My Huns Guide
MY HUNS GUIDE
Cheers DarthMod playaz and fans!
I’ve just finished DM_BI 7.5 amazing adventurous Huns campaign(on h/h difficulty, skins are fabulous!) and would like to share my experience about this dark force
faction, the dreadful, most feared, the finest horse archers of the period, the “scourge of God”, THE HUNS MUHAHAHAHA!
It’s like run to the hills cuz I’m bloodthirsty and I’m coming for ya!
Short Introduction
The Huns
Easily some of the fiercest and most ruthless warriors of their time, the Huns all but lived on horseback and were superb bowmen. Powerful, capable riders, the Huns are more than a match for any other faction.
The Huns originated out of the Russian Steppes and launched a mass invasion of Europe under their powerful leader, Attila. They rampaged across Europe for years, displacing many a tribe with their new method of warfare. They were possibly the most feared soldiers of their time. In campaign, they will start in the extreme East portion of the map, without any settlements.
They must conquer both Rome and Constantinople. They start as a horde near the Roxolani and Alan tribes. The Huns have some of the best horses in the game and have very skilled horse archers. They have limited infantry but their cavalry is superior. (“Weee’re going to killl youuu!!!”; “I’ll sliiice your neck!” “Stinking raaats!”
Also you can read more about key things of Hun campaign here: http://rtw.heavengames.com/bi/info/f...sg/index.shtml
For you all Huns history fans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huns
And finally the most amazing superior article I‘ve ever read about horse archery and Huns: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49318
“Now let the slaughter begin muhahaha, take no prisoners, kill ‘em ALL!!!”
I. THE CAMPAIGN – the strategic part
1.The life in the Hunnic Horde
Starting position. So you’ve just wandered with your huge uber horde and tribes from the steppes of Asia into yet unknown world to you. Your starting position is near the Roxolani tribe, first to feel the true might of your ferocious warriors!
Campaign objectives. You must hold Rome and Constantinopole + 13 other provinces in order to achieve victory.
Reorganization of your army. After a long journey through Asian steppes, you must now divide your forces into 2 parts: your elite horsemen (who will be your main striking forces) led by brave generals; and peasant armies (steppe horde spearmen) which will advance behind your superb horse armies and help in sieges.
Advance in 1 big group of stacks. I advice not to separate but advance in 1 big formation keeping stacks close together, this way you’ll be very powerful, almost invincible. 3 front line stacks: your elite horsemen armies with best generals available, which can move farther, spot and annihilate the threat. Behind them in the middle ordinary peasant armies (consisting of steppe spearmen) and keep 1-2 stacks (if possible with commanding general) in the back of your horde with mixed troops to protect your rear.
The path/direction of your horde. After having finished playing as the Huns, I can come up with these basic horde wander directions:
1)Straight to Constantinople (sacking and turning into horde Roxolani, Sarmatians and Goths) and settle there – imo this path is the most straightforward, short termed but also the most risky one, very good for blitz or seeking big challenge playerz, cuz you’ll have hard economic time, whats even worse hordes may come after you and they’ll be bloodthirstyand hungry of your treasuries. Hahaha
2)Sack Constantinople, Greece and move on to WRE sacking all the way to Rome, then sack the eternal city itself and after 1 more siege settle in Rome. This strategy brings more long term benefits, cuz you’ll have more spoils of war (money in treasury) and the hordes are farther away, yet still they’ll come for you soon, but you’ll have more time to prepare.
3)“The eastern path” – that’s how I’d call this one: from starting position you go straight for Sassanids and ERE and slice their throat by total rampage destruction annihilation in the Middle East and possibly Egypt, sacking all the way. It could even destroy both Sass and ERE. Once you’ve done enough and are filthy rich settle somewhere possibly near Constantinople in Anatolia, Levant or best in Jerusalem lol (funny history – huns in Jerusalem lol) If you survive in the middle east, this strategy is the most safest, cuz no other horde will trouble you (they go west always) and you can then easily collect those needed provinces
4)“The funny way” I found out this only when I had finished my campaign (silly me). You can settle (you’ll loose about 1/3 of your whole horde) in high tech and esp populous settlement, tech-up your troops, destroy all buildings and then horde all the way again. Using this you can become horde-monster (many many stacks lol) and can win campaign in a cool way.
5)“My way” – my own original path that I’ve chosen in campaign
Those cool-looking mercenaries. While you’re in horde, you pay no unkeep to your army, but if you hire mercenaries, you’ll see your treasure suddenly drop+mercs take huge chunk of money for themselves when you sack/plunder a settlement. Thus I find it good hire little (best ones) or no mercs at all, when you’re in horde. Of course if your horde has become quite small, mercenaries are essential. When you settle, then mercs will be a different matter.
The power of night battles. The Hunnic leader starts out with the night fighter trait (and you can get this for other generals when you reach certain amount of stars – 5 maybe?). That's a total advantage when fighting couple of enemy stacks cuz enemy (although friendly too) reinforcements can't take part in the battle unless the commander also has the Night Fighter trait. So you can beat armies 1 by one with your night fighters.
Sieges. „The cowardly enemy have lost their walls. Now the streets will run with blood!
They are quite a problem for Huns, who are mostly HA and heavy cavalry based faction and have rather crappy infantry. Nevertheless if you‘re impatient as I am and don‘t wanna starve ‘em out then waste your cheap steppe horde spearmen in sieges or buy strong merc heavy infantry such as merc veteranii to scale the walls.
Other tips.
1)avoid unnecessary battles, unless you really wanna be seen as a bully. Your horde, although super huge at the beginning will constantly lessen in size, so be careful who you fight. Especially try to avoid fighting other hordes, let them rampage to WRE, later it will be easier for you.
2)Some settlements (like Salona, Sarmatian capital, wre in northwest alps for e.g) block way for armies, try to avoid this and find another way which you can escort your horde in 1 tight group.
3)Automerge your horde troops after battle with M hotkey. This tip was very useful for me.
2.Time to settle down
Here’s how the known world looked (using toggle_fow) just after I settled in Rome (it had all buildings built lol!) and had over 100,000 denarii in my treasury:
Look at all the destruction and chaos I’ve caused; love to see such a barbarian invasion
Economy. Once, you’ve settled your treasury will begin to melt away quickly, so you have to stabilize that decline. As usual build basic economic structures, such as ports, roads, farms and traders. If you’re really short on cash, try disbanding mercs and/or decreasing your army unkeep or if you’re really really in red consider hording again. In my case everything in Rome was built so I just hired some mercs and secured Italy. Rome is the most high-tech city in the game imo. Troops trained there are uber powerful.
Your possible rivals.
Well it could be anyone, but mainly:
Other nomadic horde people – mainly goths, sarmatians and vandals; they are the toughest rivals imo, cause they use mainly the same HA tactics, but you have an edge in sheer cavalry units size.
WRE and ERE – they field infantry heavy armies so the only threat your HAs face is the enemy archers and light cavalry.
II. THE BATTLE – the tactical part
“Look at ‘em! Everyone fears you! Fear gnaws at their gizzards, fear eats their hearts, fear of me, fear of you, now fight and gut them like a fish WUHAHAHAHA! Chaaarge!!!”
I just love listening CC light music during barbarian battle, it’s so heroic and there’s music from MTW too *remembers the good old Viking times*.
Hey guys I found very great guides to revise horse archery tactics, which are essential battling as Huns. Here are the links:
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=38464 - how to use horse archers in RTW
http://forums.rometotalrealism.org/i...howtopic=13381 – many cool battle tactics guides + horse archers guide
Let’s start with Hunnic troop lineup:
INFANTRY – the supporting role for heavy cavalry, a shield for a general and a must in sieges (should consist maximum ¼ of an army, roughly 4-6 units)
Runaway slave spearmen
the crappiest of spear units, quite weak morale, vulnerable to missiles, use it if you really have no better alternative. (4 units)
Steppe horde spearmen/Steppe spearmen (max 4 units in army)
The backbone of your horde early infantry and good for garrison duty (quite cost effective), better stats, morale than slave spearmen, mostly defensive unit against cavalry esp as they have schiltrom ability.
Steppe Swordsmen (2 units)
Your infantry flanking troops, guard the flanks of your spear comrades; useful in sieges, weak against cav charges.
Steppe Heavy Spearmen (4 units)
The best infantry Huns can afford although they look down on these men from the saddle. It’s your center infantry
Hunnic infantry tips: In battle use them as a cover for your general (if needed, but mostly general rides along heavy cavalry) mainly hold them far back from the enemy while your real killers HAs and heavy cavalry do their job. Inf are like your final reserve in open battle. But in sieges is where they shine!
Mercenary Infantry – if you have additional cash or need them for siege
Merc Bucellarii – cool looking early crossbowmen, good for defending hunnic settlements, but I don’t hire them for field operative armies, cuz that’s when Has really shine.
Merc Foederati – kinda even better than your steppe spearmen, have ranged attack. Good vs cavalry and in sieges too.
Merc Golden Band – great flanking troops, although their skins are in doubt imo
Bosphoran mercs – heavy spearmen a good substitute for your steppe heavy spearmen.
Merc Veteranii – similar to roman commies
CAVALRY – the backbone of your army, “the bread and butter” (should be ¾ in an army)
Hunnic army has mainly 2 parts of cavalry:
HORSE ARCHERS – the harassing and annihilating force, arguably the most versatille unit in RTW and BI, they can mostly win battle en mass alone (10+ more units in an army)
Hunnic Horde Horsemen/Hunnic Archers – this will be your standard killing machine until you’ll be able to train Hunnic elite Warriors. (Darth, just wanted to note that HA skins look kinda strange holding sword and bow in hand while firing at the same time; they should use sword as an alternative weapon)
Hunnic Elite Warriors – now that’s the MIGHTof Huns, they are absolutely invincible though take 2 years to train and are costly, which means you wont able to mass train many of them (4 + more if available units in your HAs group)
Merc HAs: Merc Hippo-Toxotai, Alan Horse Archers but they are no match for you Hunnic horse archery skills only Merc Sarmatian Archers are worth to try imo.
HEAVY CAVALRY – the flankers, chargers and finishers of HAs weakened enemy
Herdsmen
Well actually they’re light crap peasant type of cavalry
Tribal Cavalry – although they are not originally Huns themselves, they are your quite reliable early flankers and chargers.
Hun Lancers – one of the greatest chargers in BI (such a huge charge rating), fast moving for a heavy cavalry, an improvement over tribal cav without a doubt. Quite good in prolonged melee also. Not a chance for weakened or unprepared infantry when these guys go nuts charging at them.
Hunnic Horde Chosen Warriors/Hunnic Heavy Cavalry – the best Hunnic melee cavalry, when you want to batter the enemy into submission, good in siege street fighting too. This unit is best deployed for melee after Lancers have just charged and retreated for another charge.
BASIC HUN BATTLE PLAN
1)Horse archers approach the enemy from left (more men cuz of shield protection exploit), center, right (3 groups)
2)If any units (usually light cav) chase after them retreat, encircle and destroy them (with the help of heavy cav too), then again approach the main army, rinse and repeat. Sometimes you can kill enemy general this way cuz “he’s too eager”
3)After enemy’s light/heavy cav has been destroyed set your HAs to loose formation and aim for eliminating their ranged troops.
4)Always try to keep connection between your HAs don’t let them be separated and pressed to the edge of battle map
5)Encircle the enemy from all sides with HA harass them and waste all arrows on them; usually the battle is already won then and the enemy is routing, but if not then retreat your HAs and
6)Send your heavy cavalry charging from all sides, this should totally break the enemy if not bring the rest of your army (infantry and retreated HAs) and destroy the remnants.
I’ve also found a good guide about eastern armies’ troop composition and why cavalry is the backbone there, enjoy:
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?p=640574
Hunnic balanced early/medium army
1 general
2 steppe spearmen
2 steppe swordsmen
9 Hunnic archers (3 groups of 3 units)
6 Herdsmen/Tribal Cavalry/Lancers (best available)
Hunnic balanced late uber army
1 general
4 heavy steppe spearmen
9 Hunnic elite warriors
4 Hunnic Lancers
2 Hunnic heavy cavalry
So that’s it! Hope you enjoyed this guide, don’t hesitate to give feedback. Txs and good conquering
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ATTILA RULEZ! ONWARDS TO VICTORY MIGHTY HUNS!
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. Can't wait to test Greek_theban formation of those defensive greeks. Will write my impressions :wink:
