Your soloing combat tactics

[Selothi]

Yeah, when you start off the game or just play it with a band of companions and nothing else, combat tends to become a little harder, don't ya think ? Basically, what I'm asking this forum, is what tactics you use in these situations. Here are a few of mine:

-Rivers ... Rivers damnit ... I've lured masses of Mountain Bandits and such in rivers before pelting them with arrow, tainting the water a foul red.
-Hills, they're not as easy to use as rivers, but to assemble your party up there and charge down upon the enemy is rather useful, not to mention Deshavi pawns when on a hill, letting that long bow fill up the bastards we're attacking.
-Forests are really useful against cavalry, moreso to my mind than the famous "edge of map trick", YOU just have to control your steed well, and be lucky ...

This is not to show off, just to learn some new stuff about this fantastic game, and seeing as I prefer to play mildly solo, I felt like hearing the opinions of the masses.

 

[Zilberfrid]

soloing was doing it all alone? Then, all that you mentioned becomes a curse instead of a boon.

 

[Cvan]

I only think about tactics when there are lots of enemies....and there i newer go alone. For smaller groups like bandits and other scum you don't need much tactics.

 

[Selothi]

yeah, looters is just a question of charging at them ... But when you face a band of 15 Mountain Bandits, or Steppe Bandits, or 12 Swadian Man at Arms deserting, you gotta use some tactics against them, rather than just charging. That is, when you've got some companions alongside you, otherwise it's just suicide.

As for becoming a curse, i don't understand, why ?

 

[italiano]

My soloing tactic is to mod it out of the game.

 

[lugubriousmoron]

I usually love to ride around the perimeter of a large group and take swipes at them with my large 2h axe while riding past on my charger. This is also great for beginning of battles while your troops assemble. You can pick off some archers/crossbowmen before they are within range of your army.

 

[Cvan]

yeah, looters is just a question of charging at them ... But when you face a band of 15 Mountain Bandits, or Steppe Bandits, or 12 Swadian Man at Arms deserting, you gotta use some tactics against them, rather than just charging. That is, when you've got some companions alongside you, otherwise it's just suicide.

As for becoming a curse, i don't understand, why ?

If there are some Steppe bandits or deserters on horses i try to get them to edge of map....then no one can stop my lance.

 

[SanDiego]

When facing large groups of bandits, often staying alone in final phase, I developed this tactics:

MOUNTAIN BANDITS
Just ride around them, until they get all spred. Butcher them afterwards. It's good to kill their horses too.

FOREST BANDITS
Ride through their middle, forcing them to switch to melé. Do this often, or you will become a pin cushion.

STEEPE BANDITS
Difficult to fight in overwhelming nubers. They are agile and fast. Therefore - kill the horsies. I managed to solo 19 steepe bandits and the twentieth killed me. Only after he killed my horse. Remember - you don't stand a chance against steepe bandits on ground, unless you are in good condition (in which you aren't ).

 

[spaciousfjord]

I play solo often, and what I usually do is try ride around the edges and focus on attacking archers. I try to kill the horses of cavalry and I save melee infantry for last. I usually use two-handed weapons, so killing archers is especially important for me because I don't have a shield. And I try to engage the enemy on relatively flat, un-forested terrain, so my horse can keep up his (or her?) momentum. 

 

[Rockachopa]

I press ctrl f4 a bunch.

But I like the edge of the map thing.
And I like to shoot people's horses with arrows.


I hate hills the most because it is harder to lance people for me unless there is a little flat place.  I like open plains with maybe some rivers and not to many trees.

I just like to slash people and rag dollify them.

 

[Riraito]

For your typical bandits...I axe them. Pick off a few with the lance, then get off my horse and chop some heads. Not necessarily the most effective, but definitely the most fun for me. It's easy to avoid arrows if you serpentine, granted there aren't that many of them. I personally despise all ranged weapons, mostly because I have terrible aim.

 

[Darmoth]

And as for Khergits? Anyone have a soloing strategy for them? I carry a masterwork light crossbow (it seemed appropriate for my character) but have no horse archery. (I imagined my character having been the son of a nobleman, on hunting trips he'd lazily shoot from his horse.) The masterwork light crossbow does have much stopping power on horses. 

 

[imsorry]

When there is a cavalry vs cavalry situation, lance and bow will be my first choice. However, for taking on Khergits alone, the bow will be better. It's very hard to land a full couched damage on those mounted archers.

 

[spaciousfjord]

And as for Khergits? Anyone have a soloing strategy for them? I carry a masterwork light crossbow (it seemed appropriate for my character) but have no horse archery. (I imagined my character having been the son of a nobleman, on hunting trips he'd lazily shoot from his horse.) The masterwork light crossbow does have much stopping power on horses. 

When I fight cavalry solo, I switch to a spirited courser and focus on killing the horses. I personally don't like using a lance to fight cavalry because it only really does damage if you hit them head on.

 

[Frankoman]

I use tactics in my battles, but when I am without a faction, I just use Rhodoks as my main infantry, Vaegirs as my Archers, Swadians as my Cavalry, Nords as my supporting infantry, and Khergits as my reserve cavalry.

One question about soloing though, can you capture castles at some point, or do you have to piss off the faction first? I haven't been able to siege any castles with my 50 men, but I also have 0 with every faction.

 

[The Mercenary]

I tend to ride to a hill, unsling my longbow, bury 50 shafts in my enemy war party's faces, then zip back to my baggage, grab a heavy longsword and a good heater shield with a nice heavy lance, then ride back and forth till they're all dead. If I have an army, I ride to the top of my hill with a few unmounted companions, hit charge, and watch my 50 Swadian Lancers and 100 Northern Huskarls rip through my enemies.

I use tactics in my battles, but when I am without a faction, I just use Rhodoks as my main infantry, Vaegirs as my Archers, Swadians as my Cavalry, Nords as my supporting infantry, and Khergits as my reserve cavalry.

One question about soloing though, can you capture castles at some point, or do you have to piss off the faction first? I haven't been able to siege any castles with my 50 men, but I also have 0 with every faction.

Beat up a few lords. Then do it.

 

[imsorry]

I personally don't like using a lance to fight cavalry because it only really does damage if you hit them head on.

That's not true, the best weapon to kill the cavalry is a lance. You don't have to take them head on, just a scratch will bring them down.

 

[Kiss Of The Blade]

I jaz hart hidin in tah watar wit ma speyur an da crasbew and haven da fer leggid crechars come in da watar and massacar dere slow selves...
I alsa dew lyke the edge of da map trick.

 

[Muglebust]

I usually solo with a bow and lance (500 quiver mod installed)

I start out shooting in their general direction as I galop towards the enemy, I often get a few hits before I even see them, and a few more before switching to lance and plowing one or two down in the initial pass, going fo the rightmost enemy if they are dangerous.

I find the lance highly effective against enemy cavalry, but only if I pass someone at speed, either head on or broadsiding him, if I get into a dog fight, I switch to bow and shoot him down (make sure to be on the right side of enemy horse archers)

When facing cavaly i dont care if I kill the man or the horse, most dismounted cavalry are easy pickings in the mob up operation after the fight is technically won.

If my spirited courser is killed from under me i generally loose, heavy armor, no athletics, lance and bow does not really make for a good footsoldier.

 

[Zhlechker]

Riding around enemies and shooting, dealing one-hit-kills in most cases. After that - fighting with Sword of War.