Looking for help against Mordor's Trolls

[EllEzDee]

Been lurking the TATW boards for a while, and the TWC boards for as long as i can remember. I tried searching around, but the only things i've found say to use Pelargir Marines' javelins against them, or a mass of cavalry charges -- i have neither of these things, which is why i registered to ask for help

Anyways, i'm at Cair Andros with Boromir: 3 archer militia, 1 Ithilien ranger unit, 1 militia sword unit, 1 Gondor infantry and 1 Gondor spearman unit, then Boromir's Citadel Guard unit and 1 unit of cavalry militia. This is JUST enough to man the walls and defend the gate against a stack (and another small amount of infantry) besieging me; however, what i can't ever seem to beat are the Mountain Trolls with them. I'm playing on medium unit size, so there're only 6 of them in a unit, but they have two units in their army. The ones causing me trouble belong to the main besieging force, and are pushing the ram. Nothing i can do seems to kill them. Concentrating all 4 archer units on them, charging them with cavalry -- nothing. They always make it to the gate, ram it down, and then tear through the Gondor spearmen, Gondor infantry and Citadel Guards that are waiting there, and there's nothing i can do about them.

Is there a specific tactic for taking them on without armour-piercing weapons?
Cheers!

[Dwarven Berserker]

Firstly, welcome to the forums

But secondly, this question has been asked a lot of times already. You'll easily find another thread about how to deal with trolls by using the forum search option
Also, I friendly ask you to use this thead to ask your questions to keep the forums a little more orderly: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=261921 (maybe amod could move this thread there?)

Oh and about your question, trolls are actually pretty weak. Their charge is impressive, but that's it. It's usally the best to absorb their charge with some cheap millitia, and then send in some units with AP (fountain guards or lossarnach axemen) to finish them off (Even though i believe mountain trolls already lose in 1v1 vs one group of millita already in most situations )

[EllEzDee]

Cheers for the quick response and welcome.

But secondly, this question has been asked a lot of times already. You'll easily find another thread about how to deal with trolls by using the forum search option

I know it's common for a new person to ask a commonly made question, but i've had a look around on-and-off for a day or so, and none of the tactics i've found seem to complement a siege.
For example, tying them up with cheap militia units and charging them in the rear with cavalry, or skirmishing with archers with flaming missiles. A lot of tactics also rely on, as you mentioned, AP-enabled units. I don't have any of them, though

Also, I friendly ask you to use this thead to ask your questions to keep the forums a little more orderly: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=261921 (maybe amod could move this thread there?)

I'll keep that in mind. Cheers!

Oh and about your question, trolls are actually pretty weak. Their charge is impressive, but that's it. It's usally the best to absorb their charge with some cheap millitia, and then send in some units with AP (fountain guards or lossarnach axemen) to finish them off (Even though i believe mountain trolls already lose in 1v1 vs one group of millita already in most situations )

They never seem to charge for me...or at least i don't think they do. It's their melee combat that's destroying my units. They enter the gate, walk towards the town centre, and then get stopped by the Gondor spearmen guarding the gate. And THEN they start smashing through everything. If i somehow manage to lure them away from the gate, they run up the siege tower/ladders and start hacking through my militia.

[paradamed]

Never face trolls on walls. They pretty much destroy everything one on one. They can smash tight formations pretty easily. Always take advantage of projectiles and cavalry charges specially from the back.

[Flavius Merobaudes]

Welcome to the forum, EllEzDee!

The situation you're in is really a tricky one. There is no simple solution to it now...
You should focus your missiles on the trolls - the actual unit and not the ram. This will not kill them but reduce their health points. As burning them in the gateway won't work in TA, I suggest you defend in the plaza...

The problem seems to have been your information gathering before the battle. You need spies to guard the two approaches Mordor's armies have to take. The one way is from the north and through the Black Gate, the other is through Minas Morgul. Pay close attention to these and the enemy stack composition. Have your Lossarnach Axemen in mobile reserve and deploy them against any trolls. In battle, stop the trolls with militia, once they are bogged down, hurl in your axemen. Weakening them with missiles in advance helps a lot to kill them faster.

[Ngugi]

Archers! Pin them as much you may. Cavalry! Charge in their rear or backs. No more trolls fast enough Unless Olog-hai. Olo-hai is a world of hurt. Then after pain you kill them too. ^^

[StealthFox]

This might not help you in your current situation, but for future reference don't forget about siege weapons. Ballistas and catapults are very effective against trolls.

[nein]

you can blockade access to cair andros by plugging each of the crossing points on your side with a unit... now you can filter those pesky orcs onto the osgilliath bridge of slaughter

[P.T.]

you can blockade access to cair andros by plugging each of the crossing points on your side with a unit... now you can filter those pesky orcs onto the osgilliath bridge of slaughter

Won't they just engage your unit in combat?

[ShockBlast]

He may be referreing to blocking the river with a ship.

[cezarip]

Won't they just engage your unit in combat?

Nope, there is the river between your unit and them. The attacking army can't sit on watter while engaging battle. On the island to the east and north there are two narrow land-bridge passages. If you have 2x1 unit (on the island) but sitting just outside the castle walls the AI armies won't be able to attack. Of course the AI might still go around, I have seen them doing it.

[gorock]

heres what i do

balista them if they dont move (when i sally out)
arrow shower them in good lands (when i start in a very high ground in battle field)
arrow them n engage them with militia (gondor) 1 on 1 (always works)

i save my bodyguards charging the rest of the enemy/kill their general (priority)

[kingtigertank]

shoot them with archers - trolls are weaker against arrows than they are against melee attacks.

[pojansetan]

put ur balissta/catapult facing the gate....from my experience, AI always stop 1st and regroup after they taking the gates. then release fire at will. balissta is the cheapest way to kill troll in siege battle and it reduce orcs morale too. or try to kill their general 1st..orc really brainless and coward when their boss killed.

it is useless if u put soldier in front of gate bcoz TATW 3.0 have no boiling oil gate to burn foe anymore

[Altimis]

Trolls is unstoppable when its on the wall

However, on the ground, Pikemen kills them all. Make sure there your general or some units with inspired morale stand close to them because they tend to be low morale.

[Ngugi]

Make sure there your general or some units with inspired morale stand close to them because they tend to be low morale.

Yeah, 3 meter and 700 kg hammer-wielding things tend to have that effect upon people o.0

[The Mouth]

Eh in my experience siege weapons (Including ballista) NEVER seem to kill a single troll so.. meh.

[Elensul]

You may try to keep them out of Cair Andros till you finish the orks.

One way is to take out of Cair Andros one unit, or even Boromir (caus of his cavalry bodyguard).
The A.I. will ignore your outsider unit till you strike them with it.

Be careful, your outside unit has to run a lot ^^, to stay out of attack range.

(All this during an assault on Cair Andros)

[Hanny]

Been lurking the TATW boards for a while, and the TWC boards for as long as i can remember. I tried searching around, but the only things i've found say to use Pelargir Marines' javelins against them, or a mass of cavalry charges -- i have neither of these things, which is why i registered to ask for help

Anyways, i'm at Cair Andros with Boromir: 3 archer militia, 1 Ithilien ranger unit, 1 militia sword unit, 1 Gondor infantry and 1 Gondor spearman unit, then Boromir's Citadel Guard unit and 1 unit of cavalry militia. This is JUST enough to man the walls and defend the gate against a stack (and another small amount of infantry) besieging me; however, what i can't ever seem to beat are the Mountain Trolls with them. I'm playing on medium unit size, so there're only 6 of them in a unit, but they have two units in their army. The ones causing me trouble belong to the main besieging force, and are pushing the ram. Nothing i can do seems to kill them. Concentrating all 4 archer units on them, charging them with cavalry -- nothing. They always make it to the gate, ram it down, and then tear through the Gondor spearmen, Gondor infantry and Citadel Guards that are waiting there, and there's nothing i can do about them.

Is there a specific tactic for taking them on without armour-piercing weapons?
Cheers!

Sieges are best defeated by attacking with a relief force. Its always best to adopt a policy of holding settlements as a lure to be attacked and sieged, and hit them with your covering force.

To that end place minimal garrision in Cair, and place Boromirs stack in the woods to the south next to it, ( SSW of it also works nicly as the ai cant get to you from across the river but must stop on the other sides of the settlement), you may ambush a stack attempting to siege as well, but if not, you simply attack, and its good ground to fight on to break up their siege.

[Qba]

According to this thread (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=262519), the best way to kill trolls, is to attack them from behind with cavalry.