Defending the breach

**Societyinflames** · July 16, 2014, 11:46 AM

Hi guys, I'm a long time lurker of the site and couldn't find a post on this topic, so registered to start one!

Essentially, how do you guys most effectively defend a breach? Or in the same vein, defend a bridge against a normal attacking army (archers, cav & inf.)?

This seems to be something I'm doing more often than not, since the AI adores rams and brings about 6, so the gate tends to get broken and I have all their army pouring in through the choke point. In the same way I used to on R:TW, i would use a pair of walls of defensive spears (sort of phalanx, guard mode) in a V-formation covering the hole, and hoping that the forward surge pins them against it and kills them, similar to this:

=======l l=======
.........\......./
..........\...../
...........\.../ < my guys, spears pointing in and up (please ignore the dots!)
............\./

This works somewhat, and can be done in most cities due to crappy spear troops being used for garrisons, but it seems a lot less underpowered and melee goes on for some time, tiring the lines.

I have tried another formation:

=======l l=======
.........l...O...l
.........l...O...l < 3 lines of defensive spears, creating a box, with 2 units of spears in schiltrom formation, forcing the entering army to split and filter either side, doubling the number of spears
.........______ that can stab at exposed flanks as the units pour in whilst also protecting the men.

This second formation seems to work slightly better, but not as much as I had hoped. Like I said, in most siege defences (and all bridge defences) the ability to hold them in one point is essential to winning the battle. I wish however to find a way to more effective kill them all! This works as a good cheap solution to simply holding them off with militias, but does anyone have a solution to beating the besiegers that uses more premier troops? if money is no issue?

TL;DR how do you prefer to defend cities if the gate is broken and they're coming in?

Thanks guys in advance!

**Dude with the Food** · July 16, 2014, 03:57 PM

I normally use something similar to your second formation but without the schiltrom. Spear militia rout too quickly like that which can chain rout your other units. Keeping a general right behind helps with morale and can jump in when things get rough. I also counter charge as soon as the enemy get through the gate (not when they break it) too surround the front few in a smaller area and stop the weight of numbers pushing through a thinner line after the initial attack.

If there's a stalemate then any infantry on the walls have 2 options depending on the melee. If the enemy has forced outwards passed the doors at the bottom of the tower, flank them with that. If the spearmen are holding them further forward, climb down enemy siege equipment, then attack from behind.

It gets easier with Italian Spear Militia/Saracen Militia or javelinmen/horse archers behind the spearmen too.

With a bridge, I use a minimum of 3 units in the same formation with the flankers extending just past the ends of the bridge. Horse archers behind with melee cavalry flanking them behiind missile infantry who like on walls in a breach, line the shore to shoot onto the bridge. Something else with a bridge battle is as soon as 1/3 of the enemy start routing, send in cavalry. With missile and melee, wait a few second before using the missile and with just horse archers, wait for 1/2 to run. Overlap infantry units with spears slightly forward so casualties are more spread out in campaign and to give your formation more weight against enemy numbers.

Bridge

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Mixed Infantry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**NobleNix** · August 06, 2014, 02:05 AM

Gate or breach: I use a U instead of V (use both but U seems to work better). The sides of the U are made of spears stacked relatively narrow and deep. Often 2 units, side by side, for each side of the U. The bottom of the U is high quality heavy infantry, placed as close to the opening as possible and with another unit packed in behind so that they do not get easily pressed back by the attackers. So if you have the luxury of defending only one breach, use 6 units to make the U. This seems to result in the quickest enemy rout.

Bridge: high quality spears and/or HI plug the bridge. Masses of missile on your LEFT pour arrows/bolts into the enemy's right (unshielded) side as they bunch up against your plug. Set 10 to 20 percent of you missiles to use flaming ammo. Try to target enemy units that haven't quite made it to your plug to minimise friendly fire on your own troops.

**MDCCLXXVI** · December 03, 2014, 06:33 PM

Though probably the easiest and least dynamic part of battle in M2TW, here is a strategy I used that really helps to minimize the casualties and increase your armies kill-per-minute ratio during the defense of a breach.

The idea is to make full use of missiles. Most breach defense tactics, illustrated above, limit the effectiveness of missiles due to lack of direct line of sight. So I wanted a tactic that allows direct line of sight between the enemy and my missile units/anti-infantry seige equipment.

Such a tactic is shown below. I don't know how else to describe it other than a 'funnel' tactic vs the above mentioned bowl/cup tactics. The funnel allows an opening at the end where missile soldiers have clear lane of fire. My preferred missile unit for maximum killing power is the Ribault. I find them brutally overpowering in such scenarios, and the the enemy never lasts long regardless of size.

* Weaknesses: Enemy can flank of course, coming over walls, forcing missile troops to task elsewhere and reducing effectiveness.
* If the enemy has a LOT of horse they may try to push forward. In that case I may sacrifice a unit of cheap spear to stand in the funnel to stop the horses and act as a sort of 'filter'. A level of friendly fire is tolerated as the ribault shreds both friend and enemy alike.

* The strategy is best employed on a bridge. The longer the funnel the better. I find only the first stage needs to be deep with infantry, the rest of the funnel can just be 3-4 man deep. This of course is reliant on how effective your missile units are. Anything with high damage and good rate of fire works. Catapults can even work but I'd suggest curl one edge of the funnel in slightly to screen it, as it can shoot over the screen just fine, while still allowing a slot for cavalry charges from one side for any enemies unfortunate enough to make it to the end of the funnel, and also allow missile troops to sneak in for a clear field of fire when the opportunity arises.

* For the more cautious or risk-averse, you can start the contact with a screen of infantry infront of some/all of your missile soldiers. Once the fighting has started and its clear the missile units are safe, reveal them by moving the screening infantry to the side.

* For larger battles, start the funnel quite narrow and allow swelling of the enemy position to naturally push your spears back and out of the line of fire.

* If you are using 2 units of Ribault against a large army, with this tactic they will net 300-400+ kills each. With good bow units instead perhaps half that number, in about double the length of time. The length of time is important as it means your (probably weaker) spears will be fighting the bulk of their army for longer, something to avoid.

**eugenioso** · December 09, 2014, 06:58 AM

As stated, siege weapons during defensive battle of a city can be utterly devastating to the enemy. A well aimed catapult can kill a huge blob of infantry, a ballista can skewer those heavily armored knights with ease.

I dont use fancy formations. As shown, phalanx in V could hold off attackers almost indefinitely on a city. On MTW2, not so. I use the tiring tactic: leave 2 or 3 units, hold until they are broken or they are about to be, send in fresh men to slaughter exhausted enemy units. I rarely hold the city gates though, prefering to leave a few archer units behind to soften them up instead. I hold the city center, as men there never retreat.

**MDCCLXXVI** · December 09, 2014, 10:54 AM

That's a good point.

How to best ensure that enemy arrive at the square Exhausted? Giving up the walls without a fight means they will be at the square in more or less fresh condition.

**UndrState** · December 09, 2014, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by MDCCLXXVI

That's a good point.

How to best ensure that enemy arrive at the square Exhausted? Giving up the walls without a fight means they will be at the square in more or less fresh condition.

Some well placed, tough units in choke points, forcing the attackers to go around or slug it out might do it. Plus, depending on your Wall level, attackers might have quite a long way to walk to get to the center, and every little bit helps.

**MDCCLXXVI** · December 12, 2014, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by UndrState

Some well placed, tough units in choke points, forcing the attackers to go around or slug it out might do it. Plus, depending on your Wall level, attackers might have quite a long way to walk to get to the center, and every little bit helps.

Aren't the tough (and usually most expensive) units best reserved for when the enemy is already tired?

**Nivea for Men** · December 12, 2014, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by MDCCLXXVI

Though probably the easiest and least dynamic part of battle in M2TW, here is a strategy I used that really helps to minimize the casualties and increase your armies kill-per-minute ratio during the defense of a breach.

The idea is to make full use of missiles. Most breach defense tactics, illustrated above, limit the effectiveness of missiles due to lack of direct line of sight. So I wanted a tactic that allows direct line of sight between the enemy and my missile units/anti-infantry seige equipment.

Such a tactic is shown below. I don't know how else to describe it other than a 'funnel' tactic vs the above mentioned bowl/cup tactics. The funnel allows an opening at the end where missile soldiers have clear lane of fire. My preferred missile unit for maximum killing power is the Ribault. I find them brutally overpowering in such scenarios, and the the enemy never lasts long regardless of size.

* Weaknesses: Enemy can flank of course, coming over walls, forcing missile troops to task elsewhere and reducing effectiveness.
* If the enemy has a LOT of horse they may try to push forward. In that case I may sacrifice a unit of cheap spear to stand in the funnel to stop the horses and act as a sort of 'filter'. A level of friendly fire is tolerated as the ribault shreds both friend and enemy alike.

* The strategy is best employed on a bridge. The longer the funnel the better. I find only the first stage needs to be deep with infantry, the rest of the funnel can just be 3-4 man deep. This of course is reliant on how effective your missile units are. Anything with high damage and good rate of fire works. Catapults can even work but I'd suggest curl one edge of the funnel in slightly to screen it, as it can shoot over the screen just fine, while still allowing a slot for cavalry charges from one side for any enemies unfortunate enough to make it to the end of the funnel, and also allow missile troops to sneak in for a clear field of fire when the opportunity arises.

* For the more cautious or risk-averse, you can start the contact with a screen of infantry infront of some/all of your missile soldiers. Once the fighting has started and its clear the missile units are safe, reveal them by moving the screening infantry to the side.

* For larger battles, start the funnel quite narrow and allow swelling of the enemy position to naturally push your spears back and out of the line of fire.

* If you are using 2 units of Ribault against a large army, with this tactic they will net 300-400+ kills each. With good bow units instead perhaps half that number, in about double the length of time. The length of time is important as it means your (probably weaker) spears will be fighting the bulk of their army for longer, something to avoid.

Sweet picture there, really useful!