beating Scythian Horse Archers

[Javolenus]

I just started a Bosporan provincial campaign and immediately got attacked by stacks of Scythians. Their army mainly consists of horse archers - swarms of them. How to beat them with the GCS roster?

Well, I hit upon the following plan and tested it with success.

1. Always try for a defensive battle, even if it means hanging around waiting to be attacked.
2. Form a 'square' of spears/pikes and place missile troops (archers/slingers) inside the square. Set archers to use fire.

This way, you should have a four-sided spear/pike arrangement with vulnerable missile troops inside for safety.

Wait for the Scythians to attack and let your missile troops fire at will. With luck, the slings and arrows will hit home, while the flames will cause panic. Your own casualties should be minimal. If you have a big enough army, form two squares, which can support each other with flanking fire.

I just fought a night battle with this arrangement and it was a huge success. Half the Scythians went down and the rest ran away.

Although the square formation looks a tad Napoleonic, it seems to be an effective way of dealing with those pesky horse archers.

Jav.

[Scutarii]

My favourite tactic is auto-resolve. But yours is good too.

[EyebrowsMulligan]

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1. Always try for a defensive battle, even if it means hanging around waiting to be attacked.
.

I would say you've hit the nail on the head with this. The best way to fight the Scythians and their incredibly irritating masses of noble archers is to always move offensively and fight defensively.

Let them come to you and then bleed them as they slog their way up hill.

[Scutarii]

I find there a lot easier now with the new archery settings, far better balancing for battles. Fighting them prior to it was a nightmare.... *shudders*

[TM Is Back]

I find there a lot easier now with the new archery settings, far better balancing for battles. Fighting them prior to it was a nightmare.... *shudders*

Poor guy *Giving Scutarii a hug*

Just use some Thureoporio, best arrow catchers ever.

[EyebrowsMulligan]

I find there a lot easier now with the new archery settings, far better balancing for battles. Fighting them prior to it was a nightmare.... *shudders*

New archery settings? What is this pray tell. I'm still being made into a pin-cushion each fight with XGM 5.6.4.

[TM Is Back]

In 5.7.x the archers have reduced acurracy.

[Scutarii]

Yeah, all missiles have reduced accuracy... Makes he purple/orange horse archers of doom and destruction less fearsome.

[TM Is Back]

Now they are the Purple Horse Archers of death ^^

[Scutarii]

Its quite an improvement really, they've gone from two frightening adjectives to one.

[TM Is Back]

Yes but still it's auto-resolve sometimes.

[Unknown Soldier]

Is that tactic not the old 'Vanilla noob pike square'?

Should put the slingers in the pikes at front to goad the horsies to charge = fun effect/horse steaks for your army for supper.

[Webba]

yeah, I like slingers and archers out the front (from Crete or Syria for preference) in wide formation to return fire and tempt the little horsie nobles to come a bit closer so the Theurophori behind can throw ap death at them. Should they continue their charge the Thorakitai behind can counter charge and that will almost certainly break them. Swift and rested militia cavalry can then chase down the survivors. If you can do all this from the top of a hill it works even better.

I find the trick against Scythia and Parthia is large numbers of cheap units. You will take casualties no matter what you do so save the elites for an opponent they'll be good at fighting. I don't think I've ever used more than 3rd tier units against these two factions.

[Javolenus]

Hi Guys,

OK, after several battles with those damn Scythian horse archers I've seen the wisdom of the last couple of suggestions (Unknown soldier and Webba). Putting slingers out front in loose order seems to work in getting the Scyths to charge, then the supporting Thorakitai do some serious execution. And again, echoing an earlier post, best keep your cav in reserve to hunt down fugitives. Thank you!!

And yet, my 'Napoleonic Square' idea worked great first time around (a night battle with my archers using flaming arrows) . . .

[Unknown Soldier]

Night battles are commander dependent 5+ stars or night fighter trait on 0 - 4 stars

I think thats how it works

[Javolenus]

Hi Unknown Soldier,

Thanks for this. Now you come to mention it, I think my general had the night fighter trait. he certainly did afterwards anyway! Thanks again.

[Unknown Soldier]

Yeah if the opposition commander is not a night fighter then the enemy stumble round in the dark and don't co-ordinate their battle tactics, march slower and don't react as fast as they do in daylight.

Hence its good to fight night battles against captain led stacks = easy victory

Also reinforcement stacks can't help/don't participate if their commander does not have the trait/5 stars.

You can take on multiple enemy stacks in a turn, one at a time using night attack, even when they are all together. Divide and Conquer.

[Javolenus]

Hey that's really useful - I had no idea the night fighter trait could be worked to such an advantage. Thank you!

Jav.

[Stilgar CG]

That night-battles advise is a good one.

Btw, if you choose to fight at night and your reinforcements are led by a captain (non-night fighter general as well, I suppose), then your reinforcements will not join the battle. You can tell this by seeing your reinforcements to turn grey on the pre-battle screen. So, watch out!

My army early in Bosporan campaign consisted of 4 units of HAs, 4 units of light cavalry, heavy cavalry force (e.g. general+Scythian lancers), and some infantry (1-2 spearmen+1-2 peltasts). HAs - long range. LCs - short range and AP. Heavy cavalry - hammer. Infantry - support in melle + assaulting cities. I fought all battles myself, at times without infantry. Losses were between 20 and 50%. But, I always managed to kill 70-90% of the enemy armies, which was quite difficult to do with old missile stats.

Light cavalry (LCs) is a good antidote to HAs. Take LCs off skirmish mod! Focus the fire of a group of 3-5 LCs on a group of HAs (which often forms the nucleus of Scythian armies), and when you ran out of ammo charge HAs with no delay. LCs are better in mellee. Usually, such a mellee attracts the rest of the enemy cavalry. So, it is wise to keep your infantry and heavy cavalry close, to assist you LCs and win the battle.

Well, this is still a general advice; your tactics may differ from case to case. But, same army I described was very efficient against infantry-heavy Armenian armies in open field.

[Javolenus]

Hi Magister,

That's great advice - many thanks indeed. I'll try out your ideas in the next clash with Scythians!

Best,

Jav.