Getting my Ass Kicked in Sieges

[iamdanthemanstan]

Not sure exactly why I've been getting hammered so hard in sieges recently. I was attacking a castle with about 180 soldiers about 110 were Swadian pages and the rest were a few Militia about 20 Ecuyer and a few higher units. The castle had about 130 in assorted Swadian stuff. When I directed the attack on the castle the units made it up the stairs to the top fine but then got cut down in droves. The reinforcements for some reason tried to run up the side of the hill and basically just got stuck. What am I doing wrong here? Is the level of my units just too low, is it a bad mix, bad tactics?

 

[effemb]

Not sure exactly why I've been getting hammered so hard in sieges recently.

this is why:

I was attacking a castle with about 180 soldiers about 110 were Swadian pages and the rest were a few Militia about 20 Ecuyer and a few higher units.

swadian pages are mid-tier cavalry, not siege infantry.

The reinforcements for some reason tried to run up the side of the hill and basically just got stuck.

well thats just buggyness, you have to try and order them to the base of the ladder (hold F1, move the flag to the ladder, when they get there have them charge)

Is the level of my units just too low, is it a bad mix

yes, and yes.
castle sieging troops are: heavy infantry, shields are really important, and put your archers down below "hold" to let them fire at enemy archers up top.  having archers storm the ladder is pointless
youre using dismounted cavalry.  they are weaker than foot infantry, when on foot.  obviously
field battle armies and castle siege armies are very differently built.  i suggest not going ahead to castle sieges until you have a high (7+) medic in the group (or 2, for safety sake)...i always use the same 4 companions as my INT-based "support"...yrima/jeremus: medics, and artimenner/klethi: engineer, pathfinder, spotter.  i never start doing sieges alone until i have 250+ army size with majority tier5+ troops and 7+ in all INT skills.  sure its doable without that, but not as efficient.

 

[iamdanthemanstan]

How do you get the 250 army? I almost accidentally made my own kingdom when I renounced my last oath but wanted to keep the village. Didn't get the village but all of a sudden I was king of, well, nothing. Did you do something similar with just more renown?

 

[Nicholas Bell]

I don't think one can generalize and say that all cavalry is bad in siege warfare.  I use Vaegir C5 and C6 units to good effect - they are of course heavily armored and carry shields.

Regarding army size, high renown, leadership, and charisma all contribute to allowing a larger retinue.  In Floris you also get significant increases if you own castles and towns.  You also get a major bonus if you are king or marshal, or both.  Because I own about 3/4's of the map in my current campaign, my army size is 700 something.  Of course it is impossible to keep an army from falling apart by desertion when extremely large.  I can manage a 500 man army for a few days before the lack of food variety (or quantity) drops the morale level to the point where desertions kick in.  I usually take about 250 infantry & archers and 150 cav when I need to take a castle.  I leave the infantry & archers as garrison following the siege.

 

[effemb]

I don't think one can generalize and say that all cavalry is bad in siege warfare.  I use Vaegir C5 and C6 units to good effect - they are of course heavily armored and carry shields.

ya, but...vaegir kick ass and chew bubble gum...
or for nerds: they multitask.