Good even stack suggestions

[Lyons6]

Hey guys I'm still quite new to the game and would like some advice or good all round stacks or half stacks. If you could suggestion what the must have units are and others to compliment them I would greatly appreciate it.
Cheers
Lyons

[MaxWengers]

That is a big question. You will be gettings many back saying which faction you are playing?

MY adivce is to get a good balance & watch the costs. you cannot have all elite units but be prepared to upgrade.

IF you like European combat, then make sure you having a strong 'wall' of spears, then move on to flank proteactions & missiles. I love artillery so I always have at least one piece.

I don't tend to having half-stacks, I like to garrison with militas (free upkeep) & then have battle stacks ready for action, where needed.

Whatever the faction, it is alwasy good to find a unit which is reasonable & cheap. Upgrade as units become available but remembering in SS some of the elite units cost 300-600 florins per turn.

Finnally, never be caught in the east without adequate missile, light troops or skirmishers - you get mased by the horsie archers!

Max

[Lyons6]

That is a big question. You will be gettings many back saying which faction you are playing?

MY adivce is to get a good balance & watch the costs. you cannot have all elite units but be prepared to upgrade.

IF you like European combat, then make sure you having a strong 'wall' of spears, then move on to flank proteactions & missiles. I love artillery so I always have at least one piece.

I don't tend to having half-stacks, I like to garrison with militas (free upkeep) & then have battle stacks ready for action, where needed.

Whatever the faction, it is alwasy good to find a unit which is reasonable & cheap. Upgrade as units become available but remembering in SS some of the elite units cost 300-600 florins per turn.

Finnally, never be caught in the east without adequate missile, light troops or skirmishers - you get mased by the horsie archers!

Max

Hi Max, I am currently playing the Kingdom of Jerusalem if that helps. The only other faction I play is the Brits but I must say I am partial to the Koj so suggestions for stacks for them in combating the Eastern factions would be great

[MaxWengers]

OK, first thing, you must check out the address below - it gives a full breakdown of the units you have/will have...it's simply brilliant


http://totalwar.honga.net/faction.php?v=ss6&f=jerusalem


I can see why you like KOJ - great challeges, great units. I'm no expert but I found two different chanllenges faceing the Fatimids & Seljuks.

Fatimids - more routine - you can rely on good numbers of spears & horse - peasant archers do a job & are cheap. But beware, there are plenty of them Fatimds

Seljuks - I learnt some hard lessons with theese guys. They seem to have good early spears & lots of archers/skirmishers & horse archers. You need to really think about how to counter this. Your Frecnh dismouted archers are simly the best but I think you have to wait for them. The crossbow guys aere good but far too expensive. Squires are good & cheap. I found I never had the money for mercenary horse archers.... I think the templar seargants will be your based & you wilkl need to use peasant archers for a time. Mounted seargants can be your light cavary. I found fighting the hihgly mobile Seljuks a real challenge.

Good luck & get one of chapters so you can get the excellent units they provide. I always have a holy cross as well once you can....

Max

[Lyons6]

OK, first thing, you must check out the address below - it gives a full breakdown of the units you have/will have...it's simply brilliant


http://totalwar.honga.net/faction.php?v=ss6&f=jerusalem


I can see why you like KOJ - great challeges, great units. I'm no expert but I found two different chanllenges faceing the Fatimids & Seljuks.

Fatimids - more routine - you can rely on good numbers of spears & horse - peasant archers do a job & are cheap. But beware, there are plenty of them Fatimds

Seljuks - I learnt some hard lessons with theese guys. They seem to have good early spears & lots of archers/skirmishers & horse archers. You need to really think about how to counter this. Your Frecnh dismouted archers are simly the best but I think you have to wait for them. The crossbow guys aere good but far too expensive. Squires are good & cheap. I found I never had the money for mercenary horse archers.... I think the templar seargants will be your based & you wilkl need to use peasant archers for a time. Mounted seargants can be your light cavary. I found fighting the hihgly mobile Seljuks a real challenge.

Good luck & get one of chapters so you can get the excellent units they provide. I always have a holy cross as well once you can....

Max

thanks for the info Max I shall look at applying it tonight

[Pious Agnost]

For me, an "even" stack would be 5 Noble Pikemen, 5 Galloglaichs, 4 Feudal Knights + General, 3 Scots Guards and 2 cannons\catapults, either that, or full stack of Galloglaichs

[Gorrrrrn]

A lot depends on your style of playing.

If, like me, you prefer a battle which doesn't require much input (I have RSI to try and keep use of mouse / keyboard to minimum (even here!)) you'll probably find an army with lots of infantry, spears and good missile units enables a good defensive line-up.

However if you prefer a more mobile, chaotic, and physically demanding battle, you'll probably find a cavalry heavy army more fun.

[MaxWengers]

Hello Again,

It took me a few battles to learn how to handle the Seljuks as the KOJ. They are a tough bucnh & very mobile - don't forget the archers & get those Franch archers as soon as possibe..

See how the crossbow men work for you, they are free upkeep in castle garrison but supr expensice outside...

MAx

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

MaxWengers.....Thats for taking the time to help. +Rep

Lyons6 stack make up should depend on how you want to play. A basic battle formation is the Zula's Horns of the Bull. Essentially a pinning force inthe middle to pin down the enemy (spears) and fast units on the ends, {horns} to encirlce and crush your foe. (cavalry, fast infantry).

Usually the best way to go is mixed combat arms, cuz its flexible and can deal with lots of opponent make ups.
1. A couple of archers for range and {fire arrows, morale killer}.
2. Spear line for defense and pinning.
3. Axes or swords for support
4. Horses for encirclement, shock and routers.

With time you'll discover what works best for you, and that's what you should run with. Me, I prefer horse armies but their expenseive and make good Shih-Kabobs for spear-heavy opponents.

[delra]

4 heavy cavalry, 8 crossbowmen or elite archers, 2 generals plus some infantry to... stand and watch cavalry and missile troops slaughter enemy.

[aduellist]

KoJ presents another factor that must be considered, fatigue due to heat. I fight in winter whenever possible, but summer battles are common when the bad old Fatimids insist on attacking then.

I'm using OTZ's AoR sub-mod with the KoJ add on in my current camapign, so units may be different than available in vanilla SS 6.1.

My field armies usually consist of a general, 7-8 spearmen (Templar and Hospitaller sergeants in winter, substituting some Templar spearmen in summer), 3 to 5 Hospitaller crossbowmen, a couple units of Saracen mercs (swordsmen), and 2 to 3 units of Hospitaller knights. I use a couple units of Turkopole mercs in the north for missile cav.

The lighter spearmen are necessary in summer. If you're fighting a field battle in summer, depending on terrain, your sergeants (Templar or Hospitaller) will pay for the extra armor by being anywhere between Winded and Exhausted by the time you reach the enemy lines.

As an aside, does anyone else find it odd that units suffer heat penalties when fighting night battles in the desert?