Horse Archer Heavy Faction

[MarkCef]

Hey everyone, been reading these forums for quite some time and decided it was time to sign up. I'm starting a new campaign with the SS 6.1 mod and I'm just wondering, what would be a good faction to play as? I want one that is horse archer/javelin heavy and not a terrible starting position. I was recently looking at Cuman Khanate, Kievan Rus, and Repbulic of Novgorod. I also played as Egypt in vanilla and enjoyed there starting position as well as the overpowered Mamluks. Just wondering if anyone would be so kind as to suggest a faction to play as. Preferably close to the mediterannean or other large bodies of water (for trade and easy access to New World). Thanks in advance.

[axnsan]

byzantines and turks have a lot of horse archers, also byzantines have firethrowers. turks have naffatun and janisary units
in ss byzantines also have a gunner unit
also, for javelin heavy factions you should try spain, portugal and aragon

[Squid]

Moved to Stainless Steel forums

[Aranu]

There is no new world in Stainless Steel.

[Gogolometro]

Templars.

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

Byzantines are always attractive, wide range of units/no javelins
Kievan Rus and Rep. of Novgorod. Poland is interesting.
Turks have excellent archers, but archers generally are underpowered. I do not use them at all. Wrong mod for archers. They cant kill anyone in this mod!!!

[Medieval PossuM]

I don´t know if it´s Real Combat or SSTC+RAJ but one of those 2 makes archers really damn strong in this game

[Smikis]

horse archers are generally annoying and pretty much useless unit >_< ( without special combat submods )

lithuania have horse archers, some javelin men ( more of melee combat unit as they dont have skirmish and gets out of amo fast, they just trow few times before charging in, they do kick some ass tho )some javelin riders too

cuman have t1 horse archers.. t2 t3 t4 if im correct, best unit supposedly is horse archer , no javelins of what i can recall

[Waffen9999]

The Mongols should have the best archers in the game though as was stated, archers are somewhat nerfed to a point.

[Gorrrrrn]

*cough* Cumans can recruit Vlach javelinmen.

Check the SSUST for 6.0:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...82#post2850782

(note sub-mods may alter roster composition for factions)

Archers can be very good in the game - but they do require unarmoured targets and close range to be really effective.

[St Naffatun]

I find archers quite effective placed behind and it may be my imagination but placed to the right of the enemy (the side with no shield) seems to be quite effective and that's just with Turkpole mercs as the Templars. I'm sure the mongol HA's would be devastating used correctly.

[Waffen9999]

I find archers quite effective placed behind and it may be my imagination but placed to the right of the enemy (the side with no shield) seems to be quite effective and that's just with Turkpole mercs as the Templars. I'm sure the mongol HA's would be devastating used correctly.

Well it's hard to properly model the fact that their compact bows could penetrate quite a bit of armor. Certainly not the stuff near end game >at least I don't think but they could certainly pose a problem for earlier armored foes. But their true power was their devestating speed and horse stamina. Sadly I just dont' think the game models it properly enough.

[django333]

Horse archers are definately not useless. I'd go as far to say that when used right, horse archers are overpowered. A stack of horse archers can destroy pretty much any army in the field. My greatest heroic victories came from my Mongolian campaign. Just spam Mongolian Horse Archers and nothing can stand in your way.

[nopasties]

Horse Archers are quite effective when used in mass, you just need to manage them from other cavalry and especially generals. The Mongols HA's can beat any Kwarezm army the comp sends. The Byzantines are effective using HA against the Venetians and other Europeans especially. Once I get established a little I use army's of 14-16 Horse Archers and 4-6 Heavy cavalry for field battles and an infantry heavy army for sieges. Also like in the case of the Byzantines once I get Hungary neutered or destroyed I leave one Horse Archer army in the whole west part of my empire for defense--including the most basic militia units that manage happiness more than for defense and raise a few army's to handle the eastern expansion in order to reclaim the former East Roman possesions

[Manoflooks]

cumans are awesome, expecially with horse archers. Check out the Cuman Cake Confederacy AAR.