English Armies

[SteffanGlaze]

I'm on about my 74th turn, I have most of the high building level units, but can't get any gunpowder units. What would be the best number of what units for a full size army?

[Trajan]

Well it's all based on personal taste. Playing as the English, 185 turns in, my standard army consists of:

1 General
7 Armored Swordsmen
6 Dismounted Feudal Knights
2 Retinue Archers
2 English Knights/Knights Templar
2 Culverins

[Soryn Arkayn]

If you're playing as the English, don't even bother with gunpowder infantry, because your high-level archers are the best in the game. Gunpowder infantry might pack a greater punch (and can penetrate heavy armour) but they're range is so short and on a flat trajectory that they usually can only fire one or two vollies against charging infantry, and probably not even one volley against cavalry. Archers are much better because they have longer range, can fire in a high trajectory (over screening infantry or castle walls), and higher-level archers can deploy defensive stakes. Archers may lack the penetration power of Arquebusiers, but their versatility and sheer rate of fire guarantees that they'll be effective in every battle.

So my advice is don't screw around with gunpowder infantry when you play as the English, because their archers are the best in the game.

[imb39]

Well it's all based on personal taste. Playing as the English, 185 turns in, my standard army consists of:

1 General
7 Armored Swordsmen
6 Dismounted Feudal Knights
2 Retinue Archers
2 English Knights/Knights Templar
2 Culverins

My standard army tends to consist of -

1 general
4 Armoured swordsmen
4 Dismounted feudal knights
1 cavalry unit
the rest are the best longbowmen I can get my hands on. I rely very, very heavily on archer units. Retinue/Yeoman archers form the core and get experience points quite easily.

[Slaists]

My standard army tends to consist of -

1 general
4 Armoured swordsmen
4 Dismounted feudal knights
1 cavalry unit
the rest are the best longbowmen I can get my hands on. I rely very, very heavily on archer units. Retinue/Yeoman archers form the core and get experience points quite easily.

Why would you use any Dismounted feudal knights if you have Armoured swordsmen available? Stats are very similar and the Armored swordsmen have much lower upkeep.

[Sard]

I love Armored Swordsmen. Theres really no reason to make any other infantry once you can create them. Sword and Shield infantry last much longer than 2hander using fellas and they hit almost as hard.

[ghyslyn]

get the longbowmen not the gunpowder, just as Winston Churchill said; the longbow of England was never truly outgunned until the creation of the american remmington rifle

[Oracle]

get the longbowmen not the gunpowder, just as Winston Churchill said; the longbow of England was never truly outgunned until the creation of the american remmington rifle

Except they run out of arrows fast. And since the enemy AI prefers to send in their handgunners in loose formation first most of your shots will be wasted.

[Jc61BBB]

I usually get at least 6 solid units of longbowmen in each army, minimum. Their range is just so rediculous that I just get a whole bunch of them, line them up, and just rain hell on the enemy.

I try to get it so that I also have an equal number of good infantry like armored swordsmen to back up my archers. Then I just line up my archers in front of the infantry and set them so skirmish, so when the enemy gets too close, they just retreat behind the infantry.

As for the flanks, I usually cover them with either infantry or cavalry, doesnt really matter to me.

So, my basic army is:
1-2 Generals
6-8 Longbowmen
8-10 Heavy Infantry
0-4 Cavalry

[Tiwaz]

4 longbows, 1 general, 3 heavy cavalry, 2 sieges, 4 heavy infantry, 6 spears.

Yes, weak spot here are the spears, but they are cheap and cheerful and easy to replace so I use them to form the line, flank with heavy infantry (and cavalry if feeling adventurous) and force a rout.

Sieges and archers are rather obvious... (2 sieges to make sure I get through walls easily).

Actually I should start replacing old armies in my campaign... somehow billmen and mailed knights are no longer as hot when you have access to top of the line gear. Not to mention competition between catapults and gunpowder.

[Flavius Nevitta]

Mine is>

1 general
2 Dismounted knights
2 armoured swordsmen
2 heavy billmen
5 heavy cavalry
6 retinue longbowmen
2 spear units for the flanks

plant stakes in front of my army, fire with the longbows, when enemy charges move longbows a bit back, heavy infantry forward behind the stakes so they're save from cav., advance own cav on flanks and charge their crossbows in the rear first....that's what I usually do.

[Hurricane]

From what I remember of my English campaign, I think it was:

1 General
4 Heavy Cavalry
8 Armoured Swordsmen
7 of the best Longbowmen available


If the patch makes Billmen stronger and/or adds Feudal Sergeants I might replace 4 to 6 Armoured Swordsmen with some of them instead.

[Delexit]

@ Oracle

Except they run out of arrows fast. And since the enemy AI prefers to send in their handgunners in loose formation first most of your shots will be wasted.

throw a 2 hopilars sacrifice charge at'em and they'r gonne

[Tiwaz]

Oh yes. I definitely recommend getting Sherwood archers to english armies. Are they limited to Nottingham or does it just take master woodsman guild? I was rather surprised when got them. Have to test them today. (didn't have time yesterday)

[Skipper]

Mine:

General
2 Dismounted Knights
4 Armoured Swordsmen
6 heavy cavalry
2 longbowmen
4 Trebuchet
1 Misc (usually a backup Cavalry that I leave with my General.)

While longbowmen are very good, I find them not so hot in a besieging stack that will only be assaulting cities and fortresses. Trebuchets ftw in those situations. Once they make a chevron of rank they are extremely nice to have.

How I break up my groups in battle:
Group 1 - 2 Armored swordsmen and 1 Dismounted Knight
Group 2 - 2 Armored swordsmen and 1 Dismounted Knight
Group 3 - 2 Longbowmen
Group 4 - 3 Heavy Cavalry
Group 5 - 3 Heavy Cavalry
Group 6 - 4 Trebuchets

Standard open field fight:
Click group 3, target nearest enemy heavy infantry or spearmen, open fire.
Click group 6, target nearest enemy heavy cavalry or general, open fire.
Click group 1, standard march them toward nearest enemy.
Click group 2, standard march them toward nearest enemy.
Click group 4, arc left for flank.
Click group 5, arc right for flank.

Once groups 1 and 2 hit melee range, click group 3 and "stop."
Wait 15 seconds.
Click group 6 and "stop."
Wait 5 seconds.
Send in group 4 from flank.
Wait 5 seconds.
Send in group 5 from flank.
*enemy routes*
Send groups 1 and 2 to non routing enemy stacks.
Send group 4 to mop up routers.
Pull out group 5.
Wait 5 seconds.
Flank group 5 into any remaining enemy stacks.
*enemy routs again*
Mop up with group 5.
*battle over*
Execute prisoners.
Give the Pope 100 gold and map info as a "gift."
Replentish dead Dismounted Cavalry and Armored Swordsmen.
Repeat.

And yep, that's gotten me through 3 faction wars now.

[Machinator]

My english armies responsible for the creation of Greater England - that is, all land from Makkaresh in the South, to Milan in the East, to Oslo in the North - never leave home without:

- 1 Culverin (there is nothing better for saying hello than kicking his walls down in two hits)
- 1 Ribault (I don't notice them getting much love - you need to try wheeling them to fire at an enemies exposed flank, point blank - or parking them in front of one of the aforementioned holes in the wall and firing at will - I've used these to kill many generals as they charge in, theyre disposable, play with them that way and you will get more use from them. )
- 4 Dismounted English Knights (beause they hit hard, great assaulters)
- 4 Longbowmen, Yeomen Archers, Retinue Longbowmen or Sherwood Archers
(because if it moves, shoot it - versatility without overreliance)
- 1 General's Bodyguard (of course)
- 3 English, Feudal or Hospitaller Knights (because cavalry charges in the field crush)
- 2 Mortars (No matter the circumstance, these are great - WAY less friendly fire problems)
- 2 Dismounted Feudal Knights (for higher defense, they hang back in sieges and protect the artillery in the field)
- 2 other units which, depending on what I need the stack to do, will change. More cavalry for battles out in the field. More infantry or a single trebuchet (because we all love to say Moooo!) for a siege.