How to defend against flying units?

[Mark]

Hi

I'm playing as Ermor vs Caelum and their flying units kill my magic users. How do I best defend against units flying in when my main force has marched on? Giving them hold + attack is not enough.

Please advice.

/Mark

[jojeck]

Typically you put your mages inside a block of solid infantry that has orders to hold. That will protect them for 2 or more turns before they move off. Or put them inside a block of archers who will stay and shoot, but they're likely to be targeted by Caelum and aren't good fighters.

Also you can give the mages and other commanders a bodyguard (limited to 5 units) that will stay near them at all times and then stack them near each other

[Ozone]

In addition :

You can trigger a storm, which prevents most (but not all) units from flying.
Use strong bodyguards and group them together.
Use stronger "warrior" commanders around your mages to protect them.

[Arkrow XIV]

Put many different blocks of soldiers, bodyguards works a dream if they are high protection units, flying units retreat or die after 1-3 rounds of melee (unless they are winning), being larger and less protected means they are not good for long fights

[zenblack]

Put a block of units behind your mages with attack fliers so when they attack rear they attack that block instead of your commanders. Cavalry work well since if they go first and start moving forward they can get back to deal with even the most robust fliers handily.

[Mark]

Thanks! Great tips. Will try'em out.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Bear in mind that they can't target your magic users specifically. They can target Archers, and they can target Rearmost, but they can't target Mages or Commanders. Placing your mages more aggressively than you might otherwise is a good way to help protect them from fliers.

[Mark]

Good point

[LDiCesare]

Hold and attack rearmost on fliers is very deadly. Also on cavalry, actually.
If yougive "guards" hold, they stay for 2 turns but start moving forward before the fliers land and unless your group was huge, your mages are likely to be surrounded and killed.
So best things are:
1/ Give mages bodyguards. That's only 5 guys, but it helps.
2/ Put the big blob slightly behind your mages, so that when they move forward, the mages remain inside.
3/ (not tested) I suppose if you script your mages to cast/cast/attack/cast/cast, they will remain in the blob on round 3, so the fliers will always surround the blob and not hit your mage.

Overall, enemies tend to ignore each other if htey are not in a straight line, so it's quite difficult to block anyone, including fliers.