Slitherine

I've been enjoying doing historical match-ups on the generic map. Each of the battles is quite tense. Often I think I'm doomed, then squeak out a victory. Also a few times I've expected an easy victory, only to see my units route all over the field.

Here are some of my observations. Note that these may be considered spoilers, of a sort.

POLAND VS MUSCOVY, 1610s: As the Poles, the battles were usually decided by Winged Hussars. If I could get enough charges in before they were disrupted by gunfire, archery, or flank charges I'd win. If not, I'd lose. Light horse also came in handy to screen against enemy Cossacks and Tatars. It could also almost always take out the Muscovite cannon, although I think the AI has become better at guarding artillery in recent updates.

FRENCH HUGUENOTS VS AUSTRIANS, 1590s: I got smashed. I hadn't worked out how to deal with tercios yet.

DUTCH VS SPANISH, 1590s: The first few battles I got mauled, again. My cuirasseurs dominated the flanks, but the enemy tercios, despite heavy losses, smashed through my infantry line. Finally I began to turn the tide. I think part of it was that the tercios suffered a lot of attrition, becoming smaller in number. Usually one tercio fought three Maurician infantry. I learned that, if a tercio hit one of my infantry, that I should not join in the melee with the others. One of mine would break first, and often take the others with it. Rather, the remaining two should stand back and try to engage other units, or even just stand by and get ready to blaze again once their companion was routed.

Spanish light cavalry was also a nuisance, until I learned to gang up on them with infantry - pikes out front to protect the lights.

MOLDAVIA VS OTTOMANS, 1490s (Extra Nations download): My six-year-old suggested this one - he liked the bull's head flag. But it worked out well. These have very similar mixes of units - cavalry, light cavalry, and medium foot with a few heavies - but the Moldavian boyars win the day. It's nice to have enough light cavalry to match the enemy. Once this is over, I'd be interested in taking on the Ottomans vs Hungary to see how to duplicate their success.

Anyone else have any thoughts on interesting matchups?

Hi Nijis,

Burgundians v Swiss from my Extra Nations Mod is a difficult challenge.

I'll give that a shot! Thanks for making the mod - I'm really enjoying it.

I also took a crack at playing the Portuguese against the Moroccans in Extra Nations, to get a sense of how big tercios could hold against a light cavalry-based force. Well, they take a lot of casualties from the arquebus-armed horsemen, but can eventually break them - even when inflicting far fewer casualties in return, volley to volley. It also helped to charge directly at the Moroccan foot.

Got a chance to play a bit more.

Burgundians vs Swiss is tough. For me, it came down to being able to get my gendarmes in position to hit a keil from the rear. It almost feels a bit like an air-to-air combat - get on their six at close range to win. Usually I could not, and the Swiss won.

Right now in the middle of Ottomans vs Hungary circa 1500. Very challenging! Hungary has pushed me almost to the edge of the campaign map. It has the edge in melee with its landsknechts and gendarmes, my plentiful Ottoman cavalry and Janissary arqubusiers give me the edge in firepower. I've learned to keep my Janissaries together, as concentrated firepower gives the best shot at beating off a Hungarian charge, and to use light cavalry to neutralize one of the enemy's other arms.