Faction(s) with the best late era units?

**SoulBlade** · January 17, 2011, 03:19 PM

I am very confused about this, I know European factions get pikes, muskets and such, but the heavy spears and archers addition to the Muslim changed my opinion a bit.
Any ideas which factions have the better late units and why?

**Polycarpe** · January 17, 2011, 03:23 PM

Spain, France, Venice and HRE are imo the best late factions in the game.

Spain:Tercio Pikemen, late musketeer..Terrific.
France: For their Lancer, Scot guards and Aventurier.
Venice:For Stratiots, and Italian units (broken lance)
HRE:For their heavy reiter, Gothic knights.

**soulson** · January 17, 2011, 03:26 PM

What years are we talking here exactly before the majority of these units are available?

**Polycarpe** · January 17, 2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by soulson

What years are we talking here exactly before the majority of these units are available?

Quite late, between 1400-1500

**preachercheeze** · January 17, 2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by soulson

What years are we talking here exactly before the majority of these units are available?

1400-1500

EDIT: DAMN Byz. guard!!!! seconds before me!!!!

**Polycarpe** · January 17, 2011, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by preachercheeze

1400-1500

EDIT: DAMN Byz. guard!!!! seconds before me!!!!

Ahah

so it's a contest

? Just kidding

**Asterix** · January 17, 2011, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by soulson

What years are we talking here exactly before the majority of these units are available?

sometime in the 1300s, is when they start to appear, i think. if you play early era, you may never see them, and if you do the opportunities to recruit them will be few and far between. if you play late era, especially once Tears of Destiny's High Era Campaign comes out, you may see them quicker and more often.
OP- i think you should stick with Western Catholics. Much better late era stuff. heavy archers and spears are nice, but muskets and shiny new cavalry is nicer

**Polycarpe** · January 17, 2011, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Asterix

sometime in the 1300s, i think. if you play early era, you may never see them, and if you do the opportunities to recruit them will be few and far between. if you play late era, especially once Tears of Destiny's High Era Campaign comes out, you may see them quicker and more often.

If your patient, you could see them in Early campaign but I never reach it (always succeed the faction goals

) especially if played with 2TPY and imagine with 4TPY

**Don in the North** · January 17, 2011, 08:30 PM

imo france has the best late era roster. portugol/spain/aragon are also very nice. i dont find englands roster very impressive to say the least

**TheBard** · January 17, 2011, 08:47 PM

Are we talking 6.3 or 6.4? Or both?

My AAR with Portugal is currently in the 1270s, and while I have cannon towers, I can tell that any kind of handgunners or mobile cannons are still a ways off. Any chance I see them in the early to mid-1300s? I'm 170+ turns in (1TPY) on 6.3. Haven't seen any faction using handgunners or field cannons yet, but I haven't really looked much outside of my vicinity in Spain, north Africa, and France (which is now English).

I know the separate elements spread from somewhere (the Middle East?), but anyone have an estimate as to when I may be able to recruit handgunners or cannons?

**newt** · January 17, 2011, 09:08 PM

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...99#post8010499

**TheBard** · January 17, 2011, 09:36 PM

Thanks, Newt. Only about 50ish turns until I will see cannons, but a while for gunners.

+rep

**Gogolometro** · January 17, 2011, 11:16 PM

Best late army? France without question.

**Ninefingers** · January 18, 2011, 01:13 AM

Not yet mentioned; Venice has good late colonial units, as does Denmark. That's if you prefer infantry over cavalry, for cavalry fans the oft-mentioned France is without a doubt the best late-era faction.

Late Muslim units aren't restricted to heavy archers and spearmen; the shining stars are the Janissaries. So the Turks are definitely one to consider as well, seeing as how their late units constitute some of the best heavy infantry, archers and gunners in the game.

**Jiub** · January 18, 2011, 04:12 AM

Speaking of late game and muskets, i hate the fact that only archers can deploy stakes. Muskets and crossbows should be able too, any good reason they shouldn't ?

**newt** · January 18, 2011, 09:16 AM

Do it yourself, it's easy. Open export_descr_unit.txt. (yes, you need the word 2 times--I don't know why)

Code:

type             Longbowmen
dictionary       Longbowmen      ; Longbowmen, l
category         infantry
class            missile
voice_type       Light
banner faction   main_missile
banner holy      crusade
soldier          Longbowmen, 60, 0, 0.75
officer          northern_captain

attributes       sea_faring, hide_forest, extreme_range, can_withdraw, foot_archers, stakes, stakes, mercenary_unit, free_upkeep_unit
formation        1.2, 1.2, 1.8, 1.8, 4, square
stat_health      1, 2