I actually have just started a game using Rhodok troops last night. Using the men I have and my experience fighting AGAINST Rhodoks this is how I would describe their strengths and weakness:
1) Rhodoks are a DEFENSIVE army. Avoid using them by just charging at the enemy. Instead, form them up on a slight slope, with Infantry forming a tight line and the Crossbowmen 10 paces behind them (a little higher due to the slope so they can fire over your Infantry). They fight best on a steep hill where their crossbowmen have the best range and enemy cavalry are slowed.
2) Elite troops should be your main troops, meaning you should train your recruits up to the highest teir possible as soon as possible. The low to mid-teir troops of the Rhodoks are quite sub-par in most instances, especially on the infantry side of the tree, but the elite troops are actually very much worth their cost in upkeep. Plus I have found that it is relatively easy to level your Rhodok troops up, especially on the crossbow side of the tree.
3) Seargents are good, but crossbows are key. The Rhodok crossbowmen line has some of the best sharpshooters in the game. Best of all, when they are out of bolts they make pretty good sword infantry to boot, which is a good support for your spear wielding infantry. Best thing would probably be to keep the ratio at about 1:1 crossbomen to infantry, or maybe even slightly in favor of crossbowmen.
4) Whenever hiring outside of the Rhodoks, GET CAVALRY. The lack of cavalry for the Rhodoks is actually a severe hinderance to them, especially against their Khergit neighbors. Whenever you do hire men outside of the Rhodok army tree make them cavalry to compensate for this weakness. This will almost be essential to fighing the Khergits unless you can ALWAYS fight them on advantageous terrain (a mountainous area with many STEEP slopes) which is unlikely.
5) When garrisoning, trained crossbowmen will do. If you intend to always be present to help fight an enemy that assaults your settlements you may want to consider using mostly Trained Crossbowmen instead of Sharpshooters as your missle defense. This is because in terms of skirmishing abilities they are almost equal, even though the sharpshooters are far and away better infantry, but if you have sufficient seargents to keep the enemy off the walls your crossbowmen need never fight hand to hand. But why then do I advise Trained crossbowmen over sharpshooters for defense?
Simple - Trained crossbowmen upkeep: 13-16 Sharpshooter upkeep: 28-32 *lower numbers due to leadership bonus*
1) Rhodoks are a DEFENSIVE army. Avoid using them by just charging at the enemy. Instead, form them up on a slight slope, with Infantry forming a tight line and the Crossbowmen 10 paces behind them (a little higher due to the slope so they can fire over your Infantry). They fight best on a steep hill where their crossbowmen have the best range and enemy cavalry are slowed.
2) Elite troops should be your main troops, meaning you should train your recruits up to the highest teir possible as soon as possible. The low to mid-teir troops of the Rhodoks are quite sub-par in most instances, especially on the infantry side of the tree, but the elite troops are actually very much worth their cost in upkeep. Plus I have found that it is relatively easy to level your Rhodok troops up, especially on the crossbow side of the tree.
3) Seargents are good, but crossbows are key. The Rhodok crossbowmen line has some of the best sharpshooters in the game. Best of all, when they are out of bolts they make pretty good sword infantry to boot, which is a good support for your spear wielding infantry. Best thing would probably be to keep the ratio at about 1:1 crossbomen to infantry, or maybe even slightly in favor of crossbowmen.
4) Whenever hiring outside of the Rhodoks, GET CAVALRY. The lack of cavalry for the Rhodoks is actually a severe hinderance to them, especially against their Khergit neighbors. Whenever you do hire men outside of the Rhodok army tree make them cavalry to compensate for this weakness. This will almost be essential to fighing the Khergits unless you can ALWAYS fight them on advantageous terrain (a mountainous area with many STEEP slopes) which is unlikely.
5) When garrisoning, trained crossbowmen will do. If you intend to always be present to help fight an enemy that assaults your settlements you may want to consider using mostly Trained Crossbowmen instead of Sharpshooters as your missle defense. This is because in terms of skirmishing abilities they are almost equal, even though the sharpshooters are far and away better infantry, but if you have sufficient seargents to keep the enemy off the walls your crossbowmen need never fight hand to hand. But why then do I advise Trained crossbowmen over sharpshooters for defense?
Simple - Trained crossbowmen upkeep: 13-16 Sharpshooter upkeep: 28-32 *lower numbers due to leadership bonus*
