Does anyone fight the Mongols in the field? Example with screenshots. I believe the field is the place to beat them.
Fighting in the field is my preferred method. I fight each wave as it comes, and use assassins too. I find this easier than trying to deal with all 12 stacks when the 3 waves have arrived, and far far quicker.
However, my impression is that most players avoid field battles at all costs. So, I've done a little example, with Egypt, with the screenshots to illustrate. I've posted this in 2 parts, as I couldn't upload all the screenshots in one post. Hopefully I'll be forgiven for this.
This is Kingdoms Gold vanilla, H/VH, 1 year turns.
Generally, the Mongols are vulnerable to heavy cavalry, and the bulk of my attacking armies are made of these. Egypt has Royal Mameluks - a superb heavy cavalry unit. As Egypt had the Horsebreeder's HQ (+2 experience globally) and the Swordsmith's HQ, courtesy of Hungary, (+2 experience) new units were trained at 4 experience (1 silver chevron).
The rest of the army was Mameluk Archers, who have similar stats to Mongol Heavy Archers, and a few mercenary Alan Light Cavalry to chase the Mongol Horse Archers. I train them up for this purpose.
In the past I have fought the Mongols in the field with similar armies, and with the Turks defeated them with mainly foot archers (Ottoman Infantry), JHI and Sipahi.
I was playing H on the campaign, in the apparently mistaken belief that the diplomatic relations normalise towards Poor rather than Abysmal. Diplomacy is my main interest at the moment. This seems to have affected the number on stacks in the Mongol invasion to: 1st wave 2 stacks, 2nd wave 3 stacks, 3rd wave 4 stacks, for a disappointing 9 stacks in total.
This was my first time with Egypt, so I was uncertain of their effectiveness. I made too many stacks :d
1st Wave at Yerevan Assassinated - screenshot 1
Very disappointing. Only 2 stacks, with bronze experience. Egyptian assassins took out the Khan and the general to destroy this wave without a battle.
2nd Wave at Bulgar - screenshot 2
3 full stacks of Mongols with silver experience appeared at rebel Bulgar. Assassin chances were a poor 7%, so the decision was made to fight.
Trustworthy Egypt was granted military access by ally Russia. Egypt waited for the Mongols to attack Russian Ryazan so the two would be at war before attacking.
Army Compositions (screenshots 3, 4 and 6)
The Mongol army had 2 stacks of (screenshot 3):
- 1 x General
- 3 x Mongol Foot Archers
- 3 x Mongol Infantry
- 2 x Mongol Heavy Archers (Mounted)
- 2 x Mongol Heavy Lancers
- 2 x Mongol Light Lancers
- 7 x Mongol Horse Archers
The Khan's stack was tougher (screenshot 4):
- 1 x General
- 5 x Mongol Infantry
- 4 x Mongol Foot Archers
- 5 x Mongol Heavy Archers (Mounted)
- 5 x Mongol Heavy Lancers
As you can see, (screenshot 6) Egypt has a pure cavalry army, made up of:
- 2 x Generals (Sultan and General)
- 9 x Royal Mameluks (heavy cavalry)
- 7 x Mameluk Archers (heavy missile cavalry)
- 3 x Alan Light Cavalry (fast medium cavalry to catch the lighter Mongol Horse Archers)
The second and third stacks were more or less identical.
The Battle of Ryazan: 3 stacks vs 3 stacks - screenshot 5
There were 3 stacks of Mongols, so the Egyptians attacked with 3 stacks. The Egyptian army was led by Sultan Ghandour the Tyrant, a 10 star general, and veteran of many conflicts.
An overriding aim was to kill the Mongol generals, and thus destroy the wave.
As the attack was made the AI suggested a marginal advantage to Egypt (screenshot 3).
Egyptian Deployment - screenshot 6
The battlefield had a long ridge on the left, a valley in the middle, and a shorter ridge on the right. Egypt planned to dominate the ridge on the left, as you always want the high ground. (Mongol reinforcements entered from the right of this view, as hoped. Egyptian reinforcements entered from the left of this view, also as hoped. In the screenshots the battle map skews this 90 degrees, so it appears Mongols enter from the top corner and left.)
The bulk of the army was thus deployed left to take the ridge, with a smaller grouping on the right.
Mongol Deployment - screenshot 7
The Mongols were caught out of position on the left hand ridge, facing across the battlefield, rather than towards the attacking Egyptians.
The Battle - screenshots 8,9,10 and 11, on next post
Egypt rushed the Mongols to capitalize on them being in the wrong position. The critical aim was to gain control of the top of the ridge. The right wing rushed from the right ridge across to the left. The Mongols reacted quickly, pushing their archers behind the cavalry lines, and advancing their heavy lancers towards the charging Royal Mameluks. However, they were caught at a disadvantage, and half their Horse Archers were also trapped, and minced by the Alans.
The Mongol second stack appeared as battle was joined with the first stack, entering from the right, but on lower ground (this appears to be top left on the battle map on screenshot 6).
The critical fight was at the top of the ridge on the left - Royal Mameluks and Alans vs Heavy Lancers and Horse Archers. It was won. The Mongol right flank at the top of the ridge was rolled, and the Mameluks turned and fought the Mongols downhill. The Mongol foot archers were fighting to the front, with heavy cavalry fighting them downhill on their left flank. They not up to the challenge of the Egyptian heavy cavalry. Mameluk Archers took a fearsome toll. The second stack of Mongols joined against the Egyptian first stack along the valley floor. They were at a disadvantage being lower on the field.
The first Mongol general was killed. The Mongol Heavy Archers retreated along the ridge, but were caught by Mamluk Archers and Alans at the edge of the battlefield, and defeated. The first stack was destroyed. The second stack was crumbling, but taking a heavy toll with arrows.
Shortly afterwards the Egyptian reinforcements entered from the left. The first Egyptian stack fought the second Mongol stack until the Egyptian reinforcements engaged. Casualties were now heavy in the original stack, but the Mongols were outnumbered on the field. The survivors of the first stack concentrated on finding the enemy general. He was surrounded and killed. Outnumbered, the second Mongol stack was also destroyed as the third Mongol stack entered.
The third Mongol stack, commanded by the Mongol Khan Jebe, also entered from the right of the original view (screenshot 4), coming over the right hand ridge. At this point the second stack was being finished off. The third stack was fought at the top of the right ridge. Again, the original Egyptian stack under Sultan Ghandour concentrated on catching the enemy general. He was isolated, surrounded and killed. The remaining Mongols routed.
The third Egyptian stack was not needed.
Results - screenshots 12 and 13 on next post
The result was a clear victory for Egypt (screenshot 12). In fact, 3 stacks of Mongols were defeated by 2 stacks of Egyptians, as the Egyptian third stack did not engage.
The Mongols started with 4,000 men, of which 670 survived. They lost 3,230.
The Egyptians started with 3,550 men, of which 2,530 survived. They lost 980 men.
The first Egyptian stack destroyed the first Mongol stack and most of the second stack alone, losing half their men. The second Egyptian stack lost a quarter of their men.
On the battle statistics screen (screenshot 13) Sultan Ghandour's unit killed 167, and captured 90. But, the most damage was done by Mameluk Archers, mostly by arrow fire from a higher position at the top of the ridge, but also in melee. One Mameluk Archer unit killed 172, to pip the Sultan to top honours.
The battle was won by the Egyptian Heavy Cavalry - the Royal Mameluks, who were stronger than and outnumbered the Mongol Heavy Lancers. However, they were unlikely to have won alone - the Mameluk Archer support was critical. Mameluk Archers proved to be the equal of the Mongol Heavy Archers in melee, and their arrow fire was essential. The Alans made quick work of the Mongol Horse Archers, and were able to sustain melee with the Heavy Archers until Mameluk Archers arrived.
Aftermath - screenshot 14 on next post
The 3 stacks of Mongols had all their generals killed, and the 2nd wave was destroyed.
Egypt rejoiced. Egypt immediately vacated the now rebel lands of Russian Ryazan, leaving their allies to recapture it when they had the capability. To do otherwise would have meant war.
On the field the Mongols were comprehensively defeated in melee by the Egyptian heavy cavalry, who outnumbered their counterparts, the Mongol Heavy Lancers. The Royal Mameluks were also far too strong for the Mongol foot archers. Mameluk Archers slew hundreds, protected by the fact that the Mongol Archers were being melee'd by the Royal Mameluks. They were not in a sustained exchange of arrow fire which they would have lost.
Screenshots on first post
1. Egypt T134 - first wave of Mongols destroyed by Egyptian assassins
2. Egypt T142 - the Mongols attack Russian Ryazan, giving Egypt the pretext to make war on them
3. Egypt T143 - first two Mongol stacks
4. Egypt T143 - Khan's stack
5. Egypt T143 - Egypt attacks the Mongols, 3 stacks vs 3 stacks
6. Egyptian deployment at the battle
7. Mongol deployment at the battle
Screenshots on second post
8. Cavalry melee at the top of the ridge. The Mongol 2nd stack can be seen entering along the left hand edge of the battle map.
9. Egypt wins the top of the ridge. Mongol horse archers retreat along it. The Mongol 2nd stack enters melee on the valley floor
10. The Mongol 3rd stack enters
11. Khan Jebe, the final Mongol general, is killed. The Egyptian 2nd stack is engaged, and the 3rd stack waits to enter. The Mongols now rout.
12. Victory for Egypt
13. Battle Statistics
14. Mongol faction destroyed
(Note 20/12/17 - the twcenter seems to have deleted my album of screenshots, which are no longer shown. Sorry about that. )