Town Defences

[Celtic Warrior]

As a long time civ player (since civ2 in 1996) I am used to the idea of having high rated defensive units as garrisons in cities. But RTW is quite different.

At first I tried putting 4 townwatch in to the cities but they would be easily beaten by opposing forces. Having defensive units is useless as the enemy just lays seige and usually you have to attack them.

I then tried 4 hasatti and 2 archers. Hoping that the missiles would draw out the enemy to attack my defensive line. It works but then the enemy send in a large army to beat my troops.

I tried having a large offensive army in the town put it drains resources and slows down the campaign as less troops are sent out ot the frontline. When I moved the army out of the city to help the frontline army, the emeny immediatly moved in enmass, once my army is out of reach.

What is the best tatic or units to garrison in town for defensive purposes only?

Edit: Just reached my goal of 0.1 post per day. Next target 200 post in total.

 

[Ofuh]

Well for starters town watch suck, the only time you will want to use them is in the beginning when you start out with several units of them.

Secondly, I don't know what kind of town you're defending but don't try defending the walls. Hold your position in the streets or at the town square. The town square is kind of cheap since your units have infinite morale in there. But you are playing to win, right ?

Third, don't underestimate the power of sallying your enemy. 95% of the time when you attack out of your walls the enemy will immediately move his whole army to another place on the battle map that he thinks is a better position. This is a time for archers to rake in tons of kills with all the enemy's backs facing you. They will also be much more vulnerable to cavalry charges. Don't forget, if you can't take the whole army at once in a sally, just take out bits and pieces of it, and then let the battle timer run out. It will be a draw iwth no added casualties. If you hurt your enemy enough, they may even break the siege. If not, repeat each turn.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Phalangite units really come into their own when placed in the confines of a city street. Keep in mind, though, that they're useless on walls, where they can't form the phalanx.

Perhaps the best units for garrisons are leginoaries or Hypaspistai, but they both cost too much. Your best bet is simply to wage flexible warfare, and, well, just keep those damn armies away from your cities if it's becoming a real problem.

 

[Ruler]

Full Castle of your best units surrounded by town is good in my opinion and spying. The farther you can see enemy stacks coming the more time you've to build your own army or move your current stack to defend your towns and if you don't see any enemy stack you can move it to the front line and start to build new stack in your catstle.

Castle makes 500 gold, 3 towns near it make all 1000 that's makes 3500, so you can easily keep an army what cost you about 2000-3000 gold in the castle, not to mention if you've more town near your castle. That's how I try to think it.

Last, it's very easy to overexpand and thus make your empire hard to defend.

 

[Kal'thzar]

there is no such thing as defensive units. You must remember that your battles must easily flow from a defensive to offensive posture no matter the situation. If you constrain yourself in such a manner as you suggest you are its no wonder your going to lose.

 

[Celtic Warrior]

Don't forget, if you can't take the whole army at once in a sally, just take out bits and pieces of it, and then let the battle timer run out. It will be a draw iwth no added casualties. If you hurt your enemy enough, they may even break the siege. If not, repeat each turn.

I will definatly try that next time.

Ruler I'm talking about RTW, I don't think there are castles in RTW (at least as far as I know, Only new to the game)

 

[Ofuh]

I will definatly try that next time.

Ruler I'm talking about RTW, I don't think there are castles in RTW (at least as far as I know, Only new to the game)

There are forts, but they provide no economic benifit.

 

[Maniacal]

No, castles and forts are completely different, Castles in M2 (maybe M1 I don't know) are another city type you can develope, and they are more like a military focused city.

 

[Traitorfish]

In MTW (and STW) castles are the only city type available.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

First off, I turn my battle timer off. I don't want a victory that way. Secondly, I do occasionally defend near the walls (mainly when I don't have a phalanx. While I'm generally able to get rid of enemy siege equipment before it reaches my walls, they do occasionally get through.

So when that first unit tries to push in through the hole in my defenses, I let that them get slightly inside the walls and hit them with whichever units are closest (I generally try to determine where the enemy will approach before the battle starts and form my battle line accordingly). I know it can be a waste of men and possibly deplete other areas that may need them, but I generally send 3 units to stop up a hole in my wall. Sometimes when I'm short of men and I have some phalanxes around, I'll make one of those slightly wider than the hole.

If I've got the 1st stone walls you can get, I generally set 1 phalanx up directly behind the city gates, and put medium/heavy infantry up on the walls. Interlaced, of course, with archers to remove the pesky siege engines.

If the enemy manages to get ladders or siege towers up to your walls, I generally try to leave them a bit of space on each side of where the siege tower door or ladders are. Then I can attack them from two sides, hurting morale and doing more damage (at least it appears that way).

If you have stone walls and the enemy manages to smash your gate open, don't be rude, let him walk in. He'll get a nice bath of boiling oil, then give'em hell.

No, castles and forts are completely different, Castles in M2 (maybe M1 I don't know) are another city type you can develope, and they are more like a military focused city.

In MTW 1 forts and castles are city defense improvements.

 

[civverguy]

I think there's a bug that the AI can sally multiple times in a turn and you can't. For defense, you should put phalanxes near the town center alleys and some in a box formation in the town center.

 

[Celtic Warrior]

In my last two town battles as the defender I used the same STRANGE strategy when they attack. The medium size city always seems to be the same design. I moved all my men into the square. I put them in on corner nearest the main city gate. In the medium town the two enterances to the square are on the opposite side of the main city gate. The enemy comes charging in, goes down the road parrallel to the square and my position. They then try to attack me but there is line of buildings in the way and they can't even touch my troops. They never think of going around to the other side. I then sneak my cavalary behind them and charge. Before they realise whats happening half of them are fleeing. This has woorked against superior forces twice. I beat armies three times the size of mine and most of my men have done nothing. Only the cavalary gets into an actual fight.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

As a note, it's generally a bad idea to use either chariots or elephants anywhere near a city. I've had rampaging chariots destroy half my army while trying to flee down the streets or through a gate.

 

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

I have what I believe to be a generally good strategy when it comes to city defence.

My usual defence (Playing as Greece) is to fill a city with atleast:

3 Hoplites
2 Militia Hoplits
3 Greek Cavalry (+ or - a General)

The AI, I've noticed, tends to advance into a city at one route (With the occasional Units traveling some other way) I often keep the troops near the city center so if they route, they fall back and regroup.

Simple use the 3 Hoplites to surrond the enty point and encirlce the enemy when they come through, while the other 2 Militia Hoplites cover the other entrances or act as back-up.

Meanwhile, ur Cavalry circle around the buildings and get to the rear of the path they used. As the Enemy Infantry, and most likely main cavalry, strike at the Hoplites, the Cavalry crash into the enemy rear and obliterate them.

I've oft had many heroic victories by using this strategy.