Best Army Comp

[Mr.Frog]

Anyone know the best army composition? I tried 2 spear, 2 footmen, two archers all maxed out with mail and helmets and the Baron came with an enormous army and I just couldn't beat him. He split up his forces into three separate groups so I couldn't have troops nearby for flanking attacks. Not sure how to beat this

[Agony_Aunt]

Don't bother with archers. While they did get a buff, in my experience they don't really get enough time firing on enemies and one enemies engage then your only option is to turn on friendly fire in order for them to continue working, thereby potentially suffering losses to your own troops.

In theory, with enemies, if they stood back firing themselves or used real tactics, then archers would have more value, but they just tend to rush their own troops in and their own archers will happily shoot into the back of their own troops.

My recommendation, either: 3x spear, 3x footmen or 2x spear, 2x footmen, 2x polearm

Polearms aren't great though due to lack of shield.

On top, don't forget retinue! They are your best troops by far.

Also make sure you get as many troops as you can with upgraded armour and helmets, it really makes a difference.

A fully upgraded army with as many retinue as you can should be able to easily handle an army 3x its size.

[Twelvefield]

Originally posted by Haggis MechHaggis:

you'd be surprised how many overwhelming situations you can get out of just with good tactics and superior ground

... said Leonidas.

[Solstice]

Same, Archers are garbage even after the update. They dont shoot once the armies meet and are just cheerleading... and before fight they barely have any impact on enemy troops.
Not even with kiting they make their money worth.

Upgrade and max out retinue and get spear militia, they are incredibly hard to kill and despite description they are more then capable to kill anything.

Footmen are okay too, have a bit an edge with more speed, but also die much quicker.
Polemen seem to be glass cannons with not enough damage offset for their missing defensive. They die like flies when i go against any spear militia or footmen. They are probably intended vs cavalry ?

My recommendation:
Retinue, Spearmen and maybe Footmen are your best bets.

[The One True Morty]

Ii still havent played to the point where Baron sends an "army" its usually a gang of 5 how long before army battles?

[Didz]

Same here:

So, far all the Baron has sent as an army is six units.
1 x Retinue (24 x Men at Arms)
2 x Mercenary Infantry (72 x warriors)
1 x Mercenary Heavy Infantry (36 x Men at Arms)
1 x Bandits Group (24 Warriors)
1 x Mecenary Archers (36 Archers)

And that's despite owning most of the map.

I currently have:

6 x Militai (216 x Men)
4 x Retinue (96 x Men at Arms)
2 x Mercenary Archers (72 Archers)

[Luey Hewis]

I spam spearmen and that holds off the waves of enemy banditos

[Mr.Frog]

Baron came at me with about 4 light infantry squads, a heavy archer squad, a light spearman squad, retinue, 3 brigand squads, and two light archer squads. I had 2 spears with mail armor and helmets, two archers with mail and helmets, two footmen with mail and helmets, and 24 retinue all with plate armor. He was just able to swarm and surround all my troops with sheer numbers. I saved before the battle and tried some different tactics but just couldn't beat him. There was just way to many of his troops. Couldn't flank either since he'd just attack my flankers from behind

[Didz]

Presumably you chose a high difficulty level.

[eflat0]

There is a YT video on troop type comparisons and advantages given the effectiveness with armor, weapons, tactics and stances, even covers all the mercenaries. A supped up retinue is the best troop type.

[Mr.Frog]

it wasn't quality of his troops. He just had an overwhelming number of them

[Jabberwocky]

In my experience in my own games, the Baron has only ever had 3 types of armies:

1. He hires a mercenary company to take out a bandit camp. Depending on the company he hired it varies in size and troop composition, but it is 3x36 mercs at most.

2. He sends an expeditionary army to either invade one of my territories or to defend from me invading one of his territories:

This army has only ever been in the following composition:

1x36 retinue
2x36 light infantry mercs
1x36 archer mercs
1x18 brigands

If I haven't bought out all available mercs before attacking his territory, he will hire them and add them to his expeditionary force.

3. He defends his last remaining territory with all that he's got:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3263804926

But I haven't played "challenging difficulty" yet.

If you build a small village and manor with garrison tower in every conquered territory, you can grow your army to a significant power advantage:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3263802511

[KARMA]

I use three spear to maintain the front line with two swordsmen on the flanks and one polearm to push through gaps in the centre and i get mostly merc archers to flank (hopefully its two archer and footmen).

[Didz]

Originally posted by Jabberwocky:

In my experience in my own games, the Baron has only ever had 3 types of armies:

1. He hires a mercenary company to take out a bandit camp. Depending on the company he hired it varies in size and troop composition, but it is 3x36 mercs at most.

2. He sends an expeditionary army to either invade one of my territories or to defend from me invading one of his territories:

This army has only ever been in the following composition:

1x36 retinue
2x36 light infantry mercs
1x36 archer mercs
1x18 brigands

If I haven't bought out all available mercs before attacking his territory, he will hire them and add them to his expeditionary force.

3. He defends his last remaining territory with all that he's got:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3263804926

But I haven't played "challenging difficulty" yet.

If you build a small village and manor with garrison tower in every conquered territory, you can grow your army to a significant power advantage:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3263802511

That's a useful summary of the Baron's Army Strength's,

So, the Baron reserves his main force until you attack his final Region. That's good to know. It's obviously best to take him down one or two Regions at a time. Even if you have the influence to finish him.

[Spiffy]

Supplement your army with some throw-away mercs and consider ditching your archers in favor of some more spears or swordsmen. You should always empty the merc pool before hitting the button to start a battle or the baron will do it for you.

[Jabberwocky]

Originally posted by Haggis MechHaggis:

Originally posted by Wumbologist:

it wasn't quality of his troops. He just had an overwhelming number of them

wait until he throws down the multiple retinue squads
his army size gets borderline ridiculous
I invaded his last remaining land and found his true army. you think you're all setup then an entire second army arrives just before the battle begins
nightmare

I secured myself the "Wayward Sons" and the "Pack of Geese" mercenary groups in my last playthrough, which gave me the strength to attack his final territory after only recruiting my 6 militia and 2 retinues.

I let the mercs take the brunt of the enemy assault and used my spearmen to run down his archers, my retinue to intercept his own retinues and my polearm militia and archers to attack the enemy's flanks.

So many people say that archers are useless... I can't say that this is true. The Wayward Sons and my two groups of militia archers with helmets and gambesons completely routed an enemy infantry group before it reached my frontline. And once you don't let your archers stay behind your own troops when those get engaged in melee, but switch to "fire at will" and move them quickly to the back of the enemy troops, they will obliterate the enemy from point blank range.