Managing Cavalry

[ManiacalRodent]

Hey all,

So with recently installing the 6.3 open beta I found something happening that had never happened before. I actually lost a huge battle as the French against the HRE because the AI used its cavalry better than I did! Then there was a CTD and my last save was a few turns before, but still - that never happens. And I mean never. And I've been losing lots of cavalry in battles - usually because I can't micro-manage them all and wind up having to put them in decidedly less than ideal positions to keep them relevant. Usually winning the battles, but good cav is hard to come by (especially with DLV's character-based recruitment).

Combined with the AI using its spears more aggressively to chase my cav I've had a lot more trouble smashing my enemies than under 6.2 (I took a ~year hiatus because I played too much, came back and found 6.3 out).

So I was curious as to tips and tricks for managing cav. I've played 6.2 campaigns as Poland and Georgia using lots of cav until I built my empire large enough that I got tired of it, so I know a thing or two about managing cav - but I'm curious as to how you all approach the question of cavalry management in large-scale battles (full stack on each side, maybe plus AI reinforcements - I often carry eight cav in addition to my general).

Techniques? Ideas? Alternate builds?

On the plus side, the AI bringing more cav means that siege battles are super easy if you have two units of peasant crossbows.

Many Thanks,
Rodent

[G|I|Sandy]

ManiacalRodent,

I haven't played original DLV in a while. I believe 6.3 beta has included BB2.xx version so Taiji's sick battle AI is there. What i learned from my BB4.xx experience is that you do not want AI to have more cavalry units than yours. I almost always find myself beaten by superior AI cavalry. I would say at least 3-4 additional heavy cavalry units on top of the general's bodyguard is a must in any full-stack engagements. Generally the AI is good at rampaging your archer back lines and also targeting general's bodyguard, so i tend to simply match AI cavalry 1 to 1 to prevent their maneuvers and then use the rest (if any) to rampage their back-lines. This, of course, is only possible if you have more cavalry units than AI. Another great thing about this AI is that it keeps few stacks of heavy spearmen between main battle line and its archers. However, AI tends to commit these stacks if you get close to them with any other unit. So if you send your own reserve from the flank, they will commit their reserve leaving archers vulnerable. Which is pretty logical to me. Another cool thing that comes to mind is the AI archers planting stakes in battle! According to Taiji they only do that if they are massively outnumbered in terms of cavalry (i.e. none in the AI's army). Although i have yet to see them do this. Last i remember them planting stakes was in earlier BB4.xx versions (4.20 i believe).

Overall, my typical strategy would be to engage the main battle line and then micro-manage the cavalry and 1 or 2 reserve shock troops from the flanks. The main rule is to have more cav than AI, as simple as that.

I have to say the AI in this mod is the best out there. Thousands of lines of code with hundreds of conditions and outcomes, with different troop types etc. Its perhaps the best we can get from M2TW engine. By the way, i suggest to check out the latest BB. It has got tons of UI, models, textures, campaign map etc changes.

Sandy

[ManiacalRodent]

That's rather what I've been learning. Though eventually I managed to take enough of the HRE that it wasn't pumping out high-end cav anymore (also it spammed all its Teutonic-guild cav into Frankfurt, and someone *cough* was paying off the Pope and got a Crusade called, so the Sicilians did that bloody work for me), so there's a quality different at work nowadays as well (also thank heavens for the Templar Guilds).

I think my biggest problem has been managing to micro six or so units of cav plus a battle line plus flankers plus my archers (dang French only have crossbows that require clean shots - at least until citadel level) without pausing every ten seconds at the height of the battle. AI is definitely spectacular.

I've been wary of the stakes thing: got caught by it before, but I haven't seen it happen this version though.

Thanks,
Rodent

[teenspeedy1]

If you aren't playing DLV with BB 4.30, you aren't actually playing the best AI currently available. Seriously though upgrade! You're a couple years outdated with DLV 6.3 and missing out!