You Slay Me!

[JohnathanStrange]

I'm ashamed to say this.

I mean I have three characters leveled at 45+ and have fought hundreds of battle, killed thousands of my enemies (but none that didn't have it coming) and am renowned throughout Caladria, from the gutters of Zendar to the Halls of the Vaegir Lords.

On horseback, I am death on a pale horse, riding with my 2H axe, leaving a trail of fallen behind. Yeah, if I'm all geared up with chainmail, shield, level 40 skills, and cutting edge weaponry, I can do OK.

However on foot, I'm not so tough.

I'm terrible at melee combat. That's my shameful secret. On foot, I can go one on one with a river pirate or forest bandit or two. I'll win but without backup, the remaining hostiles will do me in.

Or am I so bad? My question is: Am I expecting too much out of myself and my character to think that an infantry character can successfully fight a group of enemies alone? (Of course, being swarmed is always a problem - but even if it weren't - I'm not so tough.)

Is it too Hollywood to expect an unmounted character (say level20) to be defeat two or three enemies at once?

 

[Tyaqx]

I can usually take 3 or 4 River Pirates or Forest Bandits at once, as long as I get them right when they're beginning their attacks (that way, I save my shield for those attacks where I really need it). However, I found this much harder to do with a two-handed weapon, since I had no shield.

 

[Kniggit]

I can slaughter groups of those little bastards by myslef

My secret

If you dont have a high athletics skill, dont use heavy armour

When they come at you in a group, run backwards. When you do this notiuce they follow you in single file (sometimes they do, sometimes they dont) Im usually faster than they are, i use a bardiche or Great axe. I just hack at them and block when nessecary. I sumtimes have to switch to broadsword and shield when they start to be too many of them close to me. This method i find most effective.

If you just stand there in full black armour, and they surround you, about all you can do is attempt to black and fight but really what ends upp happening is you become their punching bag.

Ian

 

[Sir Saladin]

I've used the running backwards style a lot when I was horseless. It works pretty good even though it makes me laugh. And try not to fall off a cliff.

 

[Arathiel]

when I go solo/unmounted, I usually use a bow/greatsword combo. As the enemies close, i pick off the ones without shields so I don't get swamped, and I can usually use my sword to take them out pretty quickly as they reach me, so they don't have a chance to surround/gangrape me. In the event that they do get too numerous, I just use the tried and true backwards trotting constant swinging method. Works like a charm. However, against big groups of mixed mounted and foot units, I'm a bit vulnerable, as the horses tend to knock me down as the footsies take potshots. But again, that's what the bow's for... as for pure melee... good luck

 

[alesch]

I try to avoid the backpedalling tactic. O've been using sidestepslashes to good effect recently. They work well against mounted opponents too. On foot, never wear heavy armour.

 

[Arathiel]

yeah, i agree... it kind of feels like cheating. although i think other tactics would be more viable if you could injure multiple opponents within your swing arc. I've also been working on jumping swinging headshots against horsemen lately, although it's tricking to time them right.

 

[ironpants]

My latest and most effective footman uses swingable polearms, throwing axes and high athletic skill for a winning combination. Wading through groups of enemies on foot is great fun with any type of weapon.

 

[Ragnarok]

My most shameful secret is probably when rushing into battle on my trusty steed when he gets killed. I get swarmed bu knights... I can't defend myself....

 

[The Pope]

I find a thrust attack to the face the second an enemy lowers his guard to attack works pretty well.

 

[Kevar]

Master blocks. The key to blocking is that you can always block, even if you're in the middle of a swing. Also, you REALLY need a high athletics skill.

Contrary to what others are suggesting, don't go for the backpedaling tactic. Mix it up a bit. If there are 3 or 4 dark knights rush at them to break their file and hit them where it counts. If you backpedal, they rush at you. If you rush at them, they backpedal. See how this works? If you strafe around a bit and one of them gets seperated from the file, charge him and take him down then spin around to the group again. I can take about six-seven dark knights with my two handed axe and rarely get hit. After practice, the only trouble is when two enemies swing at you in different directions at the same time. That sucks hard.

Use throwing weapons. Master them. If 9 dark knights charge at you, you'll want to be able to hit at least three of them in the head before they get close. If you can't hit a guy in head from 3.0 range, practice.

Unfortunately my level 28 guy's savefile is all bugged up. Hopefully I can get back into it after a patch or so.

 

[Kniggit]

it kind of feels like cheating.

I dont get why people call running backwards cheating or cowardice. You think your just supposed to stand there and do nothing while your getting your ass kicked? You think its brave to stand there like a moron and get surrounded, no chance of victory? Thats not bravery, thats just plain stupid.

 

[Kevar]

it kind of feels like cheating.

I dont get why people call running backwards cheating or cowardice. You think your just supposed to stand there and do nothing while your getting your ass kicked? You think its brave to stand there like a moron and get surrounded, no chance of victory? Thats not bravery, thats just plain stupid.

I believe the words they might have been looking for are "Not stylish"

I rarely backpedal. Just practice. If you depend on backpedaling you probably won't get too much better at blocking. Melee combat is a lot harder to learn than archery when you factor in multiple enemies.

Oh yeah, and learn to play with high mouse sensitivity. Seriously. You can't swing faster, but you sure can turn faster and block multiple enemies better.

 

[Kniggit]

I rarely backpedal. Just practice. If you depend on backpedaling you probably won't get too much better at blocking.

YOU CANT BLOCK EVERY BLOW WHEN THEY YOU ARE SURRROUNDED!! if you can, just shut up...

 

[Kevar]

"YOU CANT BLOCK EVERY BLOW WHEN THEY YOU ARE SURRROUNDED!! if you can, just shut up..."

Okay, wow, no need to get rude. Also, you messed up the BBcode somewhere so I'm just going to quote it like that.

I never said "get sorrounded" - I said get them into a file (either by charging at them, sidestep slashing or targeting strays) and then break them up and hack them one by one. It should only take one or two blows to kill a guy because two handed weapons are powerful. Try doing something other than backpedaling - the AI reacts to the way you're moving, like if you charge at them they'll backpedal. Mess around with that and learn to use it.

 

[Arathiel]

it kind of feels like cheating.

I dont get why people call running backwards cheating or cowardice. You think your just supposed to stand there and do nothing while your getting your ass kicked? You think its brave to stand there like a moron and get surrounded, no chance of victory? Thats not bravery, thats just plain stupid.

Ok, I could have worded that better. It's more like it ruins the realism for me a little bit. In real life, you would not fight a lot of guys by jogging backwards flailing at them. For one, they would run faster forwards than you would backwards, surround you, and kill you. And just the sight of 10 or 15 guys all trailing you, trying to swings in edgewise past their comrades... it's just a little too comical. It's too easy to imagine circus music playing as you lead them around in cirlces...

 

[Kniggit]

It's more like it ruins the realism

Yea, it would, if we have formations, but since my sergeants have about the same sense as peasants it kinds throws that off the bridge

 

[Sir Saladin]

I like Kevar's suggestions and I might even try them some time.

 

[Ancientwanker]

Ya, bow and 2hander works for me too.

Shoot the unshielded in the head as they approach then kill the shielders with the 2hander. Switch back and forth as needed. Sometimes ill just wait for a shielder to drop his shield and then face shoot him but only if hes alone.

Horsemen from behind is my number one threat while on foot. Archers and spearchuckers are my number two. Guys with swords on foot just die.

 

[Sir Saladin]

A lot of times I've read some guy requesting battle formations, but in real medieval style battles it just turned into chaos. The Romans used good formations and shield tactics and they conquered Europe but the other soldiers did not. And I'm not Roman.