Best Way to use Warband?

[Schweetness101]

There are of course a lot of different types of warband, medium or heavy foot, superior/picked or not. I find that the picked medium warband is particularly good, but what are the main advantages/disadvanrages of warband vis a vis other impact foot and other infantry in general? As far as I can tell they have as strengths:

good charge (impact)
able to absorb lots of casualties, especially from ranged, because of the large size

weaknesses:
poor morale, especially prone to double drops from being flanked and failing cohesion tests seeing allies rout and chain routing
kind of expensive (depends on the type of course)
can't really stand toe to toe in an open field line with most other infantry types it seems.
chase after defeated opponents (can be used as a strength)

What is the best way to use them? especially as an auxilliary unit in an otherwise non-warband army, like say in a carthaginian or roman army that has one or two warband.

thanks for any help.

[jomni]

Use them a fodder?

[Strategiusz]

Their morale is not poor. I think Close Order has bonus +1 as a heavy foot and Superior/Picked versions have superior quality. Superior quality is really hard to brake. And even average quality is not poor. I don't think there are some special rules that makes warbands especially prone to fail some cohesion tests.

Their biggest weakness is unmaneuverability.

They can be seen as weak because they often have to fight against Roman heavy infantry (better armour and quality in general).

[MVP7]

Loose warbands are great in any non-open terrain. If the map is not completely open that is the greatest strength of loose warband armies.

When using very warband heavy armies I like to focus on one flank with most of my picked warbands, cavalry and generals concentrated there. The weaker units are mainly there to hold the rest of the enemy front in place until the concentrated force starts rolling up the flank. Spreading the veterancy evenly across the entire front doesn't work against most opponents.

[SnuggleBunnies]

My understanding is that currently, Close Order Warbands do not gain the +1 to cohesion in the Open for being Heavy, but also do not get the -1 malus for facing Heavy in the open. So Close Order Warbands are slightly less resilient in open terrain than other heavy foot.

[Strategiusz]

Close Order Warbands do not gain the +1 to cohesion

I checked this and you are right.