How the stakes will work

[Lusted]

http://media.pc.ign.com/media/800/80...g_3793588.html

This pic shows infantry being able to pass through the stakes, which makes me think that infantry can pass through slightly impeded, whilst cavalry will be very impeded by stakes, and will likely have to go round them. Which is good given some worries about stakes given coments from some reviews. Plus i love the variety of banners above units now, i think its a very nice touch.

[Mangerman]

Is it me or did you post a wrong link, because I can't see the stakes on that screenshot.

[IamthePope]

http://media.pc.ign.com/media/800/80...g_3793593.html

This pic shows infantry being able to pass through the stakes, which makes me think that infantry can pass through slightly impeded, whilst cavalry will be very impeded by stakes, and will likely have to go round them. Which is good given some worries about stakes given coments from some reviews. Plus i love the variety of banners above units now, i think its a very nice touch.

I think you posted the wrong link. Heres the one you probably intended to post.
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/800/80...g_3793588.html

[Mangerman]

That are a lot lines of stakes, I was thinking it would only be one line. And it is realistic that the infantry can just pass the stakes, it would make no sence if they would be damaged by them.

[Frost, colonel]

That are a lot lines of stakes, I was thinking it would only be one line. And it is realistic that the infantry can just pass the stakes, it would make no sence if they would be damaged by them.

To me it makes sense that the inf can pass through, the longbowmen planted them predominately against cavalry, if like the picture suggests(they seem more spread out at the front)the inf pass through slower, then defence from behind them should be easier?

Greetings Lusted,
what are the worries about the stakes in some reviews, as I don't remember reading any?

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

what are the worries about the stakes in some reviews, as I don't remember reading any?

There weren't any.
Just some preview said that infantry turned in a kebab and some fans got their knickers in a twist.
It was just poor wording from the writer which some people suggested but naturally got ignored.

[Frost, colonel]

There weren't any.
Just some preview said that infantry turned in a kebab and some fans got their knickers in a twist.
It was just poor wording from the writer which some people suggested but naturally got ignored.

Any excuse to start flapping and start CA bashing, some are still 'excited' over the Nellies with 'cannons' and are worried that CA might mount the Chinese rocket type batteries on the back of Nellies(might be fun if they did, although the Elephants would need alot of training, say 3 turns :hmmm: )

[Reidy]

Do you think the stakes will have the ability to kill cavalry which attempt to pass them? That would be interesting, as long as the "attack value" is very low, otherwise the Ai would just pile up infront of them. I also hope that the AI will know not to charge its cavarly and other heavy troops into them, but rather go around.

[Lusted]

Lol, yeah wrong link, first post fixed.

[Maethius]

Mmmmm...stakes!

[Dirty Harry]

Stakes will still have defensive value against infantry because to slip through them they will have to break up their formation and if you have a tight line standing right behind them, then they can easily overwhelm the attackers as they come through 1 by 1 (as you can see happening in the picture).

I think cavalry could pass through, maybe in loose formation and just walking, not galloping, a horse moving slowly wont impale itself on a stake (but whats the point of attacking like that with cavalry??). You obviously cant do an effective charge though, because a charge is done in close formation for maximum punch factor, and if you run into stakes close together the horses 1) wont have time or room to maneuver around them and 2) even if they do stop, the guy right behind them would bowl them over anyways, creating 2 casualties.

[Sitarus Originalus PM-30+]

really cool =) this will make battlefeald more ralistic and compex =) good touch =)

[MadeManG74]

The stakes look very interesting, with regards to cavalry though it would be interesting if the horses simply refused to charge into the stakes rather than die on impact, since i think no matter how well trained a horse was it wouldnt charge into spikes it could clearly see

Im interested in seeing if this will be used creatively on the battlefield depending on how solid they are, in theory you could create a multi-layered fortress of sorts with the stakes in concentric circles to protect your general lol

I wonder if it will be possible for enemys to pull up the spikes so that cavalry can charge through later. Obviously they would be extremely disadvantaged if caught while pulling htem out though

[Frost, colonel]

Im interested in seeing if this will be used creatively on the battlefield depending on how solid they are, in theory you could create a multi-layered fortress of sorts with the stakes in concentric circles to protect your general lol

At least we will be able to copy the English/Welsh archers tactics, at scraps like agincourt, in that the archers were placed in two largish 'V's on each flank, so that their firepower was was both mutally supportive, and created more lethal killing zones, from gained flank fire(such close range fire, accurately into packed bodies of men, should mean no friendly fire). Also even before the enemy enter your 'V' you gain local superiority in numbers. Another advantage gained by this deployment is the two inner 'V's help draw the enemy onto the decently hard foot knights you have waiting in your centre.

These tactics, besides the mud, poor tactics and the growding from the funneling of the slightly 'V' shaped battlefield are the reason the English/Welsh kill ratio was 20:1.

[mark0701]

The stakes look very interesting, with regards to cavalry though it would be interesting if the horses simply refused to charge into the stakes rather than die on impact, since i think no matter how well trained a horse was it wouldnt charge into spikes it could clearly see

That will be the key thing for me. It wasn't a matter of the horse not being able to get through the stakes, it was more the case that they would refuse to.

I've seen screenshots of infantry fighting among the stakes which implies they can pass them.

[Trajan]

Great, it would have been stupid to see the foot soldiers running into an invisible wall in-between the stakes. I'll be looking forward to hearing more about the stakes feature in future previews.

[Peter]

Just think of stakes at the back of your army protecting the rear with heavy infantry defending from anyone slipping through the stakes and pikemen infront of your army and in the middle you got longbowmen with your general... a turtles dream, might even be better then the "box" formation in RTW

[Fuji]

Just think of stakes at the back of your army protecting the rear with heavy infantry defending from anyone slipping through the stakes and pikemen infront of your army and in the middle you got longbowmen with your general... a turtles dream, might even be better then the "box" formation in RTW

There are catapults and even cannons in the game Your turtle will be pretty chanceless...
I just hope (i campaign game) those units wont slow your army down (like they werent carried by horses )

[JTHM]

they probably added these so you can't just bulldoze the AI armies with cavalry every battle and get 10:1 victories as easy as it was to on RTW.

[Frost, colonel]

they probably added these so you can't just bulldoze the AI armies with cavalry every battle and get 10:1 victories as easy as it was to on RTW.

It's only the English longbow men that get them, so what about all the other Factions? They could still steam roll with cav, if the game is poorly balanced!