[Bozos of Bones]

I have my general at the head of the charging lines, but he doesn't charge. He stands his ground and just gives morale bonus to troops. I usually send two cavalry units, a heavy and a light, way out of the battlefield, as that enables me to make devastating flanking attacks and gives more view. I place my archers(minimum 2 units) and a halberdier sqad in a forest to pepper down arrows and my main swordsmen and heavy cavalry on the front lines. If Almohads, I plant some 5-6 units of Hashishin(craziest unit in the game) along the battlefield(on the field, they're invisible), and have them attack when the enemy almost crosses them(they have no fear, they're stoned [img]smile.gif[/img] ). I use mostly melee footmen for the brunt of the attack and specialists to flank. If the enemy is heavy on horse, and I'm out of spearmen for some obscure reason, I use light cavalry to wear them down, and then crush them outside the main battlefield with my fresh and experienced heavy horse. I use artillery only when attacking castles, or if I know the enemy has slow units(heavy footmen etc.), because artillery, especially cannons, scare even the thoughest of commanders. I always attack with atleast half of the attacking force in reserve. I'm not sure what you mean by van.