Scottish battle strategies?

[Bachias]

I was wondering, how would you make up a scottish army? I recently continued playing my scottish save and now I'm getting to the point where I have some variety in my selection of troops, not just high damage light infantry.
With most other European factions I tend to form my main battle line with Dismounted Feudal Knights or something better if available, the Noble Swordsmen that the Scots get could do this. However, I am well aware of the fact that the Scots get some superb pikemen, and I was thinking of implementing something like the greek phalanx in my armies.
The main battle line would be formed by, say 6-8 units of Noble Pikemen, a handful of Feudal Knights on the flanks, two-three units of archers behind the line of pikemen and some Highland Nobles in reserve to use for flanking maneuvers and hacking holes through the enemy's line, a general and maybe some artillery. This army would be effective in the open field (I'd think), but it would probably run into some problems if sieging a city, let alone a citadel. And what to do with the Noble Swordsmen, I'd feel kinda bad if I don't use a top-tier unit like that.
What would you do with the Scots?

[Vindahl]

I am currently playing as the Scots, and though I still dont have the most advanced units, I still manage to do quite well, and press the English.
In my game I havent experienced much fieldbattle, actually only a couple this far I think!
I have usually 4-6 units of Highland Rabble, which I first charge at the enemy lines with. If I got a Trebuchet in my army, I give them a couple of burning rocks before my men meet their lines.
Meanwhile, I send my General and 1-4 units of Mailed Knights around the battle and hit their archers, which they usually hold behind their own first lines.
Then, depending on how well my Highland Rabble units are doing, I send my reserve units in, consisting of Highlanders and Highland Nobles.
Their General then most often die, and as they flee I pursuit the remainings and the battle is won!

Its about the same I do when I assault a city or a castle, trying first to break their gate with a ram, and if that doesnt work, I send up 2 ladder units, on both sides of the gate and fight the wallunits until I can gain access of the gatebuilding. Most often my Highland rabbles flee the walls, but as they do that, I send in my Highlanders and Highland Nobles who take over. (Sometimes I use the spearmilitias as well).
When the gate is in my control I pursuit the retreating defenders down the roads, until they meet in a huge roadbattle! I then send in all my cavalry, and make them ride past my own men, and past the enemy, until they reach the enemy archers. (Yes, it is quite a mess to look at!)
They battle is then quick over, and I win! Have never lost a battle, though I play on VH/VH! So apperently it works!

I doent think its so important how you use your men in M2TW. Just charge with the whole damn thing and thats that!

[Skouser]

I doent think its so important how you use your men in M2TW. Just charge with the whole damn thing and thats that!

LOL

...try playing on vh

[smitty]

LOL

...try playing on vh

Read his post, he does! Although that probably won't work against some higher-end armies, those charging bonuses sure do change the tide of the battle in your favor

[zerathule]

As scotland i usualy play sneaky when i invade the continent.
I use small cheap armies (like 8 units : 2 border horses, 2 highland archers, 3 highlanders, 1 general) and take undefended settlements or harass ennemy armies.
This is usualy my first move where i'll ruin my opponent and take his weak settlements, while i form my major army : you wont be able to crush a major nation with such an army.
So for big battles, i stay "cheap". I love to align the "perfect army" but usually this takes so long and requires a lot of micro management to build.
So, first my main battle line will be 9 Highland pikemen : these can hold the line long enought versus any ennemy and can easyly win a battle on their own.
I usualy have 2 border horses units just to chase down fleeing ennemies, but sometimes i'll have to cover my flanks or reinforce my line.
I take 2 highland archers just in case i face some horse archers.
4 highlanders divided in two groups in reserve on each sides to flank or cover my flanks. (but with a 9 unit battle line i am rarely flanked.
2 units of highland nobles, in second line to give add some punch in the main battle line.
1 General that will stay in reserve and usualy will just charge in once the battle is already won.
This army is cheap (all units are low tier, low cost low upkeep) so it is very easy to build and retrain.
It has the advantage to have a rustic feeling (all your army in kilt is fun to look at) and since your opponent never field perfectly balanced armies with higher grade troops, all your battles will be a challenge, even if with this composition you'll always stand a good chance of winning.
Try it, i'm sure you can enjoy it, but you need to practice a bit since usage of pikes isnt that easy at first.

[Bachias]

As scotland i usualy play sneaky when i invade the continent.
I use small cheap armies (like 8 units : 2 border horses, 2 highland archers, 3 highlanders, 1 general) and take undefended settlements or harass ennemy armies.
This is usualy my first move where i'll ruin my opponent and take his weak settlements, while i form my major army : you wont be able to crush a major nation with such an army.
So for big battles, i stay "cheap". I love to align the "perfect army" but usually this takes so long and requires a lot of micro management to build.
So, first my main battle line will be 9 Highland pikemen : these can hold the line long enought versus any ennemy and can easyly win a battle on their own.
I usualy have 2 border horses units just to chase down fleeing ennemies, but sometimes i'll have to cover my flanks or reinforce my line.
I take 2 highland archers just in case i face some horse archers.
4 highlanders divided in two groups in reserve on each sides to flank or cover my flanks. (but with a 9 unit battle line i am rarely flanked.
2 units of highland nobles, in second line to give add some punch in the main battle line.
1 General that will stay in reserve and usualy will just charge in once the battle is already won.
This army is cheap (all units are low tier, low cost low upkeep) so it is very easy to build and retrain.
It has the advantage to have a rustic feeling (all your army in kilt is fun to look at) and since your opponent never field perfectly balanced armies with higher grade troops, all your battles will be a challenge, even if with this composition you'll always stand a good chance of winning.
Try it, i'm sure you can enjoy it, but you need to practice a bit since usage of pikes isnt that easy at first.

I just tried this out against an English army on VH with elite troops like Sherwood Archers, Armored Swordsmen and Yeoman archers and plenty of heavy cavalry. It worked like a charm! They brought some artillery along, so early on both me and the English moved our archers forward to skirmish while their artillery bombarded me. Now, the Highland Archers would have gotten theri asses thoroughly kicked if I'd tried to win a skirmish against their longbows. I now have a newfound respect and appreciation for Border Horses . After swiftly dealing with their Longbows with two charges, my kilt-wearing "inferior" archers were free to wreak havoc on the English infantry with fire arrows, while their cannons tried in vain to hit them. Eventually they did score a hit though, and my archers routed behind my line of pikes. The English decided to try charging through my pikes. Bad idea. I was a bit worried when I saw the Armored Swordsmen in their plate armor charging at my skirt-wearing men with pointy wooden sticks, but I didn't need to worry. Almost all of their units to the sides of their line routed as soon as they made contact, the middle ones still fought. That is, until I charged my Highland Nobles through my pike lines to cut them down. I did get some unneccessary casualties when I neglected two Highlander-units and my Border Horses who I had sent to chase down routing Englishmen. Quite a large number of them turned back to attack me again, but my Nobles killed their General, their Templars and plenty of Armored Sergeants and some Town Militia. All that remained was to charge my General's Bodyguard into the flanks of their infantry fighting my Nobles and my victory was complete. All in all, I was really pleasantly suprised how well such an poorly armored and cheap army did against the heavier English troops. I can only imagine how damn good this same army would be with Noble Pikemen instead of the Highland ones, Noble Highland Archers and Noble Swordsmen replacing the Highlanders.

More Scottish strategies would be great, keep 'em coming!

[zerathule]

Glad you had fun with this composition.
Another strategy i've tried with france, but could work with scotland would be the inclusion of some highland rabble :
Change your archers with some highland rabble, yes that makes a change of 2 units only, but for the strategy it'll be completly different :
As soon as the battle begins, rush your rabble in melee in the center of your ennemy troops. Behind march forward with all your troops, but keeping the same formation : everyone behind the pikemen line, nobles in the center, highlanders on the flanks, and horses behind the highlanders.
The goal here is to have the rabble close in, and rout asap, just so that the ennemy rush those peons, so that when your pike line closes in they wont be able to form a true battleline.
The pikes will surround the main ennemy force, all you have to do is to flank with your highlanders, chase the routers with the border horses and support eh main line with the nobles and general.
I'm not 100% satisfied with this strat, it needs tweaking but its quite fun taking an agressive posture with supposedly defensive troops.
Pikes ARE good for attacking.

[Skouser]

scotttish highlanders pwn!!!!, 1 squad charging into the front of a charging knight templar sqaud will kill around 10, into the rear or flank... templars dead!!!