What units do you most often use?

[Yeepeep]

I don't know how to create a poll but what do most of you rely on? How would you list the units you use most often?

It occurred to me that I never ever use the infantry for anything except to absorb the cavalry charge. I also never use any artillery, except mangonels and only if they are initially given to me. My battles always revolve around the horses, be they archers or shock troops. To be honest I don't even know how to attack with infantry Teach me, oh mighty infantry commanders!

Here's my list, in order of decreasing frequency of use:

1. Horse archers/javelins
2. Missile troops -- archers/javelins/crossbows -- in this order
3. Light cavalry, if not available --> 4.
4. Heavy cavalry/General
5. Spearmen
6. Other infantry -- almost never recruit them anyway
7. Mangonels -- very rarely

I never use the "armor-piercing" shock infantry, like the Varangian Guard. Again, because I don't know how to

[Ichon]

Hmm- interesting question. I haven't seen it asked in a long time since rosters changed at least so seems worthwhile.

Most to least-

1. General
2. Light cavalry
3. Javelin cavalry
4. Light infantry(locals, militias, anything can get)
5. Horse Archers
6. Armor piercing heavy infantry
7. Regular infantry(professionals on roster)
8. Crossbow
9. Heavy cavalry
10. Mercenaries
11. Ships
12. Foot Archers
13. Gunpowder
14. Pike
15. Siege artillery

[The Source]

most to least-
generak/heavy calv
heavy infrantry
light infrantry
religous orders
crossbows
light infrantry
archers
gunpowder(rareley get to the gunpowder stage,usually get bored with the faction)
artilery
light calvary
horse archers

[SirRobin]

Spears/militia
Light swordsmen - probably my favorite unit
Crossbowmen
General



(I rarely play to maximise impact)


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[SirRobin]

To be honest I don't even know how to attack with infantry Teach me, oh mighty infantry commanders!

There's not much to it. Walk your line to the enemy, then select each unit and click on the target in front of it.

Anyone here (and their grandmothers) will tell you to use the tired old "hammer and anvil" tactic, but apart from that, there's little room for finesse. Once the infantry is locked into combat, you just have to hope they do their job.

Apparently, the game was supposed to feature much more elaborate possibilities for ambushes etc, but I have never seen an ambush really work. The units you ambush will just turn and reshuffle to face you, and unless you outnumber the enemy, you won't be able to hit them from behind.

I reckon a real ambush would enable a small group to take out a bigger force?


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[TheBard]

Apparently, the game was supposed to feature much more elaborate possibilities for ambushes etc, but I have never seen an ambush really work. The units you ambush will just turn and reshuffle to face you, and unless you outnumber the enemy, you won't be able to hit them from behind.

I reckon a real ambush would enable a small group to take out a bigger force?

I was ambushed in my Portugal AAR and lost a general against a force half my size: pic

It sucked, a lot. I play with some house rules that make things harder, but I was still taken completely by surprise and unable to properly set up. I did end up winning the battle (barely), but both armies were essentially destroyed, and Alexandre was killed.

It was in Chapter 40 of the AAR: Chapter 40

Damn Norwegians!

Edit: I forgot to list my unit preferences. I have been playing early era and am just beginning to move into the late middle ages (1330s in my AAR), so my use is beginning to change a little.

1. light infantry (light men-at-arms)
2. skirmishers (javelinmen)
3. archers/crossbowmen
4. heavy cavalry (feudal knights, Knights of Santiago, etc.)
5. heavy/professional infantry (dismounted feudal knights, Portuguese foot knights, men-at-arms)
6. mounted skirmishers (jinettes, mounted xbow, etc.)
7. general cavalry
8. handgunners
9. siege weapons

For more than a hundred years, Lusitanian Javelinmen were my core units, but they became much less effective once I began facing armies comprised mostly of professional troops.

[Gogolometro]

Best combo for more than 150 turns with byzantines are scoutatoi spearmans, some acritae, and some mourtadoi. The spear/archer militia are just garison or some close recruit to fit the ranks.
I love to have at least 1-2 units of stradiotae or HA, Mounted Acritae, generals for me are guvernators often, but when they are on battlefield always make 1/3 of kills.
Ideea is very simple, choose the the terrain, use the scoutatoi like a mobile shield for anything. Acritae are just heavy units killers, when javelins are off, the go like light infantry sword unit. Cavalry is for brake the enemy line, kill their archers and artilery, kill their cavalry. I use them extensive when the enemy infantry engage my scoutatoi to atack from behind. It works excelent.
About varagians, they make wonders if you use them like this, first line of infantry scoutatoi. Second are acritae, scoutatoi swordmans, castaphilokai. Behind them varagians. Behind varagians are the the mourtadoi. Flanks are for cavalry.
Ussual enemy press centre, sometime flanks, after first charge they send cavalry. Islamic factions always outnumber me in cavalry. When charge time is over and they try to retreat still engaged in melee, I send the varagians alias hit cavalry and die. If I use scoutatoi to close gaps, varagians can kill a heavy cavalry unit like ghoulams or general in 10-15 seconds. Better than any cavalry charge. If I was smart enough to same some javelins ammo, things became easier.

[Polycarpe]

Most of my armies are composed of militia units. They are cheap, numerous and high recruitment capacity and when commanded by a good general, they are as strong as professional troops. And I use mounted sergeants, they are cheaper than knights but almost as devastating as them.

[Andytheplatypus]

when commanded by a good general, they are as strong as professional troops

*cough* bull ...

Maybe if you change their stats.

[The Source]

to ambush,just have 1 army fighting with the enemy, then have your calvary charge from behind,its pretty much a hammer and anvil but with multiple units and there from a different army

[BarSteward]

thats not an ambush if its on the field of battle, just a flank.

[Andytheplatypus]

Yea but you can only controll 20 units at a time, so it doesnt really matter if a unit is cheaper or not or if you can recruit more.

Late period are effective though, ill give you that. But dont try and sell any spear militia effectiveness on me.

[Polycarpe]

Yea but you can only controll 20 units at a time, so it doesnt really matter if a unit is cheaper or not or if you can recruit more.

Late period are effective though, ill give you that. But dont try and sell any spear militia effectiveness on me.

20 units per army . Still, spear militia can be potent in number.

[kevindrosario]

Whaaaaat??!?!?! How have I never noticed this before?! Does the attack bonus apply to missile units too? Or only melee like experience does?

[Serbian Hussar]

Heavy cavalry! Don't need nothing else.. maybe some light

[Jiub]

1. General's Bodyguard/Heavy Cav
2. HA
3. Light cav
4. Long range foot archers if available if not i skip them
5. Best spears available
6. Best swordsmen
7. Artillery

Note* Just because I prefer to fight with cavalry and from a distance doesn't mean that I spam them. I just tend to not get to use the other kinds of soldiers, the battle always being won by Heavy Cav and HA's.

[Asterix]

I do believe that applied to mtw1.... i remember reading a while ago in some obscure corner of the internet people complaining that crap infantry became uber infantry if commanded by a good general in mtw1.

(and i think some of us would have noticed by now that our peasants commanded by a 10 star general were beating Knights Templar....)

EDIT: idk much about this stuff, but i remember reading (in another obscure corner of the internet) that command stars in m2tw only affected morale, nothing else. makes sense-if i was commanded by William the Conqueror/Saladin/another awesome medieval commander, i might be braver but i certainly wouldn't magically get better swords or bigger muscles.

favorite units: Knights of Santiago. just because i love Leon-Castile. i just sent an army to capture Jerusalem that is 3/4 just Knights of Santiago.
Scoutatoi-when your standard line infantry is the best in class early era, nothing can really stop you, even a total lack of decent cavalry. the reason why my Roman campaign was so easy, and the reason why they everyone says they're overpowered.
Magyar cavalry-best HAs i found. spammed them as the Romans when i captured some southern Hungarian regions. brought them all the way over to the Levant to kick Fatimid

[Dr. Freeman]

Magyar cavalry-best HAs i found. spammed them as the Romans when i captured some southern Hungarian regions. brought them all the way over to the Levant to kick Fatimid

You should try the lithuanian cavalry, you can get them from the start playing as Lithuania, they have an incredible range

[ash874]

i use only two units

1) the heaviest infantry available
2) spearmen

when i play early campaign with someone who has no heavy infantry like novgorod or kiev
than i use whatever infantry they have
which is tons of fun since it becomes harder

with these two units i only defend cities
expansion is done through surprise attacks on lightly defended cities (which i usually auto resolve)

so basically i only see the same battle over and over again for the past couple years now...

[Spoon]

Spear and heavy cavalry