Mongols owned me on a bridge, any suggestions?

[tallstark]

Hi all, I am playing Templars in SS 4.1, already won the game but decided to stick around and teach the mongols a lesson, and instead I am being taught! I figured since I am a infantry focused faction and they are THE horse faction I needed to pick my spots. I had a full stack of Swiss guards, Templar knights and crossbows so I formed up on a bridge and figured I would let the horse come across, set up Swiss at mouth of bridge and when traffic is backed up set up a cross fire. Only problem is apparently their horse archers have a LOT better range than crossbows, as they took out 30% of my troops before I could hit one of theirs. By the time I moved far enough back from the bridge to be out of range they had enough space to rush across before I could get back to block it and I had a crushing defeat. Any specific suggestions on a bridge strategy versus mongols?

[pwijnands]

You can always sacrifice a few units to guard the bridge end (in loose formation) under the rain of arrows, obviously a high defense one.

[Mythre]

Hmm... haven't played the templars myself... but here is what i would do.
First get the highest quality crossbowmen available to your. (Mongol archers will outrange low quality.)
Second get a few pieces of art.. maybe some trebuchet(spelling?) or some cannons. Even ballista would help.
Third keep at least some of your swiss guard at the bridge even if they are being pummeled. They should be at least enough strength to hold until reinforcements arrive.
I have to go now, but those are my recommendations.

[townie33]

use artillery! They have better range than the mongol archers and are extremely effective once the enemy gets bunched up crossing the bridge

[pwijnands]

If only you could blow up the bridge with the Mongols on it, that would be great.

[Duke4747]

The Mongols sound freaking tough! I wouldnt really be able to tell you what to do cuz ive never played as the templars... the art idea sounds really good!

[talaananthes]

The funniest experience I've ever had against the Mongols was the very first Byzantine game I was playing . . . just by coincidence I had a stack and a half (stack + casualty replacements, so that my main force was always at full strength without having to stop moving) half a turns' march from where the Mongols first showed up, with tons of Varangian guards, heavy cav, and some good ranged units.

It was a ****tastically hard fight, but I managed to destroy the entire invasion in two turns. They never even got a single city.