How to use archers in siege

[Ezilkannan]

This may seem to be a noob question, but i need to know,
How to use archers effectively in a siege battle? Caz, the building and other things in a siege really obstructs the arrows and the archers seem to shoot them in a high arc as a result, which isnt as effective as when shot at a lower angle. I know putting them infront of all other unit will help them fire effectively but then they could be placed at the risk of being charged by cavalry and wont be enough room to get out of the way quickly as the streets are narrow compared to an open field. So, how can I effectively use them? Because of this i tend to autoresolve siege battles, as i play england which uses a lot of longbowmen. Any tips?

[Rakoua]

Put them on the walls maybe?

[Shiina]

Put them on the walls maybe?

XD that's so obvious XD

[Double A]

I think he meant when attacking.

Arrows can arc, you know? Stick them behind the lowest and closest building that seperates the street from the town center so they don't get caught up in a melee, but can still hit the enemy. Sticking them on a wall close to the TC will help too.

If you're attacking a village, there is usually a little hill with a building overlooking the rest of town. I usually stick some archers there.

You can put some missile units at the end of a long, straight street, with some nearby melee units to attack any enemies who try to enter melee with your ranged units. This street is also handy for a cavalry charge, in my experience.

[Ezilkannan]

Yea, i meant about attack siege, not defending ones. The AI almost never comes to me in defend sieges as my cities and castles are well garissoned. and even if they do attack me, i can do defend sieges very well. But not so good in attack thats why i asked, maybe the title should be changed to atk sieges

[dunkdafunk]

usually i use low grade archers to draw missle fire away from my seige equipment, so they can reach the walls or gate befor they are on fire.

Once wall is under my control, i use the height to place my archers.

If no wall, then just make sure they are screened by a spear unit.
Fire with them from an advantaged position.

Once u have taken the walls, The enemy will retreat to next walls, or center. Carfeully look at construction of fortresses, often walls are joined up and u can just walk onto their inner wall.

When moving along a street, u can use archers as bait, to draw out the cowering enemy, your archers can always run back behind a screen of melee units. Once the enemy has rushed past a side road, crush them with cavalry attacking from side or rear.

[Medkirtys]

I think he meant siege attack

[Rakoua]

You're better off bringing tons of armored swordsmen, but with England you can use longbows from outside to support your men on the walls. Can be enough to tilt the fight there in your favour.

Then put them on the enemy walls any kill them with your arrows!

[Silverheart]

When besieging, I prefer to chase the enemy to the Plaza first. Then I place a thick blob of infantry right outside it, and the archers safely some ten meters behind them (so they can fire over without having to fire straight up).
Enemy citadels are fun for that reason: when the enemy is in the Plaza, you can place your archers in safety atop the walls on the inner circle. There, they are safe from enemy retaliation (most often) and can fire directly down at the remaining enemies.

But it´s still better to use heavy infantry to clear enemy settlements, or bombard them from afar with mortars (using other artillery to destroy their walls and towers, of course)

[painter]

Carfeully look at construction of fortresses, often walls are joined up and u can just walk onto their inner wall.

Unfortunately, if you patched the game to version 1.2, the doors of the interconnecting towers are barred shut and you won't be able to walk into the inner walls. It made some of my sieges more costly than it used to.

For walls where your archers can shoot over, but face the enemy's own missile troops, you can just scramble one expendable unit up against the walls. The enemy will then fruitlessly shoot at that unit using high arcs. You will lose some men, but once the enemy has run out of ammunition, you will be free to shoot over the walls as you wish.

I would also sometimes rush some expendable troops, usually my archers as I would have excess units, up against the castle walls on the opposite direction of my chosen entry point, to pull some units away from the courtyard or the castle gates. Then when the assault on the gates can begin in earnest, the enemy units pulled away will take even longer to reach the gates.

Generally the enemy would be happy to send some units to try to dislodge your archers from the walls. At least until a certain point in their losses. Usually I'm just happy to let my archers show the enemy what they think of their attempts.

Or if the enemy have cavalry, then I would send in one of my own cavalry unit to try to attract the enemy to chase my cavalry up against the walls where my archers stand waiting. I have whittled down the King's bodyguards that way, sending my poor general running in and out of the city gates.

[Double A]

Unfortunately, if you patched the game to version 1.2, the doors of the interconnecting towers are barred shut and you won't be able to walk into the inner walls. It made some of my sieges more costly than it used to.

For walls where your archers can shoot over, but face the enemy's own missile troops, you can just scramble one expendable unit up against the walls. The enemy will then fruitlessly shoot at that unit using high arcs. You will lose some men, but once the enemy has run out of ammunition, you will be free to shoot over the walls as you wish.

I would also sometimes rush some expendable troops, usually my archers as I would have excess units, up against the castle walls on the opposite direction of my chosen entry point, to pull some units away from the courtyard or the castle gates. Then when the assault on the gates can begin in earnest, the enemy units pulled away will take even longer to reach the gates.

Generally the enemy would be happy to send some units to try to dislodge your archers from the walls. At least until a certain point in their losses. Usually I'm just happy to let my archers show the enemy what they think of their attempts.

Or if the enemy have cavalry, then I would send in one of my own cavalry unit to try to attract the enemy to chase my cavalry up against the walls where my archers stand waiting. I have whittled down the King's bodyguards that way, sending my poor general running in and out of the city gates.

Protip: always bring peasants.

[The Source]

once you have entered the settlemnt, stick your archers on the walls and have them fire at the incoming enemy(who are at the plaza), while the enemy slowly walks towards you theyll lose numbers + morale making it an easy win

[painter]

Protip: always bring peasants.

I've considered it, but I feel that not bothering with peasants would be more cost-effective. While they are very expendable, they are still mouths to feed and bodies to clothe and shelter. I do not want to pay that 90 florin upkeep for a unit that I do not need nor desire to use in battle, and a unit of longbowmen with some losses will still be far more effective than a full unit of peasants.

[Rakoua]

Peasants are sometimes more useful then elite infantry... Especialy in early and high eras, when you generaly only need a longer front and no special morale... Even on VH/VH

[PrestigeX]

If you really need to, you can just wait until the enemy is forced to sally out and attack you. Most of the time I've noticed in my sieges, if I don't assault the enemy may send reinforcements and attack me. This is always my favourite situation, because even if they're got twice the men as me I can probably win -- thus taking the settlement and knocking down their forces that little bit more.

Attacking with archers, you need to have them be at a bit of a distance from the walls so they can shoot over them, or shoot at troops who are on the walls. Its not the most effective but you'll kill a decent amout of the enemy depending on the armor level of the troops you target. Once you get past the gateway and the enemy has fallen back to the plaza, you can move your archers into the city/castle and have them positioned at the various roads leading to the plaza.

Alternatively, you can blast a few holes into the walls with siege artillery and then position your archers so they have a clear shot through those breaches at the enemy.

Mostly I think it's best to have "field armies" and then siege armies... The former being more equipped with archers, horse archers, and light/heavy cavalry and the latter relying primarily on heavy infantry with some heavy cav support.

[Jared Sinn]

I agree with above, for sieging, I only bring maybe 2 units of archers/xbow. I don't get much use out of them in the seige whereas heavy infantry is very useful. Often, I won't even bring cav if I'm sending out a siege army with the exception of the general who I won't even bother bringing into the walls.

On the other hand, it is fun lining up xbows at the entrances to the plaza with spears behind in case of cav charge and then decimating everyone inside with crossfire. I zoom in to watch this, but I'm a bit sick and twisted I suppose.

[John Churchill]

Archers are just plain worthless in an assault. If you are trying to do it quick and violent just leave the archers standing in the background. Norse archers on the other hand are fine melee troops.

[Shasqua]

I place my army not too far but not too close to the enemy's walls. They'll usually fall back to the town square. I then rush some cavalry to secure the gates, with inf. behind them, and place archers on the walls. If the enemy counterattacks, they'll be cut down by arrows and then hacked apart if they're still fighting.

[beatinbossier]

do people still play this game online im thinking about getting it i have etw and ntw but am a fan of midevil war the game looks fun but i wont buy unless ppl still ply online

[Ishiro]

After i take the walls with ladders and a single tower, and i completely vanquish the enemy infantry on the walls, i hurry my missile troops to the ladders and then i shift + click for them to climb them and take postions on the walls facing the main street that lead to the town/castle center. Meanwhile i do this i get my troops off the wall and on the streets. By the time my missile troops are where i want them to be i press fire at will for them to lay waste on the enemy army. Once the enemy retreats to the central plaza, i place my cav on the left and my inf to the right just to chill and regain their breath behind the tallest buildings a few meters away from the main street earlier mentioned. My archers then occupy themselves on targeting the enemy troops that go forward the street looking to fight some more, making them routing again and again until their arrows (xbows) are depleted. Only then i move my entire army to the central plaza, infantry leading the way, while cav flanking rear or side streets.