Pin and flank, a classic medieval strategy.

[Conquistatore]

This strategy has been around since the dawn of time, and has never failed me personally.

I will be presenting this strategy in a very simple and easy to follow 4 step guide, with a picture to demonstrate.

Step 1. Form up your line of infantry (preferably spearmen or pikes) so that they are at least 3 men deep and facing the enemy on a broad front. Make sure to have your cavalry ready on the flanks of the infantry line.

Step 2. Move your infantry line forward so that it engages with the opposing infantry line. Keep your cavalry behind the infantry to make sure they do not engage, yet.

Step 3. While your infantry is fully engaged with the enemy's line, move your cavalry up to the flanks of the enemy's line and destroy any units with one charge that are placed there. (In this example I have placed some archers).

Step 4. Check your line to make sure the enemy is not about to break through anywhere, reinforce that part of the line if needed. Move your cavalry up and around to the rear of the enemy's line. Once your cavalry are comepletely formed up and ready, charge a unit into each section of the line for the best effect and the most casualties. Now watch the carnage ensue as your cavalry grinds up the enemy's line against your infantry.

This completes my 4 step guide to pinning and flanking.

For the picture: Red is the enemy, blue is you. The lines are infantry, the empty circles are cavalry and the spray/dots are ranged units. The arrows are the direction to move, and colour corresponds with what unit to move and where.



Hope this helps some people out there that are unsure how to flank and use cavalry effectively. I should note that the above strategy does not necesarrily need cavalry to win, you could substitute heavy infantry or even light infantry. In my experience heavy cavalry is the best though because of the charge bonus they receive and their ability to steamroll units. Also, your infantry line should be made up of units that have good defence and shield values for maximum value and hold capacity.

Thanks
Conquistatore

[Commander5xl]

How well can this be done when your outnumbered? because those bloody Spain's don't know when to give up... all they have is one settlement, a castle and no port or anything yet they seem to be able to train and keep about 5 full stacks while myself as Moors can only keep about 2 full stacks, but it takes time, and im constantly being underseige and when my armies are moving im attacked and wiped out because I only have spearmen who get owned by their Feudal Knights :|

[Conquistatore]

In reality you need to have an equal or near equal amount of units to be able to hold the line and the enemy. Alternatively you could have maybe 10 - 20% less troops but better trained and higher quality troops that would do just as well.

When dealing with Knights, you need to have a unit ready to absorb the charge and then quickly move in your other spears to surround and destroy the Knights.

[Landtuber]

For a strategy to keep in mind when your outnumbered, this is what I did with England all the time. This army was generally my raiding army so had no archers, just a couple as spies as well to open gates but that's not important for this.

6 * Heavy Infantry (Armored Swordsmen)
6 * Feudal Knights (English Knights if I had them)
1 General with high morale/command/chivalry

As my army was a smaller stack, I often got attacked by large stacks of enemies so I perfected this strategy. This works best against European armies as Eastern armies generally have to much light cavalry and skirmishers for this to be effective.

NOTE: In several stages things could be very different, for example if you manage you kill the enemy general early, the enemy army will likely rout on the next charge, cutting out easily half of your own losses. Also, I left the final archer unit for last as I needed the additional charges into the enemy line to prevent my own from routing. Play around with this strategy, but it has served me extremely well against large armies of heavily armed and armored foes.

SETUP:

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Basic line setup with the AI deployed in there classic array.

First move:

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AI moves up their archers and infantry, I advance to meet them so their archers have less time to pick off some of my men, and my cavalry sweeps forward, tying down their two unit of cavalry and preparing the first charges into the enemies rear. Note the small gaps in the back of my lines due to archer casualties.

Second move:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The two lines are fully engaged, as are their two cavalry units with four of my own. You could use just two of your own heavy cavalry if yours is superior to their own and could destroy them on the initial charge. One of my remaining HC hits the rear of left flank while the other engages the enemy archers.

3rd move:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The cavalry on the right flank prepare for charges into the rear of the enemy while one unit from the left charges into a retreating archer unit while the other hits the enemy general that is currently engaged. Note how the thicker enemy lines are already pushing through my own.

4th Move:

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Most of the enemy archers are now gone, along with one unit of my HC and two others are likely heavily injured by now. The enemy has broken through my lines at several points and moral is becoming very low. However, the left flank has begun to wrap around the enemy and two more units of cavalry charge home there to keep up the momentum. One unit of HC keeps the enemy general occupied in the middle while the right flank is also hit by two units of HC. At this point your general charges right up the middle through a gap to reinforce your men and bolster their morale.

5th Move:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The wrap up of the enemy is well underway, although your mainline units are heavily injured and one has been completely routed and destroyed. Another unit of HC bites the dust from enemy archer fire and their general, but one more HC unit charges into the enemy general to keep him from flanking your own men as both flanks continue to be hit by your own cavalry. Your general continues to charge in and out of any gaps in the front line to keep your men fighting.

6th move:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The enemy infantry have been completely routed due to massive casualties from your heavy cavalry, and your remaining HC hit the enemy general from all sides, finishing him off if he isn't already dead. Send one unit of HC to deal with the remaining archers as well.

7th move:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Victory! Consolidate your men and enjoy your heroic victory results screen,

Hope this helps someone, it was fun to put my strategy into pics and words,

[Conquistatore]

Hey, way to hijack the thread.
Thanks.

[Viking Prince Olaf]

do what?......theres more complicated stradegies and formations,
my point is why post this? Everyone knows this....

[Landtuber]

Sorry Conquistatore, was just supplying my two cents for when your outnumbered.

[Viking Prince Olaf]

This post is simple and imformative, if you would like to make some new stradigies I would love to have more high-class conversations about each of our different styles. Personally I like to have middle Eastern cavelry type and charge straight into A line of infantry and then click for them to run right through where the unit is, so all cavelry will run through the formation killing ALL in their path. If some of you didn't get that i'll rephrase this in simpler terms...

[Conquistatore]

This post is simple and imformative, if you would like to make some new stradigies I would love to have more high-class conversations about each of our different styles. Personally I like to have middle Eastern cavelry type and charge straight into A line of infantry and then click for them to run right through where the unit is, so all cavelry will run through the formation killing ALL in their path. If some of you didn't get that i'll rephrase this in simpler terms...

Sorry my guide is not 'high class' enough for you. It is meant to be a simple and easy to follow step by step guarantee for successfully pinning and flanking an enemy. I chose not to confuse anyone by using difficult language or telling stories, only some hard fact and process.

If you don't like it, don't read it and don't use it. Simple.

[Aetius]

This is lke my only offensive strategy...thats how well it works.

[Muagan_ra]

You don't need to have equal numbers to make this work. Decent infantry can hold out long enough for a flanking move to be executed, in most circumstances. In fact, cavalry flanking is the best way to deal with a superior (numbered) force.

I prefer not to split my cavalry, you should focus them all on one flank, because a rout on one end of a line can cause a cascading rout. You lessen your chances of success by dividing your forces - it's all about local superiority.

[Commander5xl]

Hmm, okay but Landtubber here's my problem, as the Moors, I do not have any good heavy infantry to counter their dismounted knights and feudal swordsman, the best I got is Arab dismounted cavalry, which are Spearmen with little armor, so with me being constantly outnumbered say 25% outnumbered, yet it seems like 50% because of their units, how can I defeat them?

[DJ_JasonX]

as moors, you get urban militia (upgraded can deal with most heavy inf) and dism christian guard (one of the better heavy inf units).

but when playing moors i'm usually using granadine jinetes or the superb value peasant crossbowmen to take out the heavily armoured types.

[Landtuber]

Good post DJ_JasonX, urban militia are actually a very good counter to most eastern heavy infantry. They won't win the fight, but they'll last more than long enough for your cavalry charges to flank them out.

Even using basic spear militia with upgraded armor can usually hold long enough to pin them down. Your just have less wiggle room with the enemy morale and their general.

[Muagan_ra]

Hmm, okay but Landtubber here's my problem, as the Moors, I do not have any good heavy infantry to counter their dismounted knights and feudal swordsman, the best I got is Arab dismounted cavalry, which are Spearmen with little armor, so with me being constantly outnumbered say 25% outnumbered, yet it seems like 50% because of their units, how can I defeat them?

Urban milita are only marginally inferior to dismounted Feudal Knights, and cost a lot less.

[Viking Prince]

Hmm, okay but Landtubber here's my problem, as the Moors, I do not have any good heavy infantry to counter their dismounted knights and feudal swordsman, the best I got is Arab dismounted cavalry, which are Spearmen with little armor, so with me being constantly outnumbered say 25% outnumbered, yet it seems like 50% because of their units, how can I defeat them?

The key to the Moors is Jihad and quantity. There is no quality advantage. Your economy is weaker than the uropean factions mainly due to trade. Marrakesh is too far away and you have too many castles in the Western Med. You need to outnumber your enemy on the field by perhaps 10%, preferably by 25%. Going in as the numeric underdog is a formula for defeat.

[Conquistatore]

As Viking said, you need to zerg the enemy and beat them down from range if possible. The same goes for the other Islamic factions, they lack some good strong hold the line units like the European's have so this calls for different tactics and an innovative strategy.

[Viking Prince Olaf]

But you won't get christian gaurd until late so make good with their various spearmen and urban militia for now....

[Conquistatore]

It should be fairly easy to hold off your enemies until you get the better units and tech. Just use lots of archers to soften the enemy and use plenty of flanking. Your armies won't survive head on battles with the better quality Spanish and Portugese troops. You can also try tiring their troops out but having them run circles in the desert.

[Kisfvo]

This is called "Hammer and Anvil," and deployed properly, it can defeat an army three times your size (as shown by Alexander the Great).