How to use javelin throwing troops properly?

[KonDmi]

Hello, I’ve been lurking here for awhile and here is my first post.
I started playing this mod since the previous version, didn’t have much time to play it though, until this week.
Few years ago I played quite a lot of TW: Shogun 2, so TW combat system is familiar to me, however in this game it feels somewhat different.
Right now I started a campaign as Celtiberians, and Iberian roster seems to be highly emphasized on skirmishing and throwing pointy stuff around, thus I got interested in proper tactics with such units.

To be specific my questions are:
1) How to use skirmish cavalry?
I tried using it like I use my skirmish infantry (throwing it onto enemy lines in skirmish mode), but it often gets intercepted by enemy horses, stucks in melee and dies horribly... and if it doesn’t then its performance is not very effective considering the cost anyway.

2) How to use heavy infantry/spearmen who throw javelins before the charge? They act kind of awkward when I attack with them, I guess you have to time it right?

[Lusitanio]

1) With skirmish cavalry, the best way to use them is to micromanage them, send them to attack before the infantry and try to outflank your enemy. They are good cavalry to go after the archers and slingers, not against other cavalry and spear infantry. You can also use your skirmish cavalry to engage other cavalry and after send your heavy cavalry to attack from behind or in the flank, either way, they are light cavalry soo don't expect them do destroy every unit they face, their job is to kill some and exploit breaches in the enemy lines.

2) They seem to have some weird behaviour sometimes, in which they don't trow the javelins but start to slowly engage the enemy unit. You can either turn on the button to shoot at will and wait for them to have no more missiles and attack or you can do an easier thing and press alt button and send them to attack other units directly.

[Baharr]

Light javelin cavalry is great for:

- harassing enemy units, causing light casualties and potentially drawing units into traps
- running down fleeing units (way more important than you might think, as routing units often regroup and return in EBII!)
- charging exposed archers/slingers/siege engines

Their best stat is their speed. Use them with that in mind.

As for light skirmish infantry, their best stat is their cost. Use them to soak up missiles that might otherwise damage your more expensive units - place them at the front of the line, have them launch a salvo or two, and then retreat them to use them as a reserve or as a flanking unit. Standard screening stuff, javelin skirmishers are pretty good at it.

A final note is that very light infantry can screen heavy cavalry since they can move about quite quickly, they won't bog your cavalry down.

And yeah, getting the javelin charge right takes a bit of practice. The key is not just timing but also selecting the right target. If the battlefield is a mess you can always pause and then issue charge orders for units individually - less chance of wasting your charge that way.

[KonDmi]

Thank you for the answers!
I also found out myself that with jav-throwing heavy units it's sometimes effective to leave them passively waiting for the enemy with "Fire at will" turned on, that way they will throw javelins as soon as the enemy comes into line of fire, then you can manually direct your units to charge.

[tentaku]

i spread my ranged cavalry out in the field, and they manage to attract attention of enemy units, then i tell them to get the @#$% away, as far as possible, drawing the enemy to chase them, thereby thinning enemy rank, messing up enemy formation, and creating more opening for my other units.

[_Tartaros_]

my advise:
skirmisher cav - first you should do: kill the enemy general (on horses), other heavy cav and mounted archers or keep enemy skirmisher at distance - after they have used there amunition, keep them behind your lines
heavy spearmen - center of our line they are the "anvil" - have to hold the enemy in place - disable fire at will - enable only when they can act as skirmishers
heavy swordmen - they protect both flanks, act as semi-lineinfantry - disable fire at will - enable only when they can act as skirmishers
light swordmen - they attack from the side or behind
heavy lance cav - "hammer" of you anvil
general - in the center of your army - he should attack the enemy center only in the middle or last third of the battle. if he has fear ability, this will break the enemy line, leading into collapse. your waiting skrimisher cav can now charge too and catch the fleeing foe´s

[Lusitanio]

my advise:
skirmisher cav - first you should do: kill the enemy general (on horses), other heavy cav and mounted archers or keep enemy skirmisher at distance - after they have used there amunition, keep them behind your lines
heavy spearmen - center of our line they are the "anvil" - have to hold the enemy in place - disable fire at will - enable only when they can act as skirmishers
heavy swordmen - they protect both flanks, act as semi-lineinfantry - disable fire at will - enable only when they can act as skirmishers
light swordmen - they attack from the side or behind
heavy lance cav - "hammer" of you anvil
general - in the center of your army - he should attack the enemy center only in the middle or last third of the battle. if he has fear ability, this will break the enemy line, leading into collapse. your waiting skrimisher cav can now charge too and catch the fleeing foe´s

The only different thing I normally do is placing the heavy spearmen in the flanks to help fighting enemy cavalry units while other hoplite/spear and sword infantry hold the center

[Marvzilla]

Its not advised and shouldnt even possible, if I understood correctly, to toggle on fire at will for heavy non skirmisher Infantry with precursors.

[OJ33DA]

Its not advised and shouldnt even possible, if I understood correctly, to toggle on fire at will for heavy non skirmisher Infantry with precursors.

I believe @Q.S. mentioned that faw is bugged for prec units and should not be touched.

[Stannis Baratheon]

Besides other things said here, it's really easy to use javelins of the cavalry units with maximum effectiveness - make sure you always throw them in the back of some unit with high defensive skill or shield value, toggle off fire at will and turn it on only when they're in position. If you can get away with that level of micromanagement of course.

[Sar1n]

I use FAW with prec units all the time without crash with troops placed in reserve.

About skirmishers, do not underestimate their value as simple charge weight. Sending a couple of skirmisher units to flank an infantry unit that's been fighting against your main line for a while or against cavalry fixed in melee by your own cavalry can send the enemy running long before the melee deficiencies of your skirmishers become apparent.

[Lusitanio]

Fire at will can cause crashes if activated on units with prec but with most of the prec units it doesn't happen. Of course the team will advice not to turn it on because it may cause crashes, but as long as it doesn't, you're free to do it on your own units.