Court Of Byzantium

**Prince Constantius** · February 11, 2007, 04:02 AM

All commanders interested in the Byzantine Empire.
Please post your thoughts here regarding the following two topics
1. If the Turkish and Byzantines had both reached the annex of their military and political power who would you pledge allegaince to? And why?
NOTE: Not in real life, in Grand Campaign terms

2.Favourite Byzantine unit,tactics you use in conjunction with the unit, and which enemy types give your favourite unit a hard time.:hmmm:

That's it for the moment fellow commanders,and next issue, i will present a scenario in which you can act out a Byzantine vs. Turks confrntation at the Battle of Manzikert, will you conquer the heathen turk, or fall prey to his scmitar?

Till next time, GLORY TO THE EMPIRE....

**Strategos83** · February 11, 2007, 05:12 PM

The Byzantine Infantry are woefully underpowered and the Dismounted Lancers have exactly the same stats and simply cost more!! sooo in that sense Byzantines are a good challenge.
Personally I have found allying with the Turks and focusing on replacing Venice the best strategy. Let the Turks absorb the Mongol invasion and then step in and mop up the survivors, whoever they may be...argggg!

**CtrlAltDe1337** · February 11, 2007, 05:17 PM

The Byzantines get the short end of the stick in everything but ships and cavalry archers. The rest of their stuff is pretty bad, and the good units you do get come so late that they get slaughtered.

**Prince Constantius** · February 11, 2007, 05:28 PM

I always recruit mercenaries when it comes down to the late stages of the campaign,normally gunpowder or mercenary knight units.
However I dont's see the Byzantines a short-changed,moreover they are a good challenge, in a sort of 'underdog' style.

P.S Those who wish to take par in this thread, please stick to the topics

**Wiergraf** · February 26, 2007, 06:19 PM

1. Byzantines, because I'm Christian.

2. I've only been playing with the Byzantines for about 20 turns, but so far I'd say my favorite unit is Byzantine Cavalry. I surround and swarm the opposing armies and whittle them down, then use them in conjunction with my merc cavalry/General's Bodyguard in the ensuing melee. The only unit that gives my cavalry trouble are heavy cavalry units, because my Byzavalry are going to run out of arrows eventually.

**Hissing Fauna** · February 26, 2007, 08:33 PM

1. Byzantines, because for some reason, I find their history intriuging. Like something Kurt Vonnegut would write in a really cynical mood.

Seriously, their history is so hilariously ironic that its hard not to laugh. Not only that, but they tend to be more economically powerful, making it easier for me to mooch, and because they aren't as deadly when they backstab you. XD

2. My favourite unit? Prolly the Varangian Guard, or their top horse archers... What were they called. Vardoi something...?

**Lopus** · February 26, 2007, 10:15 PM

1. Either, depending on my mood.
2a. Varangian Guards (defensive), with archers and trebuchets behind them for "anti-missile" defense.
2b. Byzantine cavalry (offensive), though I often "lose" 1 out of 2 (or 3 out of 4) battles, I normally suffer about 5% casualties while inflicting overwhelming 60+% casualties on the other side. My standard tactic is to keep my distance from enemy spearmen, and shoot away (often targeting their archers first), then running away, fast, disengaging, and retreating from the battlefield once my quivers are empty. Rinse and repeat, after 1-3 battles, I still have fully viable field forces while the enemy is normally food for the crows.