trops in the forest and surprise your enemy
- for a siege you need siege arms. but doing a siege during some turns your enemy down moral
- attention of the sea battle (you can lost a big army in a ship battle without you can do anything)
- the better of the cavalry are charge. stop and charge all the times you can
- protect your general is the first. he give moral for the rest and is a very good heavy cavalry
- attention to the bridges, is the only pass for rivers
- attention to the revolts in your new cities, for too much taxes, religion etc etc (you can demolish builts of the other culture in a new city that you conquest for help against revolts)

UNITS i try to explain the best important of the spanish units

INFANTERY
levy peasant, levy watchman, levy infantery man, spear militia, apellidos are units that you recruit at the beginning if you canīt recruit others. they arent good but like we say in spain "es lo que hay" (it is that there is).
hueste axe are little better than the rest of the first infantery.
sargent infatery is the first spear man that you can buy. use against cavalry
axe bearer expensive but speeder than others
frankish provenzal heavy infantery. really good. strong and good attack, for me, the basis of mele fight
feudal man in arms and frankish man arms they are the heavy spear man. good against heavy cavarly and heavy infatery (you use for these). take the cheaper of them
dismount feudal knights heavy infantery, strongh and help another troops with moral. if you can buy early, with a few on them you will win a numerous army
reconquista foot knights heavy infantery, you can recruit them when you build reconquista, special religion units, help another troops with moral. perhaps they arent so strong than feudal knights, but if you can recruit, donīt think it!
reconquista men in arms heavy spear man, for recruit them you must built reconquista too. good against cavarly, and give your army moral, they are a numerous group (72). strong and the enemy will have difficult for break their line

DISTANCE ATACK
archer is the first archer. you must buy some of them, its the only
crossbown better than archers, you need for it the built for siege machine. when i could buy them, i didnt already need them.
archer mercenary more strong, more attack, they shoot the arrows more distance. very good but very expensive. a good army with 1 o 2 it is enough

CAVARLY
jinetes light cavarly, they shoot some spear at the begin, but they have the same attack than the portuguese raiders and are more expensive. i dont like.
portuguese raiders light cavarly, you can buy in guimaraes and lisbon. ideal for the begin. cheaper than jinetes. they will be the fear of the infatery. when the game advanced you will not need them
algarave light cavarly, i dont use a lot, when i could buy i already have other heavy cavarly, better than portuguese raiders. they are in the middle of the spanish cavarly
reconquista knights, heavy cavarly, you need the reconquista for buy them, good atack and not expensive than feudal knights, they give moral for the rest of the army
early mercenary knights heavy cavarly, very expensive, but very good attack, charge and strong, if you are money buy them, they help a lot to win the battles.
feudal knights, heavy cavarly, is the most similar than a household knights (generals), if you have enough money, dont think and buy them. strong, fast and give moral for the rest of the army. ideal! (but expensive)
household knights heavy cavarly, this the units of the king and nobility, give moral to the others units, very good attack, strong. if your general died or kill they go out (protect your generals always)

siege machine they help you against wall and doors, but are expensive and slow, and can kill your soldiers. for brake a door use 1 or 2 battering ram (you need 1 turn in siege)

[DaVinci]

Re-sticked.

Hope some ChivTW faction-units experts come by, and take time to make some more guides

Note: This is about version 1.051, as of yet.
Quite probable, the combat model undergoes some changes in future.