Effective Formation Suggestions

[war927]

Ok, so after trial and error of losing way too many men to AI armies that bring about 50% cavalry into battle at times, I've come up with a relatively effective formation that can be used in open battlefields with relatively cheap units. I'm going to represent the fomation with symbols.
S = Schiltrom
H = Heavy Infantry
M = Missile Troops
C = Cavalry
G = General

___________S___S___S___S___S___S
________H_________________________H
______H_____M__M__M__M__M__M______H
_______________C____G____C

Why this Formation is effective: Well it works like this. You should space your schiltrom units (Militia Spearmen will actually do the job) so that there is a small amount of space between each unit. The Heavy infanry go on the flanks in case AI cavalry decide to try to flank your own missile units. If you are using crossbows (this is especially effective with crossbows), it's important that you place them at a distance where another unit of infantry could fit between them and the schiltrom. This is because crossbows have a low firing arc, and if you don't place them far enough back, they tend to stop firing once units get close to the front line. And this is also where the space between schiltroms comes into play. When the AI engages your front line, their unit starts to spread, and they will circle between each schiltrom into the open spaces. In essence, you've force the AI to pin itself between two Schiltroms, and they are now at a strong disadvantage. While this is all going on, your crossbows can still fire on the AI without causing massive damage to your own infantry because of how the formation forces the AI into the spaces between the schiltroms. If any cavalry try to go around the schiltrom formation, you can use your heavy infantry to hold them back, and circle your own cavalry around to perform a flanking maneuver. When you find that the enemy forces are started to weaken, you can also circle your cavalry around the schiltrom formation and flank the infantry in combat.

I hope this idea helps people, as it was a stroke of genius for me. It's a relatively cheap formation to create, and is quite devastating. Other ideas are encouraged.

[Xan]

Good idea, i have been using something similar but not as many missels and a bit more infantry.

Also i think havening the cavalry units closer to the flanks is better makes them able to react faster and makes it easier to outflank the enemy.

[war927]

Well, I'd agree with you if it was vanilla MTW, but I've noticed that AI cavalry in SS will move and attack the player cavalry first if it is exposed. So to put your own cavalry on the edges means that there is a good chance you will get charged without even expecting it, and even if you do expect it, charging cavalry head to head tends to have bad results. If you leave the cavalry in the back of the formation, you can bring your cavalry around to hit the enemy cavalry that are currently attacking the heavy infantry flank and devastate them. When cavalry engaged in melee get hit from behind by other cavalry, you wipe them out very quickly, even with the lowest form of cavalry against a stronger version (ie. light cavalry charging a heavy cavalry) simply because the charge does so much damage and sandwiches them.against the heavy infantry. That's my reasoning anyway. However, I'd like to note that substituting the H symbol for even more schiltroms is a decent substitute if you don't have any heavy infantry available. Just make sure to positioning the flank like 2 sets of steps coming off the other.

[Tresidentevil]

against cav heavy armies i use a formation i call refused flank.

deploy your army in the corner of the map, spear units in front, pikes protecting flanks (if you have any), heavy inf behind for support, missles behind and cav way at the back with general.

since your in the corner foes MUST attack your front spears :-)

also tires out foes as they need to travel accross the map to reach you.

[lesterthenerd]

err sometimes the ai wait in there own area.

[war927]

Tresident, your idea works beautifully provided the following situation occurs:
-The AI has no missile units of their own
-The AI decides to attack you rather than wait for you to engage them
-the 2 corners of the map available to you at the start are not facing an upward slope, ie. at the bottom of a hill.

I find nothing more aggravating than letting the AI use their own missile units on my troops, so in many of the battles I play I bring the fight to the AI. The best thing about a good attacking formation is that it's likely to be a strong defensive formation as well simply because bringing the fight to the AI requires you to organize your troops effectively.

[Mhydrian]

If the AI goes after my calvary then I proceed to lead them across the front of my line and let the archers take a couple of passes at them. Then I lead the calvary into a gap and bring two spear units behind me closing like a gate, the enemy calvary gets caught and does not even get to lower their spears for a charge.

Then I round back around with my calvary and charge from the rear. The enemy calvary could very well route, but at the very least lose most of their troops.

AI calvary inflicts way too many casualties. I really hate it. Pikes can usually stop calvary without too many casualties though. Just need to be in defensive mode and set for the charge. But convincing AI calvary that it is prudent to charge head first into lowered pikes is sorta hard =).