Medieval II: Kingdoms

[Darth Wong]

I discovered that one of the native troops' AI weaknesses is still there. If you're besieged by natives and you send your cannons out, you can deploy out to his flank and he won't notice or react to you. It's a fucking beautiful target from that angle: firing right down his battle line so that a single shot can go through two or even three units, cutting down an entire row of men. It's even better when the enemy army is really large, and tightly packed.

I've had battles where a single unit of cannons got more than 1000 kills. It's unreal, and it may be cheap but it's totally awesome to see dozens of men killed by a single shot. You can actually see the men die in a long line where the cannonball rips through their formation. Sometimes if you're lucky, the cannonball bounces up into the air but comes back down on the far side of his army and kills even more men.

[Vympel]

I discovered that one of the native troops' AI weaknesses is still there. If you're besieged by natives and you send your cannons out, you can deploy out to his flank and he won't notice or react to you. It's a fucking beautiful target from that angle: firing right down his battle line so that a single shot can go through two or even three units, cutting down an entire row of men. It's even better when the enemy army is really large, and tightly packed.

I've had battles where a single unit of cannons got more than 1000 kills. It's unreal, and it may be cheap but it's totally awesome to see dozens of men killed by a single shot. You can actually see the men die in a long line where the cannonball rips through their formation. Sometimes if you're lucky, the cannonball bounces up into the air but comes back down on the far side of his army and kills even more men.

Hehehe - actually it's a weakness for non-native AI troops as well - I did that to several armies that were besieging my cities - I rolled out the bombards (Byzantine grumble shit crap grumble) and did the exact same thing.

The only thing to be careful of is getting too close, because that can set them off and they'll attack the cannons (one of my bombards in the New World before I finally conquered all the map in my last Greek game was killed by Aztec Warriors throwing those arrow/javelin things).

[Vympel]

Playing as the Byzantines in the Crusades campaign is fucking hard. Let's just say I'm going to enjoy massacring those fucking Venetians when I take Constantinople back.

I take it they missed the golden opportunity of making a unique Constantinople city map that accurately models it's awesome defences?

Bastards.

[Darth Wong]

The only thing to be careful of is getting too close, because that can set them off and they'll attack the cannons (one of my bombards in the New World before I finally conquered all the map in my last Greek game was killed by Aztec Warriors throwing those arrow/javelin things).

And unfortunately, they nerfed the musketeers in Kingdoms. In standard M2TW, Spanish musketeers utterly ass-rape native troops, but in Kingdoms, native troops take only minor casualties while they charge musketeer lines head-on, and then they can run faster than the musketeers so they run them down from behind and kill them.

[Vympel]

And unfortunately, they nerfed the musketeers in Kingdoms. In standard M2TW, Spanish musketeers utterly ass-rape native troops, but in Kingdoms, native troops take only minor casualties while they charge musketeer lines head-on, and then they can run faster than the musketeers so they run them down from behind and kill them.

It's probably pretty accurate though, at least in terms of lethality (muskets weren't much to write home about in the early 16th century), but if they're not going to make up for it with their terrifying shock effect, it's a pretty unjustifiable nerf.

That's one thing they better not stuff up in Empire, actually - not only lethality, but also the tremendous amounts of smoke that obscured the battlefield in the 18th - 19th century.

I just got the game today and it looks like it'll be great fun - they've pulled the same lazyness with the Byzantine units they did the last time what with the skin reuse, but damn if the firethrower isn't spectacular.

Is it just me, or did they do some minor graphical improvements? The captain/ general armor skin, for example, looks different.

[Darth Wong]

It's probably pretty accurate though, at least in terms of lethality (muskets weren't much to write home about in the early 16th century), but if they're not going to make up for it with their terrifying shock effect, it's a pretty unjustifiable nerf.

Musket volleys appear to have zero effect on morale in Kingdoms. They just charge right through them, not even slowing down. After some serious open-field setbacks trying to use musketeers the way I did in M2TW, I've become far more reliant on mounted conquistadores and cavalry charges.

[Vympel]

Musket volleys appear to have zero effect on morale in Kingdoms. They just charge right through them, not even slowing down. After some serious open-field setbacks trying to use musketeers the way I did in M2TW, I've become far more reliant on mounted conquistadores and cavalry charges.

It'd be interesting to see how they'd handle the Greek Firethrower if he were in the M2TW Grand Campaign

I just won my very first battle in Crusades - against the Seljuk Turks, of course, with Emperor Manuel and the starting army from Constantinople joined with that of Nicaea, versus a huge, and qualitatively superior, Turkish force.

At the opening battle I used Skythikon and Byzantine Cavalry to skirmish with the Turks' own shitload of horse archers, a fight I eventually won through the skin of my teeth, allowing me to have a weak albeit fairly sizeable force at his rear to attack with when the armies were to finally clash.

The armies jockeyed for position on the various hills of the map for a while (Doryleum province) - then the Turkish general foolishly charged up a hill straight at my force, and I thought I was going to get steamrolled - after all, I only had two units of the typically unreliable Byzantine spearmen versus his Hasham Cavalry, no heavy cavalry of my own (save for the Emperor and General Mavros) and I didn't know how effective my own Pronoai Infantry would be against his. I could rely on the Trebizond Archers though to kick ass, which they did.

I needn't have worried. The special power kept a bunch of his units still, which broke up his force, and then, as they closed, I swear I forgot about my single Firethrower unit. These forty guys slaughtered unbelievable amounts of the enemy and combined with my horse archers pulling swords and crashing into their rear, it was a total annihilation, with 19% casualties versus 99% casualties in my favor.

Just amazing stuff. Hopefully the wholesale annihilation of this army and the death of two generals (two were at the battle, one got away but he's in the virtually undefended city that's now under siege) Seljuk power in this part of the map is broken (interesting how they split their territory in two) and I can take over their territory unopposed.

How many turns is a campaign in Kingdoms anyway?

[wautd]

I almost finished my Welsh H/H game. They both have the best archery and spearman units of the game and I like that combo. They're lacking in everything else but you can make a good defencive wall while you pepper the enemy with death from above.
A bit hard at start (having virtually no income) but since because everyone and their mother wants a piece of England, you can make alliances left and right. Very fun campaign.
England is completely conquered, got half of Scotland and the eastcoast of Ireland and I'm suprised the Irish have given me the most trouble so far. Havn't fought against the Normans yet.

[Enigma]

How many turns is a campaign in Kingdoms anyway?

It all depends on the campaign (and I think which nation you choose).

I am playing as the Teutonic Order and I have 300 turns to complete my objectives. I think as Britain in the Britannia campaign I only had something like 150 to 200 turns.

[Enigma]

Playing as the Byzantines in the Crusades campaign is fucking hard. Let's just say I'm going to enjoy massacring those fucking Venetians when I take Constantinople back.

I already had a sizeable force when they arrived, enough to start a war with them. I annihilated everyone but the ruler and drove him deep into Antioch. It was a good thing too because the Venetians made my job easier by first taking over Antioch then I took it over and still maintained the alliance with PoA. Then they took over Alexandria, I sent three ships loaded with my men and went over and kicked their asses. Funny though, each time I didn't know at the time that the target cities were in the hands of the Venetians and I thought I had to fight my way in only to find the Venetians making my life a lot easier.

[Vympel]

I'm having an easy time as the Greeks so far. I've got a sizeable force at Constantinople already, so I'm confident I'll see those idiots off at the walls.

Where do the Venetians attack, besides Constantinople? Anywhere?

The Firethrower is the best new unit in the game. It's just devastating. Just one unit can throw an entire attack into complete disarray.

[Enigma]

I'm having an easy time as the Greeks so far. I've got a sizeable force at Constantinople already, so I'm confident I'll see those idiots off at the walls.

Where do the Venetians attack, besides Constantinople? Anywhere?

The Firethrower is the best new unit in the game. It's just devastating. Just one unit can throw an entire attack into complete disarray.

They start out with three full armies in Constantinople. The supposed intent was that they'd attack Constantinople with the intent of taking it over and after that expand. When I played as the Byzantines, I immediately declared war on them, met them head on and drove the remnants through Turkey and into PoA. When I left them alone they proceeded to take over Antioch. While I was on my campaign to eliminate the Turks I passed by Antioch (the PoA were my allies) and found it to be in the hands of the Venetians. Since Antioch was one of the campaigns primary goals I decided to take Antioch. From what I understood, the next city the Venetians took over was Alexandria and the city to it's right.

My assumptions is that the Venetians had the same goals as the Byzantium. Constaninople, Antioch, Ankara(?), Bagdad, Alexandria and one or two others.

[Stravo]

If anyone has played all the kingdoms scenarios which one is your favorite? So far I've only played the Americas campaign and want to try Britain next.

As to the main campaign game has there been any changes such as adding new units or concepts to the game?

[wautd]

I never knew mortars were so effective in a city/fortress defence, especially in sniping of towers and rams

[Gaidin]

Would anybody mind explaining to me how three groups of cavalry archers with empty quivers are able to chase off 5 groups of heavy cavalry? o_O

[Dillon]

Playing as the Byzantines in the Crusades campaign is fucking hard. Let's just say I'm going to enjoy massacring those fucking Venetians when I take Constantinople back.

I take it they missed the golden opportunity of making a unique Constantinople city map that accurately models it's awesome defences?

Bastards.

I wouldn't know. I generally auto-resolve my battles.

However, I discovered a real neat trick/glitch that stops the Venetians from expanding beyond Constantinople. If you park a ship in right in the passage way on the creek leading to the mainland, they can't get anything past it and can't engage it because it's a ship. Victoly.

[Vympel]

Would anybody mind explaining to me how three groups of cavalry archers with empty quivers are able to chase off 5 groups of heavy cavalry? o_O

What kind of horse archers were they, what kind of heavy cavalry, respective casualties, opposing general's stars, morale, general battle situation?

[Gaidin]

What kind of horse archers were they, what kind of heavy cavalry, respective casualties, opposing general's stars, morale, general battle situation?

Egyptian horse archers. Three typical groups of 60. The first kind of horse archers Egypt has access to. It was a 3 group battle, I had two groups for a total of ~1500, and he had about 1000. All but one of his units were Jerusalem heavy cavalry of some sort. Somehow, Every unit in my army except for those three gets chased off, every general on the field is dead, etc etc.

He still has something like five units of heavy cavalry left(all with at least 3/4 strength) and I'm just sort of in a 'fuck it...' mode. I just run my ~150 horse archers straight at him with nothing to shoot. Next thing I know, his heavy cavalry, which should be able to kill me...is all high tailing it for the edge of the map.

And then I go "Cool! But wtf...."

[Pablo Sanchez]

He still has something like five units of heavy cavalry left(all with at least 3/4 strength) and I'm just sort of in a 'fuck it...' mode. I just run my ~150 horse archers straight at him with nothing to shoot. Next thing I know, his heavy cavalry, which should be able to kill me...is all high tailing it for the edge of the map.

If you were using Mamluk Archers, I'm pretty sure the reason they won is because their melee weapon is a mace with the armor piercing characteristic. It isn't listed anywhere in the statistics of the unit, but it is a huge boon and allows them to do pretty surprising work against knights. Throw in the fact that it was late in the battle and your enemy was probably fatigued and suffering from morale issues due to the death of all the generals in the field (Mamluk Archers have good stamina and are highly disciplined--meaning they don't lose heart from generals dying or other things that normally hurt a lot) and it's not that unreasonable. What difficulty were you playing on?

[wautd]

I think I've found an annoying bug after defending a city or fortress. Some battle end with my general having gold chevrons but only a handfull of guards left. Back to the strategic map, the general just dissapears. It happened with 3 high experienced generals so far now

[Vympel]

... odd.

Are you sure the general isn't dying and you're just not paying attention?

[Dillon]

Or that they aren't deserting? Some of my Apache War Leaders did that when I left them idle with a full stack army for too long. Nearly fucked up my big attack on three fronts on the Spanish, but I managed to pull it off anyway.

Also, am I the only who's resolve against Antioch was strengthened when I realized they were a bunch of Frenchmen? They put up a hell of a fight, but they now lay dead. Now on to Egypt, who are proving to be far more formidable then I thought they would be.

[wautd]

... odd.

Are you sure the general isn't dying and you're just not paying attention?

Very certain they survived the battle.

[Enigma]

Or that they aren't deserting? Some of my Apache War Leaders did that when I left them idle with a full stack army for too long. Nearly fucked up my big attack on three fronts on the Spanish, but I managed to pull it off anyway.

Also, am I the only who's resolve against Antioch was strengthened when I realized they were a bunch of Frenchmen? They put up a hell of a fight, but they now lay dead. Now on to Egypt, who are proving to be far more formidable then I thought they would be.

You should have chased the Venetians into Antioch territory and let them do the work for you.

[Dartzap]

Boo, why don't the English get the best Longbowmen in the New World? The hilarity of watching several thousand natives get slaughtered whilst never getting in range is far to appealing for it to have been made impossible