Hi there, I see that a lot of people are struggling cleaning hideouts and it is in my opion the hardest part to master in the game so far. I played a lot for the last days since the realease and noticed a few things to do / not do while trying to clear hideouts. Of course I do not know everything and might be wrong about some other things so I invite you guys to correct me and add more advices to this thread. Also, this is mostly for new players, M&B veterans wont learn anything new here:
1° As everyone knows now, you cannot choose who to bring in with you during raids (and we all hope that it will change because it obviously makes no sense) but it seems like the game works this way : it takes units depending on the pourcentage of infantry/ranged/cavalry you have in your army. For example if you have a 100 men with 55 inf / 35 ranged / 10 cavalry you will have 55% of ing 35 % of ranged and 10% of cavalry with you during the raid. it always works like that for me, I always endup with half inf/ranged and one cavalry man in the raid which totally match with my army composition Moreover the game also seems to take in priority the units on top of your list and will ALWAYS bring your companions with you.
2° This being said, I would advice you not to go in there with companions if they are not well equiped (shields are the more important in my opinion) or high level. Indeed, do not even try to raid a hideout without at least 3 or 4 shield carriers (incuding you).
3° I've also seen that the best composition for raids are 4 shield carriers (with strong armors and throwing weapons if possible) and 4 ranged (hired bandits such as bushwackers and freebooters are the best guys I find for this job so far)
4° I always go in there with a good bow (will explain why next) even if I do not play with it in the campaign, and a shield obviously.
5° Now the strategy I use is simple and works pretty much always : if you have the raid composition I advice, (4 shields inf/4 ranged) here is what you need to do :
a) First, make sure that if you have cavalry with you in the raid, include them in your infantry line using 3 to select them then F7 to include them (it only includes them for the current raid/battle no need to change that after).
b) Put your infantry in shieldwall position using F3-->F2 and have them following you with F1-->F2 if you also go in with a shield and without bow/crossbow
c) Now, you have to go step by step, trying not to attract everyone on your position and kill groups one by one, it is easy to do with most of the hideouts except the forest bandits hideout in the middle of the forest with the 3 camps (1 tiny firecamp to begin and the 2 big ones). So first, you have to place your archers at good distance from the first ennemies (they wont shoot them because they are set in "holding fire" position by default) on a high ground if possible to put your shiledwall in front of them withouth blocking their view, once you are at a good distance, have them shoot a few arrows and position your shield wall to protect them and wait for the ennemies to get closer. When you feel safe to send the infantry finish the job withouth alerting the entire camp, send the men but always keep the shieldwall formation. As I said, bring a bow with you, if you're not target by the ranged bandits, butcher them with arrows. This way, you should be able to kill them all, but you need to be patient and always keep an eye on your ranged position and where you shieldwall is facing (it sometimes face random ennemies eventhough some are closer and get hit from behind)
--> all of these also requires you to be fast and at ease with army commands
6° Some people also said that killing patrols around the camp makes parties in the hideout leaving it, I did not personally pay attention to this particular point but it makes sense since hideouts are made by random bandit parties. Clearing patrols will most likely have them sending other patrols from the hideout (you can see little pitchfork under the hideout name, 1 pitchfork = 1 bandit party).
7° If you have too much struggle clearing those hideouts, I would also advice you to simply reduce difficulty before raiding end put it back on your choosen difficulty after clearing it. As I said, this particular part of the game is difficult, taking on 20/25 bandits is doable, but went it comes to 40 or more, do not even try !
8° Also always keep some elite troops ont the top of your list, even early game, not too much but enough to have them in the raid.
Finally here is my best raid composition which always worked for me (depending as I said on my army composition) :
3 imperial legionnary
1 imperial cataphract / 1 imperial Elite cataphract
3 or 4 freebooter / forest bandits (you can recruit those guys by making them your prisonners and after a while some will be willing to join your ranks).
1° As everyone knows now, you cannot choose who to bring in with you during raids (and we all hope that it will change because it obviously makes no sense) but it seems like the game works this way : it takes units depending on the pourcentage of infantry/ranged/cavalry you have in your army. For example if you have a 100 men with 55 inf / 35 ranged / 10 cavalry you will have 55% of ing 35 % of ranged and 10% of cavalry with you during the raid. it always works like that for me, I always endup with half inf/ranged and one cavalry man in the raid which totally match with my army composition Moreover the game also seems to take in priority the units on top of your list and will ALWAYS bring your companions with you.
2° This being said, I would advice you not to go in there with companions if they are not well equiped (shields are the more important in my opinion) or high level. Indeed, do not even try to raid a hideout without at least 3 or 4 shield carriers (incuding you).
3° I've also seen that the best composition for raids are 4 shield carriers (with strong armors and throwing weapons if possible) and 4 ranged (hired bandits such as bushwackers and freebooters are the best guys I find for this job so far)
4° I always go in there with a good bow (will explain why next) even if I do not play with it in the campaign, and a shield obviously.
5° Now the strategy I use is simple and works pretty much always : if you have the raid composition I advice, (4 shields inf/4 ranged) here is what you need to do :
a) First, make sure that if you have cavalry with you in the raid, include them in your infantry line using 3 to select them then F7 to include them (it only includes them for the current raid/battle no need to change that after).
b) Put your infantry in shieldwall position using F3-->F2 and have them following you with F1-->F2 if you also go in with a shield and without bow/crossbow
c) Now, you have to go step by step, trying not to attract everyone on your position and kill groups one by one, it is easy to do with most of the hideouts except the forest bandits hideout in the middle of the forest with the 3 camps (1 tiny firecamp to begin and the 2 big ones). So first, you have to place your archers at good distance from the first ennemies (they wont shoot them because they are set in "holding fire" position by default) on a high ground if possible to put your shiledwall in front of them withouth blocking their view, once you are at a good distance, have them shoot a few arrows and position your shield wall to protect them and wait for the ennemies to get closer. When you feel safe to send the infantry finish the job withouth alerting the entire camp, send the men but always keep the shieldwall formation. As I said, bring a bow with you, if you're not target by the ranged bandits, butcher them with arrows. This way, you should be able to kill them all, but you need to be patient and always keep an eye on your ranged position and where you shieldwall is facing (it sometimes face random ennemies eventhough some are closer and get hit from behind)
--> all of these also requires you to be fast and at ease with army commands
6° Some people also said that killing patrols around the camp makes parties in the hideout leaving it, I did not personally pay attention to this particular point but it makes sense since hideouts are made by random bandit parties. Clearing patrols will most likely have them sending other patrols from the hideout (you can see little pitchfork under the hideout name, 1 pitchfork = 1 bandit party).
7° If you have too much struggle clearing those hideouts, I would also advice you to simply reduce difficulty before raiding end put it back on your choosen difficulty after clearing it. As I said, this particular part of the game is difficult, taking on 20/25 bandits is doable, but went it comes to 40 or more, do not even try !
8° Also always keep some elite troops ont the top of your list, even early game, not too much but enough to have them in the raid.
Finally here is my best raid composition which always worked for me (depending as I said on my army composition) :
3 imperial legionnary
1 imperial cataphract / 1 imperial Elite cataphract
3 or 4 freebooter / forest bandits (you can recruit those guys by making them your prisonners and after a while some will be willing to join your ranks).
