Ribaults - who loves them for city fighting?

**trench** · December 21, 2006, 07:54 AM

I have had quite a string of luck with ribaults when attacking or defending cities /castles - the carnage they seem to produce when the enemy is funnelled into those streets makes the cost very worthwhile.

Yours Thoughts?

**Tiwaz** · December 22, 2006, 05:40 AM

I would find many siege weapons and specially ribaults to be far more useful if I could give them "attack here" order without clicking on target.

Why? Because that would prevent problem of having to find right unit to click if enemy has horde pouring in through doorway and just kill anything that is hit.

(worst case scenario, you click on target and for some reason unit aims a FIRST guy of group who may be in contact with your defenders, making friendly fire far more likely)

**Tankfriend** · December 22, 2006, 01:09 PM

Ribaults are one of my favorite street fighting artillery units... But do try the Mongol and Timurid rocket launchers, they seem to have a larger salvo and deal both more fear and damage while being more accurate (though that is quite unimportant on close range).
As well as that, they can be hired as mercenaries in the eastern provinces when gun powder becomes available I think.

**Skouser** · December 24, 2006, 05:26 AM

where do you acyually buy ribaults from? i have trebuchets but cant seem to find ribaults (as england)

**Tankfriend** · December 24, 2006, 08:19 AM

You have to wait for gunpowder first, and the only nations able to recruit ribaults are Spain/Portugal and the Italian factions I think; the Italians can recruit the bigger version of the ribault as well.

**Ikarash** · December 26, 2006, 08:14 AM

jup but later on the ribault and monster ribault become available as mercs.

I have the same problem with city fighting usually the enemy is already upon you by the time the ribaults start firing. Since you will use them end-game mostly that means that there will be a lot of heavy troops opposing you (high morale). So my personal opinion is nice but not that nice to actually "love" them.

**jaklei** · December 26, 2006, 04:53 PM

merc ribualts are an existing unit

**Duke Gibbons** · January 04, 2007, 06:57 PM

Really? I've only played as England thus far and I have ribaults (they're not the mercenary variety). You do need gunpowder before you can build them. You also need the cannon maker building. I hope that helps.

**Tiwaz** · January 05, 2007, 12:28 AM

Yeah. I recall same thing. They came with culverins or mortars, can't remember which ones. Though I have very little use for ribaults. Only used them in one battle and while very nice with passive AI they feel rather poor option considering their limitations in the field.

AND the damn inability to attack general area instead of unit (I just hate it... I have good pack of enemies in easily targeted area but my ranged units still aim for unit which can lead to only hitting walls etc)

**kleemann** · January 05, 2007, 03:19 AM

I like to use catapults in street fighting. I put them behind my spearmen. Enable Auto-aim, enable fire ammo. So it shoots over my spearmen and mass killing enemis who are bouring in from destroyed gate.

I discover this accidentally when i defended withoud cavarly and i was in really inferior in numbers. I managed to winn this defencive siege. Battle oods were 10:1. These shots were really accurete in short range. Catapult rules.

This is my worst case scenario of defending if enemy has breach.

Actually i make allmost suicide attack on enemys battleram and/or catapults to save walls. So enemy will have to use ladders. And then archers shoot them with fire arrows. Best defence so far.

**Metellus** · January 05, 2007, 03:50 AM

Ribaults are awesome for anti-infantry in general. I also use the method of 'integrating' them into my lines, and I usually order them 'loose' formation. At worst case if things get really hairy you can ALT+click them to target an enemy unit, in which case they will actually drop the ribault and attack the enemy unit. This is only useful insofar that it allows you to immediately withdraw them to safety behind your own lines, and then they can re-crew when the fighting has died down (goes for all arty). I once ribaulted an enemy general with my 3-silver-chev ribault, schweet! They are also great to position off to the side as the enemy is rusing through the gate, as are ballistas with fire bolts. Oh and ribaults are also great against those swiss pike formations the papacy keeps sending against me.