Danish vs Cavalry

[johnny5000]

Does anyone have any tips for fighting against cavalry when using the Danish?

Am I supposed to use obudshaer/sword staff militia? Bog them down with peasants and attack with sword/axemen? Use spear militia? Mercenary spearmen?

The lack of spears is killing me, especially when fighting the Mongols.

Any tips anyone?

[Garnier]

When I'm danes fighting poland (which is inevitable in a danish campaign) and their armies are all archers/woodsmen/mostly strzekly, I use the following:

lots of hobilars, and some huscarls for meleeing their strzekly when we catch them, and to destroy their archers.
some norse archers, not on skirmish mode, to kill horse archers from far away.

spear militia with armour upgraded, are as good as armored sergeants but cheaper

Norse swordsmen/viking raiders/huscarls can kill any of the melee infantry they do bring.

[gogis]

I used 2 generals as my heavy cavalry when i played danes, and nordic archers+huscarls as main force. Danes have great infantry, no one cares about enemy cavalry, really.

Horse archers just not really dangerous, i just obliterate main footarmy by huscarls and other axeman, they rip thru armored cavalry, peasants, dismounted knights or whatever like thru butter.

Most danish infantry have AP bonus, morale bonus, why the hell you need cavalry at all?
If you want play with cavalry, Danes is wrong choice.
I really never had any problem as Dane at vh/vh because i used things they strong in, and it's defenitely not cavalry.
I barely remember i ever hired single cavalry unit as Danes aswell.

[Kizzang]

I used 2 generals as my heavy cavalry when i played danes, and nordic archers+huscarls as main force. Danes have great infantry, no one cares about enemy cavalry, really.

Horse archers just not really dangerous, i just obliterate main footarmy by huscarls and other axeman, they rip thru armored cavalry, peasants, dismounted knights or whatever like thru butter.

Most danish infantry have AP bonus, morale bonus, why the hell you need cavalry at all?
If you want play with cavalry, Danes is wrong choice.
I really never had any problem as Dane at vh/vh because i used things they strong in, and it's defenitely not cavalry.
I barely remember i ever hired single cavalry unit as Danes aswell.

Hes talking about fighting cavalry not using it. I cant remember what i did as the danes.. I dont think i got that far into it for the mongols to show. it seemed too easy.

[gogis]

Hes talking about fighting cavalry not using it. I cant remember what i did as the danes.. I dont think i got that far into it for the mongols to show. it seemed too easy.

Well exactly, he said that "lack of spears killing me", when i mention, that using spears is not only answer against cavalry.
Danes dont need spears to deal with cavalry

[zerathule]

Horse archers can be dealt with your norse archers and your scouts if you can spare them, but always go for 2 scouts vs 1 horse archer.

Melee cavalry is a bit tricky, unless you're having a lot of generals.
For each ennemy cavalry put 1 scout + 1 axe (viking or huskarls) : you intercept the cavalry with your scouts, and make them hold until your infantry charges. A unit of viking could easyly slaughter mailed knights or better if they are the ones charging.

With this technique you can kill any cavalry, but as you should notice, it implies you're always outnumbering your ennemy.
Since its not possible, you must really use your troops wisely.
One of the greatest danish advantage is that they have excellent melee archers with the level 2 archery range.
that means you can always engage in a melee fight with your archers and so you'll always use them as reserves.

Imagine a situation : Danes vs France.
Danish army : 1 general, 5 norse archers, 4 Scouts, 4 vikings, 6 Huskarls.
French army : 1 general, 4 peasant crossbow, 4 feudal knights, 5 DFK, 6 armoured sergents.

So, you have some skirmishing between the xbows and the archers while both lines advances.
When the french line passes their xbows, the knights usually charge your weak spots.
You then send your scouts to intercept, while you move your archer line behind your infantry line, and your vikings to charge the ennemy cavalry.
Your line of Huskarls hold their ground and should be ready to engage the cavalry or the ennemy battle line.
If the cavalry do not recieve reinforcements, then they loose. You then engage ennemy line with your huskarl, flank with your positioned vikings, and circle with your scouts.
If the ennemy recieve reinforcements, withdraw your scouts, send a huskarl unit for every reinforcing unit sent by the ennemy.
This will create a huge blob, so remove skirmishing from your norse archers, keep them in a thin line and charge to win the day since you'll always end up semi-circling the ennemy.
With your surviving scouts, keep chasing ennemy missiles while your infantry is killing the ennemy.

I know this is not just facing cavalry, but it works, and notice the cost of each army i presented, the danish one is very cheap and can be retrained in allmost any castle.
The ennemy army i showed would be an AI army of course, but usually its much less powerfull than whay i presented.

One other tactic is to use an exploit : screen your forces from far ahead with your archers in skirmish mode.
Cavalry charging skirmishers will get locked and wont have a huge punch.
Support your archers with a few axe infantry and kiss your ennemy's cavalry goodbye.

[delra]

Charge them with mercenary spearmen (or militia...) and while they are engaged finish off with your clerics, they charge, they switch to maces and kill them. As simple as that.