How do I counter attack?

[Fitness Lauch]

Hello,
I'm totally new to the game (haven't played the previous game either) and feel kinda overwhelmed by the combat. I practised blocking a bit but I don't understand how I can counter attack. Blocking seems a bit pointless outside of stalemating because a successful block doesn't really help me to land a counter attack (sometimes a counter attack works and sometimes it doesn't). The tutorial doesn't teach much either. Are there any tricks which I'm just overlooking or do I simply need to increase my attack speed?

Greetings

[Lakel]

there is a small stagger inflcited when they hit yo ur block, gotta make your attack in that window. Mind higher skilled opponents will swing faster, as will you so being to ooutskilled is a problem

[Wingnut Mcmoomoo]

Alot of times just having a higher skill in the weapon makes blocking alot more appealing as you can make more of the small window it creates

But if you find yourself in that awkward time before your skill gets higher, I find side swings while circling the opposite of the swing work best as you make contact with them quicker. So if i swing from the left i strafe around the right side after i block, a nice side effect is that if you rotate correctly while doing this you get a fair chunk of momentum damage added. I'm not always strafing when I'm blocking but i tend to be strafing when I'm attacking

Also you can fiddle with how the directions of attacking and blocking are controlled in the menu, I play on full realistic but use autodirectional blocking cause I find it the most fun to actually use

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by Fitness Lauch:

Hello,
I'm totally new to the game (haven't played the previous game either) and feel kinda overwhelmed by the combat. I practised blocking a bit but I don't understand how I can counter attack. Blocking seems a bit pointless outside of stalemating because a successful block doesn't really help me to land a counter attack (sometimes a counter attack works and sometimes it doesn't). The tutorial doesn't teach much either. Are there any tricks which I'm just overlooking or do I simply need to increase my attack speed?

Greetings

First - Make sure you do all the events in the Training Area. Even if you have to return to it - You really need that practice and experience and it's a good no-risk way to get it.

As above, Blocking does cause a slight stagger/delay effect. But, don't expect to be a veteran swordsman on Day 1 - Equipment and Skills matter a bit. (Gear more than all, most of all.)

Join some tournaments and fight in some arenas to get some low-risk practice. You'll still be at low levels with crap gear, but at least there's not a lot of risk.

Play as you wish - Pick all the options/settings/difficulty stuffs that helps you create the best gameplay for you. To that end, adjust what can "on the fly" if you feel you need to ramp things up/down during play.

In general - Your weapons and personal combat ability matter the most, with Skills/Perks being secondary. But, they can still have some impact. Good early game weapons are Shield, Axe, Spear (mounted use), sometimes a sword if you get a good early one or a two-hander, used mounted. (1h Axes are good new-player choices because they only have the slash animations and not the sometimes confusing thrust animation, so they're easier to use. They're also generally fast even in the early game and they're easier to use in close quarters. You'll often be in close quarters because you can't move faster than your enemy until much later in the game. :))

[Sabaithal]

Kicking or shield bashing immediately after an enemy attack knocks on your shield can throw enemies off balance long enough to counter, as long as you're quick about it.

[leathers14]

You want to know how to attack faster? Watch Markiplier's Chivalry 2 video "Stabbity Stab Stab" on Youtube. Seriously. Just watch beginning with the tutorial. The game explains how to make contact with your weapon before you opponent by turning with the swing, and strafing to make contact first. After applying these techniques, I was winning tournaments with my level one character. One of the best tutorials I have seen.

[The Mau Corporation]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

Kicking or shield bashing immediately after an enemy attack knocks on your shield can throw enemies off balance long enough to counter, as long as you're quick about it.

Shield bashing (e while blocking) in particular will have you winning tourneys at game start.

[Fitness Lauch]

Oh wow, didn't know about momentum, shield bash and that the tutorial gives xp (skipped it on all new characters). Thanks :)

[Askey]

Its called chambering. When you attack in the same direction as the opponent, check the vid out for an in depth look. Usually Ive only seen really good players use Chambering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxRQM2aQM4w


You can also use feints that will open up your opponent. It will force them to immediately attack, opening them up for you to attack them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAnbNax84Jk


You can use kicks against shielded opponents and shield bashes against opponents without shields. If your opponent has a longer weapon reach than you, you need to get in close - and if not keep your opponent at a distance.

[Delle(DK)]

A pro tip for new players in the start of a new game.
Since you dont have much skill or is that fast with a weapon i recommend that you avoid combat on foot and instead stay on your horse and shoot with bow and arrows.
Also combat on foot is dangerous, you can VERY fast get approached by 4-5 enemy soldiers and that make it hard for even the best players to defend or win.. so dont run arround alone you need to fight as a team ;-)
If you are on a horse then its a good idea to have your own troops nearby in case your horse dies and you have to run for it.
If you need to kill anyone with your sword then ride fast and hit someone and ride away.
And if you see someone who panic then chase him down and kill..

I cant say this enough, dont think you are superman, fight as a team and best strategy is to be the commander who ride a bit behind your soldiers and only kill a few easy targets here and there.

know the enemy
some kind of troops you can rather easy kill in the above way while on your horse, but some you should stay away from such as people with spears that can kill your horse rather easy. And before a siege of a castle its a good idea to change weapons so you have example bow and arrows and a short range weapon.. You need to hit fast and fight in tight places so a longsword is not such a good idea in castle fights.. Also pickup enemy arrows and weapons that way you have more arrows than when you start the fight ;-)

In arena battle a good strategy to walk sideways arround your opponment and hit him.. in the side where he is not carrying his weapon. Alternative let other people fight it out before you get involved in the fighting that way you dont get injured and maybe only have to fight 1 person out of 3 fighters in the arena.. Other times if you have a team then its a good idea your team stick together vs running arround all over the place.
Also if there are example 3-4 teams them attack the ones with less people since the two best teams will advance in the competition.. with other words the faster team 3-4 dies then you are safe and will advance in the turnament. ;-)
The first many turnaments you will properbly loose, but at some point you have skill/armour/weapon that will allow you to win. ;-)