Shield Wall Over-run...

[Andrik]

While playing a new game as the dwarves (no cheats or anything) I attacked a NPK city and assaulted it.

Once I had broken through the gates with my Ballista, I placed all my units on Shield Wall ability (to counter any charges from the Woodsmen) and moved into the city.

For some reason I decided to try and push my way through the enemy ranks and get down the street to get to their archers. The results were amazing.

By simply clicking a "charge/run" double click BEHIND the unit in my way, I started hearing shields pounding harder so I zoomed in on the units to see what was going on.

Lo-and-behold, my dwarves were pushing through and pounding the enemy into the dirt! It had been taking much too long to fight through the enemy, but with this tactic they were pushing through the center of the enemy, breaking the units in the way (causing them to route) and inflicting horrible casualties on the enemy.

Once I came into contact with the archers I did the same thing, double-click BEHIND them and it was a true massacre.

I didn't know if anyone else had noticed this "Shield Wall Overrun" ability; so I thought I would come to ask.

If it has already been talked about somewhere else, I apologize; but I would much rather PLAY TATW than read through all the many, many pages of talking going on here.

On the other hand, I realize if people read every single post then perhaps there wouldn't be so many threads...but with so much, it is unlikely anyone new (like me) can do that.

[Danny_K_1]

News to me mate, will try this one out when I get time.

[A1_Unit]

I noticed this when playing vannila. It's more effective at pushing through enemies at the cost of a few more casualties.

[Nole4694]

wow, ill have to look into this

[A1_Unit]

I've tested it with all vannila campaigns and 2 hosted mods (including TATW ). It works.

[karamazovmm]

great thing this is, has someone tried with spear wall?

[Andrik]

I did notice in another battle just now that it DOES inflict more casualties on my army too...but the ability to break enemy lines was amazing!

I had just taken Dain's Halls, and then moved from there to secure the area from an army of Orcs my spy saw coming from the west; but there was an even larger army right behind it.

I moved up to attack the smaller army, and unfortunately forgot that almost all orcs are night fighters (dumb mistake) so I had to fight them both or get surrounded.

I rushed the smaller army in the field and tore them apart quickly using the Shield Wall Overrun. Their lines just couldn't hold against me doing this. I quickly destroyed/routed the first group (except the few snaga units...I hate those guys) and then took up a defensive position against the next group while my Iron Crossbowmen started picking off the snaga on my flanks.

Even though I was outnumbered by the second group, the Overrun tactic worked like a charm again to help me break their lines and get through to the General. After he was killed, I had to mop up the snaga skirmishers...basically herd them to the edge of the map and corner them.

It was a long battle, and I lost a lot of troops...but the sheer power of this overrun thing is pretty nice addition to the Dwarven Arsenal.

I haven't tried it with any other shield/spearwall units yet; but I'm betting it works for them too.

I wonder if it would work against Trolls?

[Del Valle]

I do this all the time, but only with orcs. This thing tends to give you casualties,thogh, so it's a no go when I'm playing Elves or Dwarves.

[Duke_Dutch]

I know that trick, I used it a long time ago on Europa Barbarorum I, EB 1 have units with high devend an low attack if you do the same thick agianst units with high attack and a low devence you will get slaughterd ( I used it at rome Tw with a group of roman legonair soldiers agianst warband archers and the archers destrooit my unit in just 3 seconds).

If you unit is stronger they can't defeat there enemy quick because there is not to muts space to do so, if you have for a group of 120 men perhaps 30 man are fighting and the rest waiting in the ranks to replace the losses. This thakes time an your unit get tired. but to move quick trough there ranks you will lose some man but you will then be posible to use the advantige of youre troops with geat effect. use it only when you have better troops than your enemy or you will get a slaughter.

[A1_Unit]

I know that trick, I used it a long time ago on Europa Barbarorum I, EB 1 have units with high devend an low attack if you do the same thick agianst units with high attack and a low devence you will get slaughterd ( I used it at rome Tw with a group of roman legonair soldiers agianst warband archers and the archers destrooit my unit in just 3 seconds).

If you unit is stronger they can't defeat there enemy quick because there is not to muts space to do so, if you have for a group of 120 men perhaps 30 man are fighting and the rest waiting in the ranks to replace the losses. This thakes time an your unit get tired. but to move quick trough there ranks you will lose some man but you will then be posible to use the advantige of youre troops with geat effect. use it only when you have better troops than your enemy or you will get a slaughter.

It doesn't work in RTW.

[Daergar]

Has anyone had success using this method while semi-flanking? Sort of how you charge elephants along the enemy line from the side while they are engaged with your front troops.

[Gezoes]

I've been using this for several years. Works great, especially in the streets and on the walls. I discovered it once I got tired of the three dudes attacking and the rest of the regiment staying behind catching arrows and what not. Click behind the enemy and let them mingle a bit, but instead of only bashing 'through' them, click attack anyway.

[Maca]

Cool, have to try this.

I never used to use shieldwall as it didn't seem to help much and since the line becomes shorter, making it easy to flank.

[Momus]

Has anyone had success using this method while semi-flanking? Sort of how you charge elephants along the enemy line from the side while they are engaged with your front troops.

Always have used it (with cavalry) just before i charge infantry into their lines - that way they are disorganised and stopped, but not ready so you troops massacre the first two or three lines before the enemy respond! heh heh heh!

But this idea does (IMO) have historical backing:

Hoplites, Vikings, Saxons etc --> they used to form shield walls and then try and batter each other into submission (a very rough and very basic explanation)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnPVG8uWbKU

[Legolose]

You can do it with any unit its been one of my tatics for M2TW for years...

[George Maniaces]

I've used this tactic many a time with the Dwarves. It just looks so Dwarfy, pushing right through an enemy unit that's in your way. I've noticed sometimes if the enemy is all packed in close together, like on a bridge, some will go flying into the air when I do this. Kinda funny.

[liddabit]

It works beautifully with the dwarves.

Also try this, halfway through pushing through them, to cut down on your own casualties.. order them to attack when they are all bunched up inside the enemy. The dwarves will explode outwards, which causes the enemy to go FLYING. It seems to damage the enemy like a cavalry charge.

For some reason I can't get it to work with the elven shieldwall unit. When I order them to attack, instead of the enemy, my elves go flying and mass die.

[Daergar]

For some reason I can't get it to work with the elven shieldwall unit. When I order them to attack, instead of the enemy, my elves go flying and mass die.

Duh, elves are lighter than dwarves and can thus take flight more easily.

[eugenioso]

LOL

i cant believe ppl are beginning to know about this so late in the game!

ive known this since RTW came out. i was sick of the enemy archers firing volleys into the melee between armies, so i told my men to run past the enemy units, and after they were right in the midst of the enemy forces i told them to attack their opponents again. it then looked like a real Braveheart style battle, where both forces were all mixed up and there was no real frontline like there is now and always

i have really hated that. you see 2 armies about to clash each other, and right before the charge ends both forces slow down, and all the front lines are neatly kept the same all throughout the battle.

[Andrik]

It isn't so late in the game for those of us who just started playing.

Not everyone has played MTW since it came out.

I just recently took this a step farther though:

I put all my dwarven infantry with shield wall in a line in proper formation and kept simply double-clicking behind the enemy lines...it tore them to pieces.

I did notice that my casualties in the city battles are greater than on the battle-field when I do this.

I'm not sure if I just need to test it more or if that is just the way it is.