The Importance of Scouting

[The Bobba-Job]

Hidden units can be a when they strike. Unexpected, fast, and generally quite disruptive.

With maps covered extensively in forests, and the inclusion of units being able to retain their hidden status whilst walking in forests, ambushes have become increasingly common online.

The obvious way to counter is to scout. Most would recommend a light cav unit, or simply a methodical check of every forest before advancing.

I myself, and probably a few others, just can't be bothered to scout. Personally I find maintaining locality between units, an effective way to counter any hidden strikes, as support can be quickly mustered. Alternately, I will often match my whole force directly through where I believe the enemy to be hiding units. It often flushes them out, and those who are foolish enough to stay are crushed.

Of course, this hasnt always worked for me, and has its obvious downsides which people are no doubt ready to point out. But it does make me question the importance of scouting.

Ive seen a good few players stress its necessity, but I myself have just never got round to it.

Whats your thoughts and experiences with scouting?

[brn4meplz]

Very important. Just not to the level of needing to take a Retainer for it.

You can scout through guessing. If all your opponents funds appear to be counted for then there isn't as much need to scout for local tactical information information. If stuff seems off then there is. Also knowing that a unit is hiding in the trees and actually having visual of them are two very different states.

I use Matchlocks and when I hid them in the trees my enemy needs a visual confirmation on them to fire and alot of times the only cavalry they have is Great guard or Yari cavalry which are expensive scouts.


Alternatively I've ran my troops into a forest before and halted them in a line formation at the edge, only to then walk them back into a different position. Enemy charged into the forest to find me not on the edge of it where I was but Further inside it with My Matchlocks spread out. Separated his force into 2 halves just to charge my Guns. All of which could have been prevented with up to date tactical information. If you don;t want to buy a Light cav. buy a Yari Ashigaru. Reconnaissance by death.

[AlfonsoVIII]

I do scout, if the enemy composition or formation allows for it. I see alot of people not do a good job of hiding units or they become visible for a couple seconds and I see where there are at.

So to the people that use them somewhat effectively, they put them in the obvious positions and wait too late for them to be really effective. they take so much time to micro manage and the battle is over before they can turn the tide as they are not in a critical position and are too far away to make it in any time.

[Timox]

Scouting is most important if the opponent is trying to force the encounter at a specific point. Usually it's easy to figure out where the units should be hidden, a lot of times the best way to tell is to see a cavalry feint maneuver you to the direction of the ambush.

[Wodeson]

I once spent the first ten minutes of a battle scouting for a hidden mangonel that didn't exist.