Questions:

1) Are there different modes of play (eg. Campaign) as well as a freeform country-building?
There are two types of campaign, first is victory through conquest where you have to conquer atleast 70% of the (known) world, the second is victory through glorious achievement, where you accumulate points for doing various things depending on which nation you play. Besides those you can chose to play single battles and there's a few other options I think, but I've never given those too much attention. But a real free build mode is not available I'm afraid. (Just like there's no multiplayer campaign :( )

2) When you go into battle, is it realtime where you control all your units and use tactics and strategy?
Two types of battle, first one is controlling the battle yourself, which is realtime, but with the option to pause the events to give orders and such. The second option is letting the computer calculate the results, the outcome then greatly depends on your general and what troops he has available.


And I have a question more that I'd like to know myself:
How do I make feudal foot knights? I simply cannot find the requirements for them anywhere, I've seen them used by rebels and in crusades, but I've never actually been able to build them myself. :(

I think you can make your knights dismount before a battle? I've never tried this though (I like my cavalry :D )

Thanks Memnoch and StigTC [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

If I'm able to get out, I will buy it. If not, definitely tomorrow! Thanks for introducing me to what sounds like a kickass game. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Speaking of battles, how to you normally array your forces for attack (or defence)? As you call know I'm just starting but wouldn't mind seeing what everyone else does.

For attack I normally have heavy footmen (best I have available at the moment is Chivalric Men At Arms) in my vanguard, followed by the bulk of my army (either more heavy foot but more often Vikings, which still make the bulk of my infantry, GREAT troops and CHEAP!) at the centre. I usually have heavy cavalry on both wings, with spearmen behind them to make sure my centre doesn't get flanked. I usually hold back my cavalry until the initial engagement, then I drive them into the flanks of the enemy, or use them to head off enemy cavalry.

In my main body, just behind my van I have my archers/arbalesters, strung out in a double line, with a row of spearmen in front of them. I ALWAYS have spearmen protecting them - I forgot in one battle and a bunch of peasants got through my initial wall and took my crossbowmen out of the fight when I REALLY needed their covering fire. [img]graemlins/awcrap.gif[/img]

I also make sure I have a reserve of cavalry (if possible) and footmen held back in case certain troops are getting decimated and need support.

Some questions though:

1. Which are better, Pavise Crossbowmen or arbalesters?

2. As above, Royal Knights or Feudal Knights? It looks like they're the same type of unit, but Feudal Knights come in groups of 40.

3. When the enemy breaks and runs, how do I stop my troops from chasing them to the horizon (aside from manually making them reform)?

4. How do I repenish a prince/general's personal unit? One of my princes had 19 Royal Knights at the start but he got decimated during a battle until only he was left. How do I replenish his unit with more Royal Knights (I merge units into his army but his unit stays at 1).

[ 08-22-2004, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

I always set up all my spearmen at the front to prevent the enemy from charging me with cavalry.
Right behind them, I set up my archers (if I have any, I usually don't) just so that they're protected, but still have good reach.
Then my swordsmen, standing ready to charge when the enemy has gotten close enough to me. This usually means that they end up fighting a few cavalry units as well, because the enemy holds his horses untill they have some easier prey. :(
And at the back I have my cavalry, mostly because at the back they have the most mobility and can move to either side and then move out and flank the enemy or simply charge enemy archers.
I think your setup is better though.

As for your other questions.
1. Pavise are better if the enemy has archers that shoot back, the shield is great protection, arbalesters are however better if they can stand somewhere safe without being shot, the arbalest is simply much stronger than a crossbow.

2. I usually prefer smaller groups of cavalry because they have an easier time crossing bridges, and they allow for more troops of other unit types. (There's that annoying max army size remember [img]smile.gif[/img] ) The bigger groups don't get decimated as easily though since they can better afford to lose a man or 10.

3. I usually tell my troops to run in the other direction in cases like that or tell them to attack someone else. The "halt" button to the top left in the control panel might actually work too, not sure. The problem (I think) is that the unit can charge the enemy without orders (and readily does so) and continues to do so as long as they're within range. Selecting hold and then halt for the unit should stop them completely now that I think about it.

4. The problem might be that when hitting M the computer simply places him out of the hierarky for merging since he has higher valour and they don't want to reduce his quality (or something like that), I'd try dragging a royal knight unit and dropping it on him by hand and see if that works.

Another question from me then. How long after the invention of gunpowder can you start building cannon ships?

To answer StigTC's question, you need some 20 years before the cannon ships are available, then some 6 years to produce one(I might be terribly off, I don't build overwhelming and powerfull fleets, just numerous).
A tip for Memnoch, if you haven't noticed already, Vikings have low morale, when using three troups of Vikings against a foe and their(viking's) formation get's broken they run. But, if you couple a Viking with some strong morale unit like a quality spearmen or a swordsman and move them in a formation that keeps everyone close Vikings will never even think of running and then you'll see the true strength of the berserking turtle [img]smile.gif[/img] .

I don't know anything about gunpowder yet...I'm still only in 1190. [img]graemlins/awcrap.gif[/img]

Tsk tsk Bozo, your fleet is your most important tool, it's pretty much an unlimited supply of money. :D

And I really need those bigger ships before I go head to head against the Danish fleet, they have so many ships that my current fleet would be swimming with the fishies before the year was over.

I didn't say I don't build a fleet, I just don't maximise it. I have numerous low-tech ships, I don't invest in technology about ships because the hordes of ships I have standing are enough to clear any shore to land my troops.

Turned out that I didn't need a big and impressive fleet to beat the Danish anyway.

My four valour **** grand inquisitors simply prosecuted the entire royal family one by one as heretics, and voila, no more Danish empire, I simply scooped up the rebel areas after that. :D

I think so far I've had 4 rulers and more than twice that number in heirs burned as heretics. Those grand inquisitors are their wight worth in gold.

In other news, the English treasury just recently went past the 1,000,000 florin mark and I'm now the empire with the biggest yearly income and the biggest army. I also occupy Scandinavia the entire western Europe except for Portugal which the Spanish has just decided to make a new start in and have made my first moves into northern Africa.

It's good to be the king. :D