How do I order horse archers to SKIRMISH?

[DreXav]

I don't want them to charge into melee, I want them to run around at range and shoot stuff

[Eldrin]

They dont charge into melee.

Charge order just means break formation, everyone just free for all team deathmatch.

[Friendly]

I'm pretty sure that is exactly what they do if you put them on charge, unless you tell them not to fire I guess.

[Gekk]

Free answer is hit F6 and let auto-delegate enable skirmish for you.

[ForwarD]

Run agound - charge
Skirmish - advance

[Ænrikr]

You are talking about an "Cantabrian circle" formation, right?
Im afraid something like this doesnt exist in the game.

I guess you need do lead them personally.
The AI is capeable doing that, but for the player non such formation command exists.

Alternitive, yes, F6 would do the job, let the AI work for you ^^

[Syllabus]

Just order them to "sergants take charge"

The command input is: 4 - F6

For horse archers, the base AI script is to use swarm tactics, so they stay away from melee engagement, and circle around the enemies and fire arrows, like the way you want.

[Jack Niggleson]

Originally posted by DreXav:

I don't want them to charge into melee, I want them to run around at range and shoot stuff

If you tell them to "charge" they will skirmish. Charge really just means break ranks/attack in BL.

[DreXav]

Alrighty, I will give it a shoot, thanks guys :)

[Voidflakes]

Might not be the answer you're looking for, but what I do is set up my infantry/archer formation at the start of battle and tell them to hold position, then set all the horsemen to follow me. It's a bit of a pain, but if you're quick about it you can swap between the two groups, ordering the cavalry to charge then come back to follow, while keeping the mounted archers on follow and leading them around the outside of enemy formations.

It works very well as a harassment tactic, and if the enemy refuses to budge from their starting position you can very easily pick a lot of them off, then kite the rest towards your footmen.

[Fryskar]

Originally posted by Syllabus:

Just order them to "sergants take charge"

The command input is: 4 - F6

For horse archers, the base AI script is to use swarm tactics, so they stay away from melee engagement, and circle around the enemies and fire arrows, like the way you want.

Hitting F3 does the same.
Horse archers will cricle.

F6 does stupid things.

[WratBastard]

I find telling horse archers to "advance" rather than charge makes them circle and keep distance from the enemy while firing arrows. Give it a try.

[Grievous Bodily Harm]

Originally posted by DreXav:

I don't want them to charge into melee, I want them to run around at range and shoot stuff

Ok this is an old thread but I've noticed a lot of people saying F6, F6 etc on a few posts regarding Skirmish. Yes this works but when you command F1-F4 for advance the archer units automatically go into Skirmish mode. This includes horses :)

[thunda]

Originally posted by Syllabus:

Just order them to "sergants take charge"

The command input is: 4 - F6

For horse archers, the base AI script is to use swarm tactics, so they stay away from melee engagement, and circle around the enemies and fire arrows, like the way you want.

You dont fire arrows, you loose them.

[TomOfFinland]

Uhh... you have three options here.
- Issuing charge order on your horse archers does not make them charge the enemy. The ranged mounted units keep their distance from the enemies and try to circle them counter clockwise so that they can shoot at them.

- Issuing advance order makes them stay in formation and skirmish in the way that foot archers do, as in they stop at a certain distance from the closest enemy and then try to keep that distance

- Third and the easiest option in my opinion is to allow the AI control the horse archer formation. This way it can decide when to retreat and when to skirmish/harass again.

[ocicello1991]

There was a whole video this guy did that explained how 'Formations' i.e. Infantry, Ranged, Cavalry, Horse Archers, etc. are actually A.I. profiles[or some such] and should be thought of as such instead of just groupings 1234 etc. Anyways, he mentioned that if you have your Horse Archers "Advance" then they will ride towards the enemy infantry and, once meeting them, break to the right while shooting over their left shoulder, and encircling the enemy while continuing to fire, targeting Ranged Infantry first, then melee.