Need some advice for an 1494 Spanish campaign

[companion]

I've just started 1494 Spain vs 1494 Algerie campaign available from Paul 59's additional nations mod.

I'm having trouble coming up with an efficient way to deal with this unusual opponent without the ability to protect my shots (no mixed formation available in 1494)

So usually, I'm against an outnumbering numbers of light lancers and tribal spear foot backed by some cannons and Sipahis, Resources available for me are couple of pike keils and Gendarmes if I'm lucky, some rodelros, and light/medium shooters

I've won a couple of battles by aggressively using my light cav against tribal infantries and generally focusing on shooting stuff down but I still cannot resolve three problems

1. my armored, superior quality Rodeleros are unexpectedly very cleanly outmatched, both in impact and melee, by regular quality "warrior" attributed tribal spears. It is frustrating to have a very weak main line that is also outnumbered. Of course they will win if the opponent is disrupted but what melee unit doesn't?

2. I have no idea how to protect the "massed arquebusiers" medium shot foot other than hoping to disrupt everything during shooting phase before contact. It seems they do not get the "protected shot" treatment even when standing next to Gendarmes, am I correct?

3. when there is a cannon disparity in favor of the opponent, how do I advance to silence the cannons while somehow protecting my flanks against such a cav-heavy roster?

[companion]

I've progressed some more turns into the campaign and found out some interesting dynamics

While Rodeleros are little more than speedbumps against tribal spearmen, I found out that light lancers are reluctant to charge them because the swordsmen will somehow win the melee phase.
This means I have to deploy infantries somewhat counter-intuitively, using precious few pike keils for anti-infantry duties while the Rodeleros try to deter the cavalries.

Still, every battle is an absolute pain due to the sheer number of maneuver units that Algerie has and the tribal light lancers' capability to evade anything I can throw at them while still being fast and powerful enough to hunt down my jinetes trying to disrupt them.
Massed crossbows/arquebuses are good when facing European armies with few and slow manuever units that I can ZOC with Gendarmerie but against such a matchup they are very hard to use

I might take a break and try more "traditional" matchups like the Ottoman wars

[SnuggleBunnies]

The giant pike block armies are far better against other Western armies. The later Pike and Shot armies can wreck such tribal armies though.

[companion]

The giant pike block armies are far better against other Western armies. The later Pike and Shot armies can wreck such tribal armies though.

But it's those fat keils that has been carrying the battles to victory simply because they give me only option of initiating combat that I can win on the infantry side. On cavalry side I need to go defense and wait for them to initiate unless I am willing to sacrifice my light horses just to prevent evasions and subsequent flanking. Even then there are too many of them and my winning cavalries will eventually be flanked.

I mean, I certainly am not an experienced player. Any tip is appreciated.

Which begs me the question: how is the Spanish army lineup of the Grenada War period (if there's anything available in, say, Field of Glory series) supposed to fight against the likes of Algerie lineup that I am facing? Sword and Buckler infantries cannot win against run-of-the-mill spears even on rough grounds (they feel so weak, what are their uses actually?), expensive Gendarmerie are forced to go defensive, and non-light shot infantries are too vulnerable.

[StuccoFresco]

Based on your observations, I'd resort to this kind of deployement:

keil-shooters-keil............keil-shooters-keil
..........shooters-cavalry-cavalry-shooters
rodeleros.....cavalry-rodeleros......rodeleros

keil will be your go-to breakthrough unit that is also able to tie up enormous numbers of enemy units.
Shooters are there to soften enemy units.
Second line cavalry is there to exploit weak points (disrupted units) and to rush forward to silence enemy artillery if possible.
Rodeleros guard the flanks against enemy cavalry, your reserve cavalry is there for countercharge purposes.

Try to ignore enemy light cavalry unless they are charging your shooters.

[companion]

Based on your observations, I'd resort to this kind of deployement:

keil-shooters-keil............keil-shooters-keil
..........shooters-cavalry-cavalry-shooters
rodeleros.....cavalry-rodeleros......rodeleros

keil will be your go-to breakthrough unit that is also able to tie up enormous numbers of enemy units.
Shooters are there to soften enemy units.
Second line cavalry is there to exploit weak points (disrupted units) and to rush forward to silence enemy artillery if possible.
Rodeleros guard the flanks against enemy cavalry, your reserve cavalry is there for countercharge purposes.

Try to ignore enemy light cavalry unless they are charging your shooters.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've shelved the campaign currently and will restart once I get more skilled at the game.

If I do, I think I'll use medium shot foot with cav escort like you suggested and use that to get rid of enemy cavalry first. I simply cannot get more than 2 keil boxes unless I make a very large 1500+ points army.

[awesum4]

hold your gendarmes and light cavalry back. The secret against the light horse is to stop them breaking off once they are in contact. If his light cavalry charge your foot and don't immediately break off then put a unit in his rear then you can kill him with flank charges. when his light cavalry are in your face charge them with your light horse, hopefully he will stand as you are both lancers, then you put a unit in their rear and then you can break them at your leisure.