Question about infantry tactics...

[Iustinianus]

A really basic question.

If the enemy is sending his best elite troops at you, is it preferable to defend against them with professional quality troops, and then try to flank them with a levy-type unit, or should I let the levy bear the brunt of the attack while I maneuver with the professional troops?

In this scenario all other troops are engaged, and these are my only two available.


My instinct says that I should let the professional troops defend, while I move the levy, because the levy might be cut down while I'm moving the professionals. Is this assumption correct?

[empr guy]

what units specifically? Because most levy units would probably get cut down too quickly for your others to flank, but if your elites are slugging it out with the other guys then a few rear charges would probably cause enough casualties for you to win, although don't expect levys to do alot against elite troops.

[dude21862004]

What levy troops are we talking about? I would suggest not using levy troops at all.

"You would no more call a horde of peasants an army than you would call a stack of bricks a building." Close enough... Lol.

[Genius of the Restoration]

My instinct says that I should let the professional troops defend, while I move the levy, because the levy might not be cut down while I'm moving the professionals. Is this assumption correct.

Yes . The quality of the unit that does the flanking doesn't matter too much. It's far more important to have a strong anvil.

[tudor93]

Yes . The quality of the unit that does the flanking doesn't matter too much. It's far more important to have a strong anvil.

ah thanks, I was asking this myself too

[OnlySleeping]

Yes . The quality of the unit that does the flanking doesn't matter too much. It's far more important to have a strong anvil.

This.

[Iustinianus]

To those asking, I didn't mean any specific units, but not peasant quality units, just a basic spearman levy. I don't play vanilla RTW, but in EB, for example, I mean something similar to the basic hoplite unit every greek faction has, versus, a spartan hoplite, while I have a stronger hoplite but not up to the quality of the Spartan on hand

[Posantio of Umbria]

To those asking, I didn't mean any specific units, but not peasant quality units, just a basic spearman levy. I don't play vanilla RTW, but in EB, for example, I mean something similar to the basic hoplite unit every greek faction has, versus, a spartan hoplite, while I have a stronger hoplite but not up to the quality of the Spartan on hand

In my experience of EB, it takes longer for troops to rout from a frontal engagement. thus I prefer my more mundane troops to hold the line and have the elites flank. Especially because in EB, factional elite troops are often hard to replace and the units doing the flanking do not suffer a lot of casualties generally.

your levy hoplites can hold their ground long enough for your better infantry to flank if their own flanks are secure.

[The Unknown General]

Your line doesn't have to be good fighters, they just have to able to hold the line long enough for your cavalry to come up behind the enemy and attack.