Best garrison composition?

[+Marius+]

-3-6 Handgunners(increased missile_gunpowder)
-1-2 Late period dismounted knights(which ever shiny upgraded gothic plate armor dudes happen to be nearby)
-1-2 early reiters/mounted arquebusiers
-1 serpentine/ribault/bombard

Might not be the best, but it's definitely the most epic choice.

[Geoffrey of Villehardouin]

Strictly speaking, one could have 20 units of the heaviest mounted knights, sally out and destroy the besieger. What is realistic is another question.

Still, what kinds of casualties do people expect defending a city with their favourite setups against a stronger AI stack? Some screenshots would be interesting.

[+Marius+]

Strictly speaking, one could have 20 units of the heaviest mounted knights sally out and destroy the besieger.

Well, the upkeep would probably beat your economy to the ground, also the AI would be reluctant to attack such a stack.
Also, since I play in the 15th century, my cavs would be roflstomped by knights, pikemen, halberds, grapeshots and muskets

Some screenshots would be interesting.

Well, since you asked;

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post14082888

[Ferdiad]

Shouldn't this cary by faction and timeframe?

[Geoffrey of Villehardouin]

Here are two short videos with my preferred setup, early and late campaign sieges respectively, custom battles against a stronger AI army. Thirty and twenty men lost respectively. Without the flamethrowers but instead a better unit of musketeers resulted in 37 losses. Several the units never took part in the fighting, so one can probably get away with less than a half stack.

[tomberry]

Javelinmen are the best for defending walls. With an armour upgrade they can decimate the attacking units an hold the walls. Even against knights. Aragon FTW
Later, i use Hand Gunners on the walls. Of course it depends on the faction, but normally you can defend a settlement with 50% of the attacking force.

Spearmen/pikemen/halberds behind the gates, and javelins left and right of them to kill heavy units.
A unit of crossbows far behind the gate can shoot right through it.

So a good defended settlement needs 4 Spears/Pikes/halberts for the gates, 2 archers on the walls, 2 javelins alongside the spears and 4 wall defenders. 2 light cavallery for catapults and fleeing enemies are nice too. Stakes behind the gates makes it very easy against cavalery/generals, but are an half exploit in my opinion.