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Thread: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

  1. #1

    Default Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    In that case then either the numbers are equal ( if you also attack with one army with full stack) or the enemy outnumbers you slightly ( by 30 to 50% ) if it has his full garrison army there as well. Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory there? And even a close victory? Is a pyrrhic victory the most likely result of the battle in case you're going to win?
    Some might say "Why don't you first besiege the city to make them sally out after several turns? of course that's the ideal thing to make sure you reduce the amount of losses in your army. But I would do that only in case I have all the time. I won't wait for them to sally out specially if it's very likely another army would arrive as reinforcements: In this case I would be in bigger trouble because the numbers would be heavily against me.
    Last edited by twgamer20197; December 19, 2020 at 02:41 PM.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    In theory some siege equipment like onagers could help work towards a decisive victory if you have quality troops, for example a bunch of Legionnaires going against Eastern Spearmen.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    Do you mean making several breaches on the walls and killing some of the enemy units with your onagers ( before sending your troops ) to soften them up a little?

    In my opinion if you are going to use only one army with a full stack, it is advisable to have at least some strong units in the army. But in my case I'd rather use two armies with full stack in order to guarantee victory when I attack a walled city that has an army with full stack inside.
    Last edited by twgamer20197; December 28, 2020 at 10:44 AM.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    Maybe this could be a good idea:
    -Using 2 armies to besiege a walled city: One with full stack where you have your both experienced and strongest units that you don't want to lose. And a second army ( that doesn't need to be a full stack but at least half stack ) that has at least 4 onagers to soften up the enemy infantry units that are on the walls before sending you infantry.

    - Or another choice would be that the second army ( of at least a half stack ) consists of mostly mercenaries or weak/inexperienced normal infantry units that you'll send ( in ladders, rams and siege towers ) as the first wave of attack.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    I thought this thread was about equal numbers?

  6. #6

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    Quote Originally Posted by LuckyPistol View Post
    I thought this thread was about equal numbers?
    You're tight, mate.
    Then if I have to face the enemy with only one army, then I'd try to have at least 2 onagers to soften up the enemy units that are on the walls before sending my army in ladders

  7. #7

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    1 army 3-4 onagers rest slingers archers reinforced by another mostly slingers/archers. make huge hole in the wall disable the watch towers with onagers then pew pew with missile troops at the missiles on the walls until they gone. once that is done the Ai will try to plug the holes in wall with infantry: easy target for your missiles. they will keep sending infantry and cav to plug the hole practically until they are all gone. the ai will not charge cav at your missiles through the holes in the walls because the Ai doesnt know it can. basically shooting fish in a barrel. minimal losses. might keep one unit of infantry for the victory point general's unit. yeah i know cheese

  8. #8

    Default Re: Is it practically impossible to achieve a decisive victory when attacking a walled city that has a full stack of an army?

    This is what I learned by playing in case you have no ballista nor any onager:

    Don't rely on slingers nor skirmishers. Use archers instead because they can shoot over the walls ( Both slingers and skirmishers can't shoot over the walls). Once your melee infantry units reach the walls, the enemy range units tend to go back inside the city. That's when you should offer your melee units covering fire by firing at the enemy range units that are inside the city behind the walls. You wouldn't be able to do that with slingers or skirmishers.

    EDIT:
    I forgot about the tortoise units. They are better when you have no ballista no onagre
    Last edited by twgamer20197; May 13, 2022 at 10:38 AM.

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