Scotland + Massive unit scale mod

[Furiøùs]

Hey all, im playing as scotland (I watched Braveheart yesterday, for like the 2nd time ever in 1080i (HD) and it was inspiring)

So yea, im playing with scotland, at first i allied with ireland, paid them 2k because i had excess money at that time, so i had a perfect relationship, traderights with england. Now, england got excommunicated, and ireland warred with them. So i said screw it, i can probably grab a few settlements. WRONG.

I sent a 2000 man army with a 3 star general (my faction heir) from a boat near nottingham, as i was marching there, i encountered a 1500 man army of englands finest general (like 7 star, how could they have these high-starred generals btw without having a war yet?) I lost unfortunately, because england's units are just ridiculously strong vs my low armored units. So besides that, i made a fort and proceeded to get my now 5 star general out of there, left the units to die unfortunately.

Now, i have another 1900 man army, i put them under the command of that 5 star general, and i besiege York. Now unfortunately, they only had about 1300 men (700 inside, 600 something in reinforcements) But the problem was, these were HIGH TECH units, i barely won, with 700 of my units and my forces were devastated. Now, im under attack from a 1270 man army on york, and i cant get my general out of there, and i just got him to 8 stars too, and he had a of GREAT retinue's (Dread Knight was pretty cool )

So yes.. what should i do? I cant really afford to continue this war, and france just got excommunicated so allying them = bad. Ireland hasnt done , its like there not even warring.. i saw they blockaded 1 port, thats all.

Im playing on H/H, VH on campaign = too much backstabbing so

Thanks!

[Imperator of Rome]

Hey all, im playing as scotland (I watched Braveheart yesterday, for like the 2nd time ever in 1080i (HD) and it was inspiring)

So yea, im playing with scotland, at first i allied with ireland, paid them 2k because i had excess money at that time, so i had a perfect relationship, traderights with england. Now, england got excommunicated, and ireland warred with them. So i said screw it, i can probably grab a few settlements. WRONG.

I sent a 2000 man army with a 3 star general (my faction heir) from a boat near nottingham, as i was marching there, i encountered a 1500 man army of englands finest general (like 7 star, how could they have these high-starred generals btw without having a war yet?) I lost unfortunately, because england's units are just ridiculously strong vs my low armored units. So besides that, i made a fort and proceeded to get my now 5 star general out of there, left the units to die unfortunately.

Now, i have another 1900 man army, i put them under the command of that 5 star general, and i besiege York. Now unfortunately, they only had about 1300 men (700 inside, 600 something in reinforcements) But the problem was, these were HIGH TECH units, i barely won, with 700 of my units and my forces were devastated. Now, im under attack from a 1270 man army on york, and i cant get my general out of there, and i just got him to 8 stars too, and he had a of GREAT retinue's (Dread Knight was pretty cool )

So yes.. what should i do? I cant really afford to continue this war, and france just got excommunicated so allying them = bad. Ireland hasnt done , its like there not even warring.. i saw they blockaded 1 port, thats all.

Im playing on H/H, VH on campaign = too much backstabbing so

Thanks!

Ally with the French and ask them to hit the English lands in Brittany.Lets be utterly pratmatic,the pope hasn't excommunicated England,so they don't care about you scots.Or you can wait until the pope excommunicates England for attacking you and declare an crusade on England...if it would let you.

[Roboute Guilliman]

i bet its their archers which are killing you. the trick is to get them close enough for you to engage them in close combat, use forests and place 1 or 2 units behind the forest. the ai will try to position his arches in range of your troops behind the forest, the troops in the forest just got to wait for them to get close enough. (The troops in the forest must be hidden, this is the place for your highlanders!)

against cavalery, you are scotland dont think i need to say anything else

Against feudal knights use your general or some mailed knights.

in city defenses use your pikemen. 3 pikemen units infront of your gates and they wont enter, put some spear militia on the walls and wait.

if they have artillery place your army in the town center and use your pikemen
to defend it.

if they got artillery on a battlefield, well use your border horses to get them from behind.

and another tipp, get spies and use them, so you will be prepared against his hightech armies.

[Furiøùs]

Thanks! i found a way to save my 8 star general, i recruited about 5k in merceneries and defended york.

After 35 turns me and england declared a truce, thankfully because i had only 1 family member left. I had lost that then 8 star general (who became king, and then a 10star) during a battle besieging nottingway..

After that, it came down to my last family member in york, and an english princess came and asked for a ceasefire, ireland isnt happy about this because there still at war.. Im working ships down to france right now with my best diplomat to get them to ally and attack england, once this happens, im now ready to go back to war, i have about 4-5 family members, i just need to get them in some battles, because the highest star general i have is like.. 2 or 3

So yea.. Scotland is some of the most fun i've had yet. Prince donnchad died on his 2nd turn as a king I took out about 4000 units with a 2000 man army, but it was just a bit much for me, there archers eventually got the better.

Oh and England was excommunicated on turn like, 10, and they still are on turn 52. So everyone has been whailing on them. Im scared to ally france because there excommunicated also. Im starting to have a low reputation with the pope for some reason, i have just enough to call a crusade.. but none of England's settlements are there. When i can im calling one on London, then they'll be fighting a multi-front war, i'll be able to easily sweep them.

[Iscariott]

I too had a close encounter of the english kind recently. Early era, took york before they did. Friends with ireland(utterly useless of course). I'm playing BYG + RR + sstoc, and england and france are having themselves a war while I try to build. Eventually I ally with france and england demands tribute or will attack. I return the offer, which they decline.

At this point I'm noticing that nottingham is poorly defended, there's a king and some hobilars. By some i mean 5 units or so. I send a general who is but 1 star away from becoming my second war council member(not that it matters for scotland in the first 50 turns) along with an army big enough to get the job done, bolstered by all the local mercenaries. He is a hero of the first crusade, but weak and sick from the trip home. Turn ends.

English turn, they send an army equal to the one i have. Mine is comprised of spear militia in light mail, highlanders, 2x gwent raiders 2x english huscarls. Theirs is a unit of hobilars, and an equal number of levy spears and armored sargents. In the battle the mercenaries hold the center, with the highlanders on the right in the woods. On the left are my spearmen, I hadnt done it on purpose but they happened to be on the flank that the 600 hobilars would be coming from. The 2 furthest out placed in schiltrom, the closest in standard formation.

The woods, and the lack of later period english forces, and the spearmen in schiltrom completely won the day for me. The weight of levy spearmen eventually enveloped and broke the mercenaries and highlanders. But they exacted a heavy toll. The spearmen on the left absolutely confounded the hobilars, who were unable to penetrate despite coming from many angles, and my attention often being called away to the infantry fighting on the right. Some light cav did get through and my unhealthy general died to a lucky spear from one of them.

In the end the english who reformed managed to route what was left of the enemy spearmen, but were then killed by the english king henry himself. The peasants, mounted or otherwise, having had their fill he too tried to break the two remaining units of spear militia(both at about half). He left bleeding with none of his bodyguard and nottingham was mine.

[lahvan]

I envy that you have 8 star general - even with all training from castle (military minded) and conquering Ireland my best general had 5 stars - 6 in night fight - when he disembarked in Norway in war against excomunicated Norse heretics and support of my Danish allies he in 1 battle gained personal loss trait which cost him another star. Norway on other hand had 3 8 stars generals... Fortunately my initial attack cought 2 of them away from larger armies and they were brought down by arrows of english longbowmen and rest died on tips of spears of my armoured spearmen.

As for Scotland - they did not put much of fight - it was quick 7 turn blitz - however many scot units have Effective against armour stat, so it is better to fight them with levies.

My usually strategy when playing catholic faction is allying myself with Pope ASAP - bribe him if you must. It helps you a lot surviving failed crusade missions and he tend less to argue with you against warring with another catholic faction. Also remember - spies and assasins are your friends.