......:::::: LITTLE SCHOOL OF SHOGUN 2 MP ::::::......
......:::::: LITTLE SCHOOL OF SHOGUN 2 MP ::::::......
quick note: this applies to original shogun 2 MP, author does not own or play FotS(yet)
OK reason to write this is simple, since going prestige I was pitted vs plenty of new guys who had very little understanding in game mechanics and did a poor job of assembling the army core, in usage of troops, upgrading units etc. I would dare to say that most of people lack at least some important basic knowledge, much like me just a few weeks ago. Luckily I had older clan members which explained to me a lot and I read, googled, found out and learn things by myself. By my nature I was inclined to shout advices like "too low attack on your kat core" or "keep your general close to your ashigaru - they tend to become nervous otherwise : )" throughout the games. Often there was not enough time to tell all that I wanted so I decided to distill most important issues in a short text (goofy name is here to help google search btw)
FOR WHOM IS THIS GUIDE..?
This text is for players that have some basics in shogun games /like in SP, which unit is good for what, about flanking, attack from rear, morale, general range etc. I won't be explaining basics here. It's just most important issues you need to address if you want your troops to be any challenge at all to more experienced players in MP.
CONTROLS
Learn to use basic controls and what do they mean, things like; Guard mode (usually on yari defensive troops, ranged units and cav), loose formation (unit under missile fire uses this but never in melee), Yari ash spear wall (good for defending but they maneuver/move slowly) shift +move click (or attack) (queue orders with shift) ctrl+RMB move - unit walks, F -switch between ranged and melee, alt+move - move immediately, without waiting formation (good for quick cav pullouts), also with selecting cards, ctrl +select or shift +select work same as in windows. Some info on subject you can find in here.
DEBUG CAMERA
Now supposedly, in a last patch, height that normal battle camera was raised by some percentage. One way or the other it's good to know that by using debug camera you can have tactical advantage over opponent that doesn't. Being able to look from higher (on larger portion of battlefield) could be an advantage. I never liked debug camera too much because it just flows just too high and you feel detached to terrain features and your troops, so I just used normal camera with increased roof limit from 50 to 80. Link to achieve that is here: Battle Camera 80, and you can find info on enabling debug cam in same link I already posted for controlling units, here, second post.
GENERAL
OK, nr 1, take leadership general. Not that things cannot be done otherwise but other paths are for people who know d a m n well what are they doing and you are not among them : ) Best players of S2 use leadership general as a rule. It will allow your troops to be more reliable and that you can take more of cheep troops, which can be tremendous advantage. Keep your general close to your army because of the bonuses on morale they'll get- especially to your ashigaru and low morale units. They tend to get nervous otherwise ; ) Keep one unit to serve as a meat shield to a general from missile fire. Remember - matchlocks have clear shot on your general while he is on horse. Dismount him if he's in guns range and keep meatshield unit like ashigaru (thicker formation then attendants) in front of him. If bows threaten you order your meatshield to stay over your general, two units overlaping.
Great video of general tree explained in detail by Pariya.
MEATSHIELD
nr. 2 use meatshield, cheaper units that will protect your more valuable units not getting to exposed. It is usually done by putting cheaper units in front of your main core. Attendants are used most often, but ashigaru will do as well, some people even use naginatas. Most of people do not micro the archers/matchlocks too much so they'll attack closest unit and you want to make sure it will be lousy one. Meatshield will allow your valuable troops to get to battle intact, they will disrupt enemy core line often, making more opportunities for your core to attack holes in his main line, flank, etc.
OPTIONS - SHOW CARDS - always
Turn this on ASAP. You can do it even from battle screen. It will allow you to check stats on enemy troops by putting cursor over them. Check for composition of enemy veterans stats etc. while approaching and make a plan how to deal with them accordingly. Fugu cooked katana rookie with attack of 10 and clan buffed mean veteran with attack of 25 may seem alike on battlefield, but are NOT same unit I assure you : ) One can be ignored while attention you give to other will decide victory.
WATCH YOUR ENEMY
As soon as you order your army to march, take a peak on enemy troops. Where his strength lies? What are his best troops? What kind of army is it? Aggressive melee build, or ranged army that will camp and delay you while their ranged troops butcher you? Is he a skirmisher, berserker, cav spammer? Make a plan of situation accordingly. Check your enemy in lobby as well. Click on his name in chat window and check his stats. His ladder position and his win loss ratio. It can be a good indicator of challenge you'll face, but don't underestimate anyone, ever. In this game situation can turn tides in split second. Guys on ladder place 500 and up are as a rule very capable players, if their place is deserved /not drop-hacked.
CORE
What is the core, some of you may wonder. I's your main infantry attack force, infantry designated to kill other infantry. A mainstay, a backbone of your army. Legion in Roman time, phalanx in Greek. They are the guys battle really relies on, if they fail, usually everything is lost already. Your army should be built around your core, serving and protecting them. YOUR CORE MUST BE WELL UPGRADED OTHERWISE IT'S USELESS - but we'll talk about this in next part. In 14k army core usually has around 5 units. most often that are kat sams, but plenty people add naginatas to wings, use WM (warrior monk) core or just pure naginata core, or some similar combination. Choice is up to you and your play style. I've seen lot of core setups and in a hands of a competent player they all do their jobs. There is no clear advantage to no troop type, in case you've wondered. Some units have one advantages, other have others, and it's up to you to maximize them and limit opportunities of your opponent to maximize his. Just try to use a core who will benefit mostly from your retainers.
UPGRADES
Do not take vet upgrades in what you are not certain what they do. They will increase cost of your troops significantly, and it's too easy to screw your entire army up (especially heroes!) for good. You can raise new army, but not new heroes. In short terms - raise attack and defence on your melee units (inf. and cav alike), especially ones that are mostly used (bigger, dominant stat) first (for sword units it would be an attack, for spear/naginata - defense). With attack and defense upgrade you won't miss, with others, you might. Also, use clan upgrades exclusively for dominant stat. Crack katana troops have 2+2 in attack, 1 defense, 1 morale. Crack WM unit has 2 att, 2+2 defense. Morale (1 pont) is good for basic samurai troops, for leadership general not so important as for other types. For ranged troops raise reload first, accuracy if you like. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL UPGRADE POINTS, just leave them be. Forget about all other upgrades (stamina, charge, special abilities) unless you know EXACTLY what are you doing, which you don't ; ) Army upgraded in manner I described will be as good as it gets - trust me you need no better.
In general best advice I can give you is to have best upgraded core troops and plenty of basically upgraded /non upgraded support troops. It is a optimum mix best players use.
LIMIT UPGRADE TO CHEAP UNITS
Now if you are upgrading cheap units you are defying their very essence. 1 upgrade to naginata attendants will raise their cost for 25%, and they'll still be cr-appy unit. On better /more expensive units overall cost increase is not that drastic. Now this rule is not set in stone of course, but it has strong logic behind it, I assure you.
HAVE TWO IDENTICAL ARMIES
Identical or very similar. Army A and army B. One fights, one rests. Simple. No more nervous troop picking just before combat. 14k army and smaller version /10k of same army. So you'll have 4 army versions, 10k A and B; and 14k A and B. Be organized. Sun Tzu would approve : )
ARRANGE TROOPS IN LINES YOU DEPLOY THEM
This one is simple and it will shorten your deployment time phase. If you deploy troops in three lines (for example - first line attendant meatsheild +matchlocks, second line naginata /kat core, third line ashigaru, general, bows) put those lines in same order in army cards - so that you can select them with shift (click - first unit, shift click - last) and then form a line directly on field by pulling RMB. You can arrange thicker or thinner lines of men here. Being able to quickly deploy your troops might be of essence - some guys just press start ASAP. Be ready.
COLOR CODE YOUR ARMY
This one is optional but highly recommended. Now I saw uniformly colored armies, that might look OK (if army is black that is, green army...? c'mon.. ; ) but it's infinitely more practical to have them color coded (color of your troops will mostly be determined by second/middle button on color customization panel - it's the color of their clothes but their sashimono as well, little flag they carry on their back) - so that you can scan situation on battlefield (but on veteran list too) at glance. Here is the way I do it - yari troops - red (cav and inf alike), elite core troops - black, missile units - brown (actually same color as hero-daikyu unit, heavy gunners, mtd gunners, etc) support troops - yellow, trainee newbie troops - turquoise (blue-green) ...etc. As soon as I glimpse on battlefield, I know what is going on there. Take all help you can get.
MATCHLOCKS
Learn how to use those things. Vast majority/if not all of best players use them extensively. Their matchlocks will eat you alive. They are effective cause they'll scare off enemy troops, even when not killing much. They need not to be on high level to be effective - non vet troops will do. It works other way around too. never allow these guys to shoot at your flanks(God forbid your rear!) - you must block them at all costs.
ATTENDANTS
(if you have addon pack) - use those things. They are incredibly cheap, for the price of 1 unit you get 5. It can be tremendous advantage if you know how to use it. Needles to say, all best players use them extensively. Take as much as possible, 5 units or more.
KEEP RESERVES
Do not engage all of your troops blindly. Keep a unit or two to guard your back. You will learn later by checking army of your opponent to guess does he have some cav hidden or not. Many ppl do so, guard your back. Also, having few units to throw in where most needed can be a difference between victory and defeat. When your line crack, or when no dachi try to outflank you .... Keep some reserves, engage where and when necessary.
MIND THE TERRAIN AND DOJOS
Don't just arrange your army in the middle, except in the rice fields. Mind the terrain and the dojos. If two good dojos are near each other (like shrine and attack) it might bee a good idea to stuck your army in between. Pick carefully from what position you will approach the enemy. If your enemy suddenly falls back, will he be on elevated terrain? Bad for you if so. Sometimes coming from the side /from the woods might be a splendid idea. Never fight your enemy when he is uphill, if you can help it. Penalty is drastic - that why campers are so disdained. And remember, camping is not cowardly if your enemy has ranged units and you don't - it's just common sense ; )
GO WIDE
Some armies have thin wide lines and will envelop normally build army. That can be quite devastating if pulled right. On some maps, thinning row depth of your core from 4 men to 3 can give you 30% wider army then your opponents. Wider army can often be big advantage. Experiment with it. Some maps are more suited for that then others, obviously.
RETAINERS
IMHO, there are but a few good retainers. I'll mention several most useful. If you are in doubt, take ones I recommend. Trading post (-4% troop cost) -very useful, if not one of best ret. Fugu cook (-2 att enemy swords) -infamous retainer, many if not most of builds rely on swords. OPed retainer and everybody has it. Shiryaboshi (+1 morale sams, +5% WM cost) Great retainer for sam armies. Infantry officer (+1 morale sams) -again, good for sam builds. Yagu instructor or Blade master (+1 or +2 sword att) - sword core build must have. Drill square (+1 nagi sam defence) naginata sam reliant builds. Famous armory (+1 armor to all units) small benefit to all of your troops. For WM core builds you have amazing retainers (Shrine +2 att; ikko ikki +2 def +5% WM cost, Rennyo's -1att +3 def +1morale -10 reload) - Rennyo's can be used for spear-naginata core builds too. In short take retainers that would benefit most of your troops or your most important troops /core.
EXPERIMENT
Take one unusual unit and see how it works for you. If you have low kill count constantly with some unit type, switch them. Experiment a little, you will learn about the game that way.
And for the end let me put a little disclaimer to this: This is by all means not all, and this is certainly not only way of doing things. But it's envelopes plenty of issues and it covers some basics. Constructive criticism and contribution is always welcome. Criticism per se is not. I don't need you to agree with me, I didn't ask of your opinion. if you think you have something better to offer start your own thread. Sorry for the harsh disclaimer, but forums can be pretty ...wild places, speaking from experience. I just wanted to everybody to know where we stand.
gl, hf
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Originally Posted by Anjin-San
I'll try 10k soon. But for starters, 5k surely gets you a good point of view how everything works. Have only had 8 battles approximately, so I'm rather green in MP.
