"At the men or the horses?"

[John Johnston]

Just curious - I often make a deliberate point of killing/targetting enemy horses, as they're generally not heavily armoured, and as an enemy soldier on foot is vulnerable, slow - very important - and often in a poor position to use that lance they've been toting around. And besides which, watching the horsemen go flying when you total their mount is just *funny*.

How do y'all feel about this ruthless butchery? Good tactical sense, or am I simply besotted with equine massacre?


(incidentally, since purchasing my brand spanking new Heavy Charger, I've not once been unhorsed - the poor brute seems covered head to toe in armour. I've rarely seen enemy soldiers riding chargers, though, the heaviest most of them seem to employ are warhorses, and an awful lot of midrange troops bimble round on unarmoured horses.)

 

[NikkTheTrick]

Whenever enemy has his shield up, I ALWAYS hit the horse.
First, it renders a lancer useless.
Second, the guy can be butchered while he is falling. I remember killing vaegir knight's horse and he flew straight into my swadian sergeants with their 2-handers at the ready... He wished I killed him with that blow instead

Also, you can have a lot of fun with an unhorsed opponent. Right now, I'm looking for the funniest place on enemie's body to stick my arrow (no! not THAT arrow, you sicko!) into.

I cut down nobleman's horse so that I can easily couch him with a jousting lance.

 

[Roach]

I usually run around (athletics 8 ) on foot with a sword of war: swipe at the horse as it goes past ('specially if like Nikk says they have their shield up), then sprint after the sliding, tangled mess of man and beast and perform an executing overhead strike before he has a chance to get up. Great fun.

 

[Archonsod]

Usually with ranged weapons its the best way to go.

Slaughter the horse, and leave them for my foot troops to finish off.

 

[Ryuta]

Spears and likes are useful too. I found that stabbing from spear and pike always rare up horse.

 

[The Pope]

Hacking the guy off his horse as he rides past can be a lot of fun too. Especially with a flamberge .

 

[Deus Ex]

Usually with ranged weapons its the best way to go.

Slaughter the horse, and leave them for my foot troops to finish off.

ABSOLUTELY!

I especially try to shoot the horse out from under other horse archers - so my men can dispatch them easier. (yes it is great fun when you kill the horse and the rider takes a huge tumble - had some fall down a steep hill - never to rise again *grin*)

DE

 

[smaug_the_dragon]

not me, I always take aim for riders head. One arrow =one dead rider where as it takes usually 2-4 arrow to kill the horse. plus its really cool to see them tumbling off with an arrow in thier head, and then get dragged by thier still tumbling horse.

 

[neotemplar]

Well if they got a lance I kill the horse to alleviate the dange to myself, if not I hit the rider. Note I always use super heavey armor so only lances and arrows usually hurt me, and AI horse archers couldn't hit a brickwall. Sawadian crossbows though on foot are another story entierly...

Oh and if I'm the archer I'm prob on foot with a big crossbow so i shoot for the guy, peircing often one hit kills them

 

[Nasrudin]

Just curious - I often make a deliberate point of killing/targetting enemy horses, as they're generally not heavily armoured, and as an enemy soldier on foot is vulnerable, slow - very important - and often in a poor position to use that lance they've been toting around. And besides which, watching the horsemen go flying when you total their mount is just *funny*.

How do y'all feel about this ruthless butchery? Good tactical sense, or am I simply besotted with equine massacre?

MURDERER!!!

*PETA..."battle" cry*

ahem.

I always go for the horses when I'm solo or leading a band of lowbies - I'll soften up the horses with a sniper crossbow and let my peasant buddies do the rest.

 

[Deus Ex]

not me, I always take aim for riders head. One arrow =one dead rider where as it takes usually 2-4 arrow to kill the horse. plus its really cool to see them tumbling off with an arrow in thier head, and then get dragged by thier still tumbling horse.

Heh heh - of course! If they are sitting still, or not moving TOO fast, I will try to kill the rider - after all that IS the objective. But I am slowly improving my archery and horse archery skills - and the reality is, when they send a couple horse archers to trot around us in circles and pepper us with arrows while their infantry heads our way I can't afford too much time to mess with them. Heck, I'll just shoot the horse out from under them - BIGGER target - easier for me to hit *grin*

But yeah, if you are good enough to hit the guy on the horse with a head shot using just one arrow - go for it. I would too *BIG GRIN*

DE

(maybe I should give up my trusty bow and get a crossbow...)

 

[Vachir]

I personally find the guy falling off the horse and watching the horse drag his body behind as it continues running much funnier than killing the horse. I do tend to kill the horses when I'm trying to level up some soldiers though. I've been trying to figure out if killing horses, or not killing them actually gives you a better chance of looting a horse at the end of the battle. I still have no idea though as it seems quite random.

 

[Oggy]

I usually go for the guys on foot, and leave my other chaps to dispatch the horsemen. My steed is only ever really for transport into the thick of things, or to get rid of Horse archers at the end of a battle. I rock out if I'm on the ground and up in there grill, but get me on a horse and try and do the same thing, and it's like I've just drunk a big long draught of wuss juice. Totally useless

 

[Tarrak]

If you find the rider to be too hard to hit while moving then fight the Steppe Bandits and position yourself so that you have a clear view of the left side (where they will circle around). Then do practiceshooting.

I have become rather deft at head shots at enemy horse archers that are moving. Sure it usually takes about 2 arrows on average per rider, but only lucky shots to the body or the horse would do the same. Of course the the ones charging you will be the perfect victims for head shots, just be sure you are mounted so that you have a better height...

 

[McPa]

I wish we could chop off horse's legs with the big nasty sharp weapons, and I wish blood squirted all over when we did that.

 

[Cleaning agent]

I've been trying to figure out if killing horses, or not killing them actually gives you a better chance of looting a horse at the end of the battle. I still have no idea though as it seems quite random.

I think that you don't even nescessarily get the same horses as the enemy had. Sometimes I get lame horses even though I didn't kill any of the enemies... I guess it is completely random

 

[Jerky]

I always kill the horses, and than i kill the rider when hes sliding on the ground

 

[Harlequin_]

hehehe....... funniest thing since ThVaz ' s avatar

 

[monsterfurby]

If I have a choice, e.g. the enemy does not raise their shield, it usually depends on their weapon. If they have a lance or bow, I take down the horse. If they have a one- or two-handed weapon, I try to eliminate the rider as those are more dangerous on foot...

 

[Harlequin_]

if they have a bow, nail the horse, if they have anything else- shoot them in the head/body/leg etc.