Best ratio of troops?

[Sir Wag the Disgruntled]

What do you all find to the best way to structure your armies? How many of each troop type (Infantry, Archers, Cavalry) do you use? And what is the best type of each to create the most effcient army?

Personally, I've always been a fan of Swadians so my army is usually mostly Cavalry (other troop types tend to be ones I've yet to  upgrade). This obviously is quite limited in what it can do and tends to be focused on one brutal charge to shatter my opponents line and then I use my Knights to mob the survivors. This has its benefits as battles are quick and I suffer few casualties but as I have mentioned, I lack tactical flexiblity. So how does everyone else build up their forces?

 

[laheja]

I also use my heavy cavalry as brute force but i also have small amount of fully upgraded infantry and crossbowmen with me as well for supportive roll and when i conquer some castle or town i put them in those to not weaken my army much...

I recommend using Khergit cavalry although for they have best cavalry ....

Not strongest but best for they have great flexibility and many cavalry archers and they are also faster than normal cavalry

 

[Sir Wag the Disgruntled]

To be honest I don't see what the big fuss about Khergit cavalry is. From my experience the tend to spend more time fleeing Knights than they do shooting.

 

[Shik]

100% heavy cavalry, so long as you can pay the weekly upkeep. There's honestly nothing that can withstand a charge of Swadian Knights, not even Nord Huscarls.

Even castle sieges are easy, since knights act as decent heavy infantry as well.

In some situations though, Rhodok Sharpshooters or Khergit Veteran Horse Archers are useful for sieges, since they are the best ranged troops in the game.

 

[laheja]

Really ?

Well maybe they did´t have lancers in them or good leader in front...

But yes Khergits need a little tightening whit more heavy cavalry to make force to recon with...

Mercenary horseman and sword sisters will suit fine as well...

 

[Shik]

Mercenary cavalry and sword sisters are crap; they have terrible stats and equipment.

Interestingly enough, Khergit Veteran Horse Archers have better stats than Vaegir Marksmen... the only problem is that the khergit force is diluted with some javelin throwers.

 

[laheja]

And Fei Dao Knights don't make good siege defenders till and u would be wise to but different kind of units in defending of castles...

For knights are not archers and they are very expensive so in castle u can keep much cheaper units for same strength

My sword sisters are always served me well

But maybe they are weaker in Native....hmmm

I just havent played native like months at least always played mods...

 

[Zilberfrid]

65% infantry (Rhodok infantry, sometimes intermixed with either Nords or Vaegir, depending on function), 35% archers (rhodok crossbowmen mostly)

This, of course, is a base value

 

[Magorian Aximand]

100% heavy cavalry, so long as you can pay the weekly upkeep. There's honestly nothing that can withstand a charge of Swadian Knights, not even Nord Huscarls.

I've run simulations that would disagree with this statement. It is all in where you place your troops.

Even castle sieges are easy, since knights act as decent heavy infantry as well.

They are decent, but if you come across a dedicated infantry force while you're dismounted you'll get shredded.

In some situations though, Rhodok Sharpshooters or Khergit Veteran Horse Archers are useful for sieges, since they are the best ranged troops in the game.

Interestingly enough, Khergit Veteran Horse Archers have better stats than Vaegir Marksmen... the only problem is that the khergit force is diluted with some javelin throwers.

Marksmen are decisively better than Sharpshooters, and though I've never done direct tests vs unmounted Veteren Horse Archers, I've always felt the Marksmen to be superior. I'll run a sim to be sure.

 

[clayton117]

I personally go with just infantry and ranged , it works for me. Its ALOT more flexible , having swordsman , axemen , spearman , crossbows , bows , throwing axes and spears is alot more effective than just horses.

 

[Ludial]

Vaegir marksmen only. Or Khergit lancers only. Or Rhodok sharpshooters only. Or forest bandits only(Sword of Damocles: Invasion).

 

[AA0]

It really depends on what you are doing, in Native there is nothing that is going to be heavy cavalry on the field. 

In mods though, there are usually anti cavalry units, and you need a good mix.  I've been playing Eagle and the Radiant Cross a lot lately, and tend to go 33% Heavy Cavalry,  and 67% Ranged infantry.  If needed I use the cavalry to defend the ranged units. 

 

[stygN]

Wellcome back Ludial!

On my first game I used only cavalry, in the end it was around 50% Vaegir Knights, 30% Khergit Lancers and 20% Swadian Knights. And I also used mercs if I lost a lot of men (I sometimes lost many in sieges) and needed new ones fast. With this you simply cant loose on easy.

Now I play with around 20% cavalry (mixed, I don't train them, just pick up prisoners and mercs to have some horses), 20% Infantry (Huskarls, they are pretty nasty), and 60% ranged (mostly Vaegir Marksmen, but also some Nord Vet Archers to fill up my party).

I got a castle really early on, so I had to pick up whatever forces that knew how to kill someone. I've had the odd Swadian Sharpshooter, Rhodok Sharpshooter, and also a Swadian Infantry I think...

This works very well. I almost never use the horses, only to countercharge against a Swadian charge, or against Khergits, and of course to wipe out the last 10-15 enemies in a sweep.

 

[Ludial]

With this you simply cant loose on easy.

this is your weak point on over 130% difficulty I have only forest bandits and still rule. Although if I ever decided to take up some additional troops to enhance my force it would be about 20% dedicated assault cavalry(Vaegir knights in Native). I've done it before and it works fine, though I've had the horsemen run off to chase other horsemen and the enemy would put a dent in my archers, though that was before I reinvented my tactics, so now it might prove to be even more effective; it's only that I think that a bunch of archers butchering a bunch of knights through the use of big axes is just plain too badass to be ruined by adding cavalry

 

[Khazik]

I personally have 30% archers max, 60% infantry and 10%ish companions as my cavalry.

Regarding Swadians and Huscarls, I've fought a few battles against them, though I'm currently campaigning against the Nords and Vaegir, I've yet to find a cavalry charge to break my Huscarls, hold position and close them up, cavlary tend to get tangled and mangled.

 

[Lodeclaw]

As a Vaegir, I go around 40% Archers, 25% Infantry and 35% Cavalry. I love my sharpshooters.

 

[killer-blead]

With this you simply cant loose on easy.

this is your weak point on over 130% difficulty I have only forest bandits and still rule. Although if I ever decided to take up some additional troops to enhance my force it would be about 20% dedicated assault cavalry(Vaegir knights in Native). I've done it before and it works fine, though I've had the horsemen run off to chase other horsemen and the enemy would put a dent in my archers, though that was before I reinvented my tactics, so now it might prove to be even more effective; it's only that I think that a bunch of archers butchering a bunch of knights through the use of big axes is just plain too badass to be ruined by adding cavalry

A yes i forgot that you like to play robin hood,

Yes because we all know archer are the best infantry. try playing the custome battle mod while being a archer you'll end up getting a dagger or sword.

No what you really want is some fast cavalry charging followed by heavy cavalry to break the enemy attack focused on your fast/light cavalry. you then pin them down by your archers or crossbowmen and when the enemy gets to close you know its time for the infantry to march into the battle field to clean the remains so the cavalry can focus on the remaining enemy cavalry.

 

[Zilberfrid]

I'd like to disagree.

Cavalry is not intended to be a full frontal method, especially light cavalry. Try absorbing the first blow with your infantry, or seperating it with a feinted cavalry retreat.

 

[captain lust]

Fei is right that a stackload of swadian knights will win you pretty much every battle.

I still think sword sisters are good though. They're particularly effective at dispatching pesky khergits.

 

[stygN]

@ Ludial

Notice how I said "In my first game"....?