Guard Mode

[Pfundner]

How do you guys use guard mode? i never use it and a friend told me i should, apparently it allows crummy units to hold out much longer. anyone got any tips?

[OfficerJohn]

It makes your units hold their formation.

[Olifantenstaart]

Especially use it if your main battle line exists of units in shield wall-formation. I also use it for archers.

[ISA Gunner]

To use it, i click on the little shield icon down the bottom right-hand corner and make it turn green.

[Afonso the Conqueror]

To use it, i click on the little shield icon down the bottom right-hand corner and make it turn green.

[jinjo]

i use it when i defend
if u attack (or for example when u run to catch enemy troops) u should disable it because soldiers are running more quickly when guard mode is disabled

[lunch]

I like to fight defensivly, and then I make a solid line with infantry and hold them on guard mode to hold the line. I often use it on archers to, who I put right behind my infantry and they would have pulled back when my infantry is fighting if I didn`t.

[Olifantenstaart]

It's still usefull, but it's not anymore what it used to be in RTW. In RTW, you had no choice but to use it for your phalanx-units.

[DeliCious.vP]

Using Guard move is not a good idea for most units. as they wont target anything outside of their formation ex 3 soldier can be beating on one of yours but in guard stance they will just watch. not automatcly engage to break it down short units on Guard mode kills less alot less. all thou they might live longer their K/D ratio is worse.

[Abyrvalg]

Using Guard move is not a good idea for most units. as they wont target anything outside of their formation ex 3 soldier can be beating on one of yours but in guard stance they will just watch. not automatcly engage to break it down short units on Guard mode kills less alot less. all thou they might live longer their K/D ratio is worse.

Guard mode is useful for keeping large masses of enemy without breaking your defensive line. Without GM your units when engaged in combat will try to advance slowly, and you'll soon find a lot of holes in your lines. If enemy outnumbers you, you then are as good as dead.
It may be useless for 'charging type' armies, but is vital for elves, allowing them to keep large masses of orcs away from archers without turning battle in real chaos.

[Pfundner]

Guard mode is useful for keeping large masses of enemy without breaking your defensive line. Without GM your units when engaged in combat will try to advance slowly, and you'll soon find a lot of holes in your lines. If enemy outnumbers you, you then are as good as dead.
It may be useless for 'charging type' armies, but is vital for elves, allowing them to keep large masses of orcs away from archers without turning battle in real chaos.

i went through a whole silvan campaign without using it

[Caml3]

Wow, I just learned a lot...I always assumed it was just another iteration of guarding from AoE.

[Kahvipannu]

Guerd is good when you have solid defencive line.. And your troops won't automatically start chasing down routing enemy troops, this further makes it easier to keep your formations in shape.

[DeliCious.vP]

i never use guard ive lost battles using guard to hold formation they fight alot more flexible and reliable without guardmode.

[P|A|ntZ]

Going back to an old M2TW tip with heavy cavalry (esp lancers w/ high charge) I always always put my heavy cav in defensive mode when charging. The formation keeps together much better, you get a more effective charge, and you can more quickly withdraw your cavalry from the enemy lines if you need to.

I always use it for defending spearmen too, to hold their line.

[George Maniaces]

I've noticed that sometimes if I don't put units on walls in guard mode, they chase the enemies down the ladders and get slaughtered mercilessly. Needless to say, I use guard mode liberally when defending sieges.

[m60g]

Thank God for this thread


I've been wondering how to keep my formations together. When I start routing enemy units, My lines fall all to hell. And then Chaos ensues. Especially when you have 1000's of soldiers.

[Vifarc]

Guard mode is good too for 1st line defending archers! (good for sacrificed crap ones, or for heavy armored ones)
Being attacked toe to toe, some will use their sword, but more will keep on using their bow (instead of going to slash a neighboor ennemy)!
and as soon the attacker flee they will shoot instead of pursuing a little with sword.

[paganmetal3r]

I use it with pikes. They go to prone and form a spear wall...hehe

[A1_Unit]

I use it with pikes. They go to prone and form a spear wall...hehe

They do?