Naffatun tactics

[Lucius Varenus]

How do you guys use the naffatun? I'm wondering because I'm playing egypt and thinking they might be good if the mongols attack.

[Kraut]

First to say, I have few experience with Naffatun. They are expensive and it takes some time until you can build them. But a few times I used them as siege assault shock troops.

When you succeeded in hammering a breach into the enemy walls, they will try to plug it with some infantry. Now your problem is, that Egypt is not that good in melee infantry. Saracen Militia, e.g., will take heavy losses when storming through a breach. Here Nafftun are handy. Move them in front of the breach, hurl your flaming Naphta on the enemy, then charge and finish them off with the sword. Naffatun also have decent melee attack for this. After they "opened" the breach, move in further infantry to do the street fighting.

In open field battle, they are different. I used them as skirmishers a few times, disturbing the approaching enemy with flaming Naphta, then withdrawing behind the main battle line, maneuvering around it and flanking the pinned foes. However, this will cost losses and I want to save my Naffatun better for the sieges.

[severdhope]

I like to use naffatun as a siege defender. I place a unit right over the gates to seriously damage the morale of approaching rams. Then I rout them by sallying out right before they reach the gate.

[Saiah]

The Naffatuns are perfect soldiers in defensive bridge battles against full stack armies. I quickly send spearmen to the end of the bridge, naffatun behind, enemies crossing so packed, fire away, toasted enemies. Use this also in siege defenses. They are better defending the gate, wall breaches because enemies pack around also when running to the breach.

[Ippius]

Defensively Naffatun are supreme. Just put them on ur walls and watch them destroy the assaulting army. + they're decent in combat. +they are effective against armour.