War Tatics for Westeros

[Brenden_Tully]

Hi, so i am relativly new to game of thrones, and got TWM2 just becuase of this mod, so naturally first time i wasnt the best, though i was pretty decent. This is a forum to help starting people about battle tatics to use, becuase sometimes it seems rather limited and when i first started i was getting alot more casulties than i really wanted to get. So yeah battle tatics and diagrams if any. Thank you in advance!

[Archon Patriarch]

Hammer and Anvil - The classic. What you do is you engage their men head on with a unit which can hold their own then charge them in the back with preferably cavalry a la Knights, you can use infantry too but it's harder (I had this great tactic of doing it with the Ironborn.) and the charge bonus of lances in the current mod does do great damage.

Of course the best way to exterminate with this is wheel up a mounted unit, usually I just use General's body guard but be careful, on the right flank where the enemy general will be standing and charge in. In most cases you kill the enemy general quickly before you can withdraw and charge his other units from behind, routing them. Hey presto you're Tywin Lannister.

[Gallus]

I like using the tactics Martin described in his books - first a vanguard consisting of mid tier cavalry to break enemy formation. Then the main force with spearmen in front and knights and archers behind them and heavy cavalry on the sides (one unit on each side should do). And last comes the rear guard or the "reserve" consisting of heavy cavalry and a general.

[Louis XVI]

I like using the tactics Martin described in his books - first a vanguard consisting of mid tier cavalry to break enemy formation. Then the main force with spearmen in front and knights and archers behind them and heavy cavalry on the sides (one unit on each side should do). And last comes the rear guard or the "reserve" consisting of heavy cavalry and a general.

A vanguard of mid-tier cavalry? Do you use them in a hit and run tactic? I almost never use cavalry in the beginning of the battle, my cavalry always gets slaughtered in melee if I don't use hit and run. I just use classic hammer-anvil tactic with my cavalry encircling the enemy while my infantry goes at them head on.

[OberynMartell]

You need to utilize your advantages. If you have many more archers than the enemy (preferably longbowmen), deploy your troops farther from the frontline than you usually do. When you can, use terrain to your advantage. If the enemy has superior cavalry, deploy your troops in a forest, but if you have superior cavalry, avoid forests and hills. And last, but not least, NEVER keep cavalry in a prolonged melee. I've defeated masses of infantry using cavalry alone. You need to repeat the cycle of charge-retreat-charge. It would be best to use the hammer and anvil tactic, but even with cavalry alone it is possible. Just split them so that you can charge continously from all sides.
Hope this helps!
Edit: I forgot to mention - don't be afraid to charge spear militia with your knights just because they are spearmen. They can't resist a fully armored warrior on horseback, they can only overwhelm him by numbers in a prolonged melee.

[Gallus]

Yes, vanguard is for hit and run. 2 or 3 charges and the enemy formation should break and vanguard die. It's not really effective but that's how Martin describes battles so that's how I'm gonna fight them.

[Mikail Mengsk]

Classic hammer&anvil, adapted to the context. Sometimes i try a central breakthrough if the enemy is smart enough to reinforce the flanks.

[Korpskog]

In openfield battle when outnumbered I wait for the stupid AI to charge with infantry, behind my infantry that is staning in order, levies, semi-professionaö, professional i stack up all of my missile units and let them rain fire on the enemys. The infantry uses guardmode and shatters the enemys spartan style! If i have militia in the vanguard I let them charge the enemy in loose formation to delay the enemys arrival at my front (pure sacrifice) if they routs it's no big deal.

Cavalry stacked up at the flanks and ready to charge their flanks/rare if I get the opertunity, otherwise I wait for their cavalry to make a move and depending on that counter with a charge to protect my archers or front line.

[atheniandp]

In openfield battle when outnumbered I wait for the stupid AI to charge with infantry, behind my infantry that is staning in order, levies, semi-professionaö, professional i stack up all of my missile units and let them rain fire on the enemys. The infantry uses guardmode and shatters the enemys spartan style! If i have militia in the vanguard I let them charge the enemy in loose formation to delay the enemys arrival at my front (pure sacrifice) if they routs it's no big deal.

Cavalry stacked up at the flanks and ready to charge their flanks/rare if I get the opertunity, otherwise I wait for their cavalry to make a move and depending on that counter with a charge to protect my archers or front line.

Unfortunately, the newer Total War games make cavalry seem useless in a frontal charge. The original MTW didn't really have this problem, and heavy cavalry would be effective.

Basically the whole contemporary Total War system forces the player to do hammer and anvil tactics. It's just the way the game is designed.

[Archon Patriarch]

I agree with Oberyn, using what troops you have got to their best is also key, you can win against outnumbering odds easily with just a little know how.

Here's another tactic, the human wall - If I lack in cavalry or the enemy has a large army (Often with more cavalry) I usually have a frontline of Archers with spread out (3 lines thick) spearmen just behind, the Archers naturally retreat through the Spears when the enemy get too close where I then disable skirmish so they sit in safety pelting the foe. Also behind the Spearmen I usually space out knights/swordsmen/heavies, for when the large melee breaks out they can come forward and overwhelm. Although this is really a slight variation on the Hammer and anvil, it is generally my tried and tested method for a pitched battle.

Glad we all agreed on the name Hammer and Anvil haha

[OberynMartell]

Also pikemen can become a weapon of mass destruction if used properly, as explained here: http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...Employ-Pikemen

[Son of Mars]

My battle formation:

1st line: spearmen, these guys are made for soaking up punishment from both cavalry and infantry

2nd line: Heavy Infantry, only use these guys on other infantry types. I usually start engaging these guys if I see my spearmen getting overwhlemed or the enemies has loads of Heavy Infantry

3rd: Archers/ Crossbows, preferrably longbows. Absolutely deadly in the right hands. Make sure you update their orders or you'll get friendly fire. Firearrows for heavily armored enemies. Sometimes they can kill enemy generals if you concentrate their vollies.

Wings: Heavy Cavalry, light infantry for flanking. Take out enemy heavy cav quickly.

Use Hammer and Anvil with this formation and you'll be destroying armies in no time.

[Mikail Mengsk]

My battle formation:

1st line: spearmen, these guys are made for soaking up punishment from both cavalry and infantry

2nd line: Heavy Infantry, only use these guys on other infantry types. I usually start engaging these guys if I see my spearmen getting overwhlemed or the enemies has loads of Heavy Infantry

3rd: Archers/ Crossbows, preferrably longbows. Absolutely deadly in the right hands. Make sure you update their orders or you'll get friendly fire. Firearrows for heavily armored enemies. Sometimes they can kill enemy generals if you concentrate their vollies.

Wings: Heavy Cavalry, light infantry for flanking. Take out enemy heavy cav quickly.

Use Hammer and Anvil with this formation and you'll be destroying armies in no time.

I use this, but i found impractical to form uninterrupted lines: my heavy infantry won't be able to rescue in time the spearmen, or will have to flank the whole line.

So, i deploy them like this:

S = spearmen H = heavy infantry


S S S S S S
..H H H H H

This way you'll have your heavy infantry safe from cavalry charges (AI happily throws his heavy cavalry against your non-spearmen units; H takes a lot of losses during these charges) and they will be able to help the spearmen from the start, if needed.

Also, you will exploit any single gap in the enemy line, sending your H through the gap, passing behind the enemy line, and sandwitching it. Of course you can also send them on the flanks, but i found that, often, these gaps will be opened during the battle.

Obviously, archers are on third line with no skirmisher and guard mode, and cavalry is on the sides.

[Mr.Lannister]

I use this, but i found impractical to form uninterrupted lines: my heavy infantry won't be able to rescue in time the spearmen, or will have to flank the whole line.

So, i deploy them like this:

S = spearmen H = heavy infantry


S S S S S S
..H H H H H

This way you'll have your heavy infantry safe from cavalry charges (AI happily throws his heavy cavalry against your non-spearmen units; H takes a lot of losses during these charges) and they will be able to help the spearmen from the start, if needed.

Also, you will exploit any single gap in the enemy line, sending your H through the gap, passing behind the enemy line, and sandwitching it. Of course you can also send them on the flanks, but i found that, often, these gaps will be opened during the battle.

Obviously, archers are on third line with no skirmisher and guard mode, and cavalry is on the sides.

I am stealing this.

[Mr.Lannister]

Double-Post.

[Feanaro Curufinwe]

There is this very effective tactic which can be devastating in defense. =This is how to best use it.

1.[Optional] Have the high ground.This is very helpful as it tires out the enemy troops,limits the effectivity of their cavalry charges,helps your charges,makes attempts to flank you more difficult and allows your ranged troops to rain death above your enemies.

2.Formation
+=cavalry
#=ranged
^=spearmen
±=heavy infantry
§=Siege engines[if any]
<=General

++++ ^^^^^^^^^ ++++
########
±±±±±±±±±±
§§§§
<

3.Eliminate enemy cavalry

4.Once you eliminate their cavalry start hit and run attacks against their infantry or go for their General.

5.If they attack the shieldwall let the spend themselves while you attack them from behind,destroy their morale and make them retreat.

6.Congratulations, you have won a resounding victory!Perhaps put some good victory song like The Rains of Castamere.

[Mr.Lannister]

Form your army with your pikemen in the center , knights in the right wing and the left of whatever you wish to, i usually put my cavalry in this way:
Q:Cavalry
=:Everything else
Q
Q
Q
Q


========================

That way, when the enemy is advancing , i can get my cavalry in their rear and destroy them in a mighty and bloody battle.

[Captain Zoran]

Location location location.

[Archon Patriarch]

They should rename this game hammer and anvil 2: Total war

[Mr.Lannister]

I agree ^^