Schiltrom and Sqaure formations

[Paladin94610]

Hi,
Spearmen are well-known units for absorbing cavalry charges but the heavy cavalry (even Mailed Knights) can break a line of spearmen. I once lost 60-90 spearmen out of 113 men from a spear unit from a single heavy cavalry charge. But in the schiltrom formation it seems to resist better to the cavalry charges as it lost not more than 40 men. All of this is in version 6.3. How is it in your game, schiltrom effective for resisting cavalry charges? And I appreciate any suggestion and discussion.

-IA

[Neptune7]

thanks for the info tip..I never tried that formation before..But I certainly will...You also reminded me to try out other formations that I keep forgetting to do. Not the formations that you click a button on, but formations where you click and drag a unit to the desired formation you want..Like making 2 long lines for the heavy pikeman unit so as to cover a larger distance, and cover the front line better.

[ninja51]

In skiltrom your units are alot closer and the formation is very tight. They can charge through the outer layre of one edge but will hit spears quickly and will stop charging. Real skiltroms actually had many spears in the outside intead of ljust many layers of a circle. I found by actually using a tactic the scottish did to almost win the William Wallaces second big battle, the one he lost due to betrayl, three masses in skiltrom, with archers or whatever ranged unit in between. I made a pirramid like structure with skiltrom, 3 in front, 2 in the gabs slightly behind, and one in the gap between them slight behind, cavalry are completely crushed, and depending on the spearmen infantry aswell. When the units gradualystart to skin in between the gaps is when the real killing begins as the spears will hit them from all sides and your spearmen will never be hit from a side. So to answer your question more clearly, I think its just the density of the formation and the spears causing the cavalry to slow down much quicker from their charge

[DasKommissar]

The benefits of schiltrom has been discussed numerous times in other threads, its has been proven to have incredible benefits in survivability against cavalry, lessening to some degree the effects of a full on charge, although it works wonders when cavalry could not get speed for charge and are just stuck doing a normal attack. A spear unit not only resist shock from charge better but it better defensively holds its position when being surrounded by superior infantry forces keeping morale high and increading survivability. Schiltrom has on numerous occasions allowed my units to hold a position when outnumbered until reinforcments bould come and at the same time putting a dent in enemy forces. Also long discussed is the incredibly defnsive formation of stacking in a line multiple spearmen in schiltrom leaving some room between them for enemy to try and go through but ultimately get attacked form multiple directions. Behind that stick some archers and/or swordsmen and you can do some real damage for w/e gets thrown at you.

[Alavaria]

What I've noticed is sometimes a perfectly orderly and not moving unit (idle) of spearmen will not brace in time to take a cavalry charge. The AI's spears seem capable of moving to "Ready" very fast, my own do not. Schiltrom however forces the spearmen into the Ready position.

It may also be that, as a circle, when a cavalry charge hits, horsemen at the ends of the formation don't charge into anyone - they run into air as maybe 10 knights hit the circle, then then draw swords to melee.

[ninja51]

Schiltroms are really really good. Like I mentioned in the William Wallace battle, I cant remember the name, but in the movie Braveheart the second big field battle that he lost. They had it all wrong. He has 3 schiltroms, and he would have had victory, things were going extremely well for them, except his cavalry deserted. The schiltroms were holding strong, Norman cavalry was useless and the infantry couldnt get past the literal wall of spears surrounding each circle. A cavalry charge from the flanks is what he planned and it would have routed the english and the Scots would be free. Unfortunatly though the Scottish barons were in some cases more English than Scottish. Schiltroms in the game are pretty dang strong, throw one infront of a gate and you can almost watch the slaughter, any that make it past the front troops just get hit by the side ones, its a shame, I think alot of players dont know the strength of the formation and avoid using it thinking its just if a spear unit gets surrounded. I know I did for a while

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

A question for all... If spear militia types are your battleline is it better to brace for the cav charge or charge the oncoming horsemen? I usually have bows in my front line and charge the spears to cover there retreat when threatened.


OT: a Schiltrom front line when you have the high ground is pretty much instant win. With good javelin/range units it's in the bag. Go take a nap and have your cav on stand by to scrap up the routers....

[Gogolometro]

Good use is a schildron in cities on streets. This will block for lot of time the strike to central square.