advice on commands when sieging?

[Zunymitshu]

for most field engagements I just f1+f3 but for sieges what are the best commands to be using? I'm trying to read through them to figure out how to get my boys to use siege equipment, attack from range etc.

[Ruffio]

f1 + f3 seems like an awful waste of units. That's like just send things headless into a meat grinder.

When I'm doing sieges and I have less units than defenders. I move forward my archers, tell my infantry to hold while my mangonels/onagers (whatever), use up their ammo. Then send in the infantry(melee), afterwards I always punch holes in walls with trebuchest before actual attack take place. Why bother with ladders and siege towers when you can just walk in through a big hole in the wall -)

[Zunymitshu]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

f1 + f3 seems like an awful waste of units. That's like just send things headless into a meat grinder.

When I'm doing sieges and I have less units than defenders. I move forward my archers, tell my infantry to hold while my mangonels/onagers (whatever), use up their ammo. Then send in the infantry(melee), afterwards I always punch holes in walls with trebuchest before actual attack take place. Why bother with ladders and siege towers when you can just walk in through a big hole in the wall -)

On field engagements I run almost exclusively range units and I run around on a horse confusing the AI so they don't charge my archers and kill them. Works very well.

In siege f1+f3 makes them pile up on the main gate while trying to push any seiging equipment towards the enemy. Usually ends up horribly.

[kristianjakob]

I am more concerned with finishing sieges fast so my strategy is basically the opposite of Ruffio´s. I never build siegegear but rely on the ladders instead.

In that context infantry works best under AI control. If needed you can move them closer to the ladders and turn on AI control.

Archers you want to issue the loose formation f2-f3 and manually deploy them where they can support the infantry (clear the walls)

A few special cases.
If you are very heavy on archers and the enemy havnt had time to build alot of defensive siegegear you can order the infantry to hug the wall beneath the ladders instead of using the ladders and let your archers clear the walls.

If on the other hand the enemy has alot of defensive siegegear and you cant get a particular good position for them then sometimes it may simply be better to keep the archers out of harms way typically by letting them hug the wall.

Edit. Regardless of what strategy you choose you always want to manually place your archers!

[Ruffio]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

I am more concerned with finishing sieges fast so my strategy is basically the opposite of Ruffio´s. I never build siegegear but rely on the ladders instead.

There is just something very satisfactory when you use a mangonel and aim at a bunched up defenders behind the gap of a wall, and then hear the "splatt" sound and watch you rack up a huge amount of kills -)

[HOG CRANKA]

i dont make commands they kinda do their own thing

[Azunai]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

I am more concerned with finishing sieges fast so my strategy is basically the opposite of Ruffio´s. I never build siegegear but rely on the ladders instead.

There is just something very satisfactory when you use a mangonel and aim at a bunched up defenders behind the gap of a wall, and then hear the "splatt" sound and watch you rack up a huge amount of kills -)

i know what you mean :)

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3249036956

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

I am more concerned with finishing sieges fast so my strategy is basically the opposite of Ruffio´s. I never build siegegear but rely on the ladders instead.

There is just something very satisfactory when you use a mangonel and aim at a bunched up defenders behind the gap of a wall, and then hear the "splatt" sound and watch you rack up a huge amount of kills -)

Yeah, some sacrifises much be made on the alter of efficiency I fear:)

[RufusDoofus]

f6 right off the bat to let your companions do the commands

[The Mau Corporation]

Couple things:

1. F6 will generally fix any fubar behaviour thats comes from dodgey pathing.

2. Make unique groups with just 4 companions and place them next to siege weapons and theyll use it when you toggle the gears icon. Its not precise but only has to work once and everyone knows what happens to their lvling. Works much better if theyre in your group.

2. Having a shieldwall in front of archers - just below ladders - thats heavy on axe and javelins will obviously soak up alot of archer fire but then also absolutely smash the defenders line with arcing projectiles on command. Time their attack well enough and siege weapons just arent necessary.

3. Jump into an occasional siege defence for no other reason than the ambush feature every once in a while. Hopefully we'll be getting more of these kinds of mini scenarios in future.

[QbeX]

.... if you have time for siege (and have a decent host)- split your infantry and ranged into two groups each.
0>1>f6 - to stop all units before the get in the defenders range
select your ranged and F6 all to delegate AI command - they will take shooting positions and start tenderising on the walls defenders. If you have siege engines those will automatically get manned and start their work.
Wait for ram to get close to gates or wait long enough your ranged make a decent dent in defenders (or your siege engines make decent damage).
Select your infantry and delegate one group to AI ( they start approaching ladders and any breach you made).
Select second infantry group and get them fallow you (1>f2) while you head for the gate (or breach) to finish off defenders.
Sack, pillage and all the good stuff

If you in the hurry - build ram only, 0>f6 to delegate All to AI while you take the charge at the gates protecting ram and smashing gates with your 2h Axe overhead chops

but seriously , so many ways to approach the sieges, one of my fav part of the game, all depends of many in game factors, good stuff

[Ruffio]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Originally posted by Ruffio:

There is just something very satisfactory when you use a mangonel and aim at a bunched up defenders behind the gap of a wall, and then hear the "splatt" sound and watch you rack up a huge amount of kills -)

Yeah, some sacrifises much be made on the alter of efficiency I fear:)

I take my time when playing, there is no need to rush. I look at siege as setting a trap as well. Why keep chase those pesky parties around when they can come to me right?

[p30pl3h4t3m3]

none

it is scripted anyway and giving any commands & try some stuff mostly screw it up.

it is more about shaping the battlefield.

if AI leads, you are screwed anyway. if player leads, build catapults stuff and after finish every one just put them into reserve until you have 4, then place them all at the same time, so you win the catapult battle, meanwhile you build other siege stuff or just destroy the walls completly.

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Yeah, some sacrifises much be made on the alter of efficiency I fear:)

I take my time when playing, there is no need to rush. I look at siege as setting a trap as well. Why keep chase those pesky parties around when they can come to me right?

Well that is actually why I go about it the way I do.

I feel I get enough fieldbattles during the merc/lordhunting part of the game. I dont really want to keep on doing that and beside that when you enter the lategame you tend to have a larger partysize making hunting down smaller forces more difficult/timeconsuming.

So, my lategame strategy is basically just designed to deliver a fast knockout where I sweep through and eliminate the opposing faction before it has a chance to really react. And very importantly, without having to spend much time fighting their fieldarmies.

[Ruffio]

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Originally posted by Ruffio:

I take my time when playing, there is no need to rush. I look at siege as setting a trap as well. Why keep chase those pesky parties around when they can come to me right?

Well that is actually why I go about it the way I do.

I feel I get enough fieldbattles during the merc/lordhunting part of the game. I dont really want to keep on doing that and beside that when you enter the lategame you tend to have a larger partysize making hunting down smaller forces more difficult/timeconsuming.

So, my lategame strategy is basically just designed to deliver a fast knockout where I sweep through and eliminate the opposing faction before it has a chance to really react. And very importantly, without having to spend much time fighting their fieldarmies.

By that stage I usually have a party somewhere between 350-400 guys. I feel comfortable auto resolve a lot of fights. I don't play every field battle manually. Larger battles I do however.

[kristianjakob]

Originally posted by Ruffio:

Originally posted by kristianjakob:

Well that is actually why I go about it the way I do.

I feel I get enough fieldbattles during the merc/lordhunting part of the game. I dont really want to keep on doing that and beside that when you enter the lategame you tend to have a larger partysize making hunting down smaller forces more difficult/timeconsuming.

So, my lategame strategy is basically just designed to deliver a fast knockout where I sweep through and eliminate the opposing faction before it has a chance to really react. And very importantly, without having to spend much time fighting their fieldarmies.

By that stage I usually have a party somewhere between 350-400 guys. I feel comfortable auto resolve a lot of fights. I don't play every field battle manually. Larger battles I do however.

1) Yes, me too, but you have to catch the little ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥:)
2) I dont really see the gameplay value of auto-resolve.

In my humble opinion its just double work. You either knock out a faction by removing all the pawns on the board (kill all is fare more effective for that) or you take away all their holdings.

Spending alot of time on sieges essentially just force you to both remove all the pawns (just catch all instead) and conquer all their holdings.