France

**phowa** · March 25, 2008, 05:47 AM

when you are fighting france on vh/h do they ever come at you with like 1432 troops of cavalry and about 2 units of inf? I was wondering as they just slaughtered me and bruges and if this was going to be a regular facing so big a army with cavalry.

**Samir** · March 25, 2008, 06:29 AM

you also had only cavalry

**Xix** · March 25, 2008, 07:50 AM

It looks like that was all he had LEFT when he took the screenshot...

Playing as England I never had too much trouble with the French Cav; Longbows (w/ stakes) seemes to take a lot of steam out of that army. If you don't have stake units try crossbows with a line of spearmen directly behind them.

Also, if the french only had 2 infantry units how did you get slaughtered so badly up on the walls?

**Dane324** · March 25, 2008, 07:56 AM

yeah the french usually balance their units fairly well, you can expect cavalry but plenty of infantry also

**Old Geezer** · March 25, 2008, 08:49 AM

I just saw the Spanish with almost a full stack of cavalry - most all were jinetes. Usually, even the mongols have at least 6 units of infantry or siege equipment to slow them down. I have never seen France have even close to half a stack composed of cavalry.

**phowa** · March 25, 2008, 11:27 AM

i had weakened units of spear militi they had a full unit of armoured seargents i started of with a weak force only thing which was at full strength was general i had 3 units of mailed cavaly with about 30 40 untis each and two groups of spear militi with about 40 each. i was allies until this i just started campaign so im broke and portugal have taken wales so i had to put a stack of units around their to deal with them and i can only make a reasonably sized army if all the garrisons i own in france have about 2 units in them so i think im going to get slaughtered. Frances power is Supreme atm and im on something like modest lol

**Archus** · March 25, 2008, 11:40 AM

Have fun.

**phowa** · March 25, 2008, 01:08 PM

lol i think my campaign is going a bust my crusading army with my king got attacked so i had to get my army of it landed near marakesh and took that then the fleet got anhilated next turn. portugal own wales the danish are attacking nottingham which i turned into a town (bad idea now i tihkn about it but i never had a country attack the isles before) and france has a bout 3 full stacks heading for caen couldnt get much worse lol

**NobleNick** · March 25, 2008, 02:24 PM

Interesting situation.

How many turns are you into this game?

And what difficulty are you playing?

My first priority would be securing the Isles.

If you can make it that far, Longbowmen and English Armored Swords (EAS) can deal with just about anything which anyone can throw your way. EAS are tough and cheap. Longbows can plant stakes and have armor piercing ammo.

As was said before, have fun!

**Archus** · March 25, 2008, 04:02 PM

Get as many troops as you can spare and go an take a small insignificant town like Caffa in the Black Sea. I always do it with any faction just as a fall-back. Its useful when your playing VH/VH for the first time as Egypt and the Timurids arrive, I thanked god i decided to take Dublin.

**Ruprecht** · March 25, 2008, 07:43 PM

Hey,

I'm currently playing the England campaign and can say they are a very strong faction [maybe too strong], against AI that is.

I don't know what unit types you had from the start of that battle, but i hope you had 4 - 7 units of longbowmen. their arrows will rain down death upon those silly cavalry.

I actually take pitty on the mongols, even on open field battles and without using stakes. the english retinue longbowmen are just the perfect ranged unit and will devistate all given the right management.

But as you seem to be early in game, regular longbowmen should make light work of those cavalry. if you are sallying forth lure them to your walls with peasants or other infantry and set your longbowmen to flamming missiles.

If they sally forth, even better stick 4 units of spearmen at the gate, 6 units of longbowmen and you probably wont have the need for any other units. but it woulden't hurt to stick 10 units of longbowmen on the walls either.

And that has happened to me, but not france it was spain. but they only had around 1000 troops at my gates. that was a heroic victory for me.

**phowa** · March 26, 2008, 06:31 AM

NobleNick: Im currently playing vh/h. Securing isles will be hard as portugal have a rather large army in wales. Im on turn 45.

I got a town which nobody strong is bothering going after in Africa Marrakesh.

I have 1 castle which can make longbows but it wont suprise me if the french comes and takes it back. What spearmen did you use also ruprecht as to take out cavalry atm i am using billmen which are proving to be winning me quite a few battles.

Heres a pic of whats happening on the isles at the moment this is were the main scource of trouble is...

Im also hit a snag with cash flow

Ill win though the army of Prince Robert should be able to fend of some resistance but i have bad units compared to other countrys who are started to deploy fedual knights who i cant even make now if they cross the cahnnel im done for.

**Archus** · March 26, 2008, 08:11 AM

At least you've got Marrakesh as a back-up.

**phowa** · March 26, 2008, 11:33 AM

yeh i kept going killed the danish sent 3 units of cav at them and just crushed them as they had militia and some archers.
The portugese sent 780 men at me i had about 1000 i won but took heavy losses and dont even have half a stack left jinetes are pretty strong so now i need to build a force to take wales which will be hard =/