Multiplayer Tips on Tactics and Strategy

[apostrophefz]

Hello all! (first, please move this thread where it's better fit; I looked at stickies and didn't find anything)

I have played Rome 1, Medieval 2 and just a tiny taste of Rome 2. I've been playing Shogun 2 for 2 weeks now. Boy, when people say this is the best Total War, I can understand perfectly. What detail, precision and good work put into every aspect of the game.

So, I'm into the multiplayer. The avatar persona is a joy to play, unlocking units and gathering veterans, getting new retainers and skills for the general.
If I'm not mistaken I have won some 14 matches, losing 10.

So, here goes: I'm looking for general tips, tricks and pointers on general tactics and strategy. I would like to hear you guys out on your lessons learned on the battlefield. I don't want to dive into map specifics, but
So far, I see that each map has capturable buildings, which greatly "upset" you, as you have now to attack and defend. I mean, you don't HAVE to, but it's impossible to see the enemy gaining territory unphased. I've never been a turtle, but I have to adapt to this new dynamic!
Also, I tend to prefer infantry. I've been experimenting with unit compositions, even putting to test the mangonel.

On territory, I've been leaning on learning Go, to hone my Total War command!

Oh, and noob question: yesterday I saw my yari ashibaru walking hidden in a forest. Where is this seen? Which sort of units remain hidden, and where?

[BigMackWitSauce]

So I actually just logged on to look for multiplayer tips as well, but I do tend to win most of my games even though I'm like a level 5 or 6 on shogun 2 and 8 on FoTs, but I think I have some advice that will be helpful

So first off, never bring the mangonel, it will never hit enough stuff to make it worth the price

In general you build your army around a certain "core" of units, a popular one is to build your army with a no-dachi core because they have really good attack and you can use banzaii to make them stay in the fight longer before they break

In lower fund battles I think having a cavalry advantage is important because you can make up for certain weaknesses, like having worse skirmishers or having worse melee infantry, with a good hammer/anvil strike or good cycle charges

I don't have whatever dlc the attendant units are on, but if you do have them (the naginata ones I think are considered the best) they are super cheap and really great for doing things like capturing shrines, absorbing enemy charge bonuses, and absorbing archer fire that might otherwise be directed at your good units

I also tend to bring matchlocks over archers, it often seems like archers just don't do enough damage, if you do bring archers you should bring the bow monks or the bow samurai, never bring the bow ashigaru because they seem to never kill anything

Yari ashigaru can be really good units however IF they are in spearwall, they will even perform decently against higher quality units like katana samurai if they are in spearwall, they probably won't win but if they are not in spearwall they will hardly kill anything that isn't cavalry at all


Perhaps the main difference of shogun 2 from other total war games is that shogun 2 is a much more extreme rock papers scissors system. Swords REALLY beat spears, spears REALLY beat cav, and charging cav really wreck swords where as in medieval 2 for example, you can charge your good knights into enemy spears and the knights will do alright, however in Shogun 2 even a yari ashigaru will destroy elite cavalry units


as for the noob question, any unit can be hidden in a forest except for your general, who can never be hidden. Units are also only hidden when they are walking and not running. I highly recommend hiding your key units in the forest to try to pull off ambushes

There are a few units like ninjas that can be hidden when they are not in the forest

[apostrophefz]

Yari cavalry is indeed useful, and fearsome, with their 60 horses a piece.

I have the ROTS dlc. The attendants are useful, filling auxiliary roles. They're dirt cheap.

As for the bows, I appreciate their range, mainly fighting FOTS avatars. Those goddamned bear units have to be opposed somehow, and archers fill that role.

About the extreme rock paper scissors aspect, that's a wise observation. It really is. In M2TW units could be more all around useful; here, not so much.

Do anyone recommend useful youtube learning channels? People commenting on battles lessons could be very useful.

[BroskiDerpman]

Most "versatile" way to play is to bring upgraded yari cav (4 attack 2 defense upgrades) with some light cavalry, naginata attendants, maybe some sword attendants depending on funds and 1-3 matchlocks plus no dachis (focus on attack upgrades, not charge). Then you have to play aggressive and position your units very well (distribute your forces accordingly), flank, get good matchlock firing angles by abusing map features and attack. This style of play is very one dimensional however its versatile. If opponent has cavalry spam (like pure cavalry) use the naginata attendants and compress your formation and charge everything in and send your general in.

This is of course if you have a leadership general (spend points in stand and fight, extra morale, rest on general attack and defense its sort of like a weaker katana cav that passively boosts your army).

Spears are good, the naginatas (samurai and monks) are very flexible if you give them attack and defense upgrades however you have to use meatshields to buffer versus no dachi charges or else a clean charge will destroy your unit. Though generally heavy infantry spears are more for an reactionary play style and I only use them if I know my opponent well. Yari ashigaru are good if you spam them, at lvl 9 you can have hold firm but considering how matchmaking is less active compared to 2011 I do not suggest going that route.

Gun cavalry is really good no shame in bringing them, I don't simply because when I use to play they were banned in the typical ruleset along with cav and spear limits but feel free to bring them as they're a fun unit to shred cavalry with.

I use to upload videos but I sadly deleted them all, I can upload some useful stuff later if you guys want. These tips are for vanilla avatar vs vanilla avatar only.

For fots bring redbears, marines, revolvers, and yari ki those are the good units. Upgrade marines to 150 range and they can be used to zone out certain areas on the map or hold your infantry line as they will shred anything head on. Cavalry much less powerful (which is nice) so use it more reactively and passive aggressive. Versus armstrong guns be more assertive as that is over 1000 koku spent on an artillery piece thus make you have the manpower advantage temporarily before all your units get shredded by artillery so you have to push and destroy the enemy decisively with the temporary manpower advantage.

[apostrophefz]

Pedestrian questions: have far, in range units, can a unit see a hidden one?

That compass in naval battles, what does it point to, and how is it relevant to me?

Are loan swords worth ?