Moving Your Whole Attack Force

[Torakami_Bltzen]

I can't realy think of a way to say what i want without an example... so here is one...

Say for instance that I have 2 catapults, 2 horsemen, and 2 spearmen at my capital that i want to use to attack an enemy city, but the units have to move, say, 20 tiles before they get to the city... Seeing as Horsemen, catapults, and spearmen have different movement rates, would the best thing to do be move the units together as a stack, even if it slows units like horsemen down, or to let the horsemen get there as fast as they can and wait for the catapults/spearmen to come. Is there any way that is particularly better? thanks.

 

[kring]

In PtW, you can stack move.

As to your question, holding the stack together allows the Horsemen and Catapults to benefit from the Spearmen's higher Defense. A lot could depend on specific circumstances since having some Horsemen there earlier can help you scope out the reinforcements arriving, but at risk of getting killed due to the Horsemen's low Defense.

At that far a distance, if the Horsemen could gain from their speed bonus, I would send some Horsemen to scout around the city, possibly pillage and deny resources (strategic/luxury).

 

[Scyphax]

I would send a spearman in advance to occupy a piece of híghground between your city and the enemy city while you are building the rest of your troops. This provides a sentinal to watch enemy moves.
If this is a mountain then you need to build a road for those catipults. In any case it is good to have roads leading to the frountline.
A single spearman on a hill or mountain is pretty hard to beat in the early game.
As a unit is completed I would move it up to reinforce your spearman.
I generally don't advance my attacking units next to an enemy city without support from at least 1 spearman.

 

[RobOz]

Personally, I would send a handful of defensive units in first. I would keep them right on the border until war was declared. Move them in and have them start pillaging and generally harrassing your enemy. They will send their offensive force at your defensive units, severly weakening their chances for a strong counter attack. Then you bring in the offense.

I give the defensive units a good 3-4 turns to do their thing and then move the offensive units in. Keep pumping out both offensive and defensive units until they get to the point where they are producing more defensive than offensive units. Then just produce offense, obviously. You can use any remaining 'pillagers' to garrison your newly conquered cities.

 

[Minmaster]

although its too late, i wouldve built mostly defensive forces at first and move them into defensive positions in the enemy territory while waiting to build the faster offensive forces after. i would first take those spearmen and catapults to the front and soak up the enemie's offensive attacks and bombard, pillage, from preferably high defensive position. by the time ur spearmen and catapults have weakened the enemy offense, you would have your fast horsemen ready to come into battle alongside the spearmen+catapults and then deliver the desicive blow.