I dont always follow the default deployment setup right before the battle starts. In fact, i hardly ever follow it, even though it may make sense. But I would like to know your opinions.
The default pattern is the following, regardless of the fact the enemy deployed before or after you.
cv cv sk ar ar in in in in in in in in in in in ar ar sk cv
____________________________gn_____________________________
This pattern is the default alignment for your troops. Notice how the artillery is positioned on the flanks.Does that make sense?
What if they have a strong flanking force. They will beat your cv and sk and then you're forced to pull out infantry from the center to defend your cannons on one or both flanks, exposing them to friendly fire, but generally coming too late anyway. In other words, your beaten. Losing cannons give me the worst headaches.
Either way, what I tend to do is something else. I dont like having my artillery too far on the flanks. With that in mind i often deployed my army with the intent to win by pure artillery fire:
cv sk in in in in in ar ar ar ar in in in in in sk cv
_____________________cv gn___________________________
Notice how my artillery is only in the center. Why do I do this? I do it because it tends to split the enemy in two. When that happens, you gain local superiority on either one or both of the sides, and the enemy loses time splitting rather than attacking, which (bombed by artillery) means hundreds of losses. Even if it doesnt split the enemy, and the enemy still concentrates, he will concentrate in the center. A perfect duck shooting begins. instead of aligning my troops in a horizontal line like i showed here, a tend to position them in a slight "V" around my cannons, so that my cannons are more protected:
a bit like this:
in_______________________________in
____in______________________in_____
________in ar ar ar ar in_________
It is a nice trap the enemy is likely to fall in. And then, I love to switch to canister shot. 4 artilleries (12 cannons) with canister shot dont even need protection from infantry anymore. it will make them mass rout.
Be careful however: this does NOT work if you place too much artillery in the center. The following should be AVOIDED:
in______________________________________________in
____in______________________________________in____
________in ar ar ar ar ar ar ar ar ar in________
As you can guess, the enemy will have no problem charging your center, and the battle will be lost.
The default pattern is the following, regardless of the fact the enemy deployed before or after you.
cv cv sk ar ar in in in in in in in in in in in ar ar sk cv
____________________________gn_____________________________
This pattern is the default alignment for your troops. Notice how the artillery is positioned on the flanks.Does that make sense?
What if they have a strong flanking force. They will beat your cv and sk and then you're forced to pull out infantry from the center to defend your cannons on one or both flanks, exposing them to friendly fire, but generally coming too late anyway. In other words, your beaten. Losing cannons give me the worst headaches.
Either way, what I tend to do is something else. I dont like having my artillery too far on the flanks. With that in mind i often deployed my army with the intent to win by pure artillery fire:
cv sk in in in in in ar ar ar ar in in in in in sk cv
_____________________cv gn___________________________
Notice how my artillery is only in the center. Why do I do this? I do it because it tends to split the enemy in two. When that happens, you gain local superiority on either one or both of the sides, and the enemy loses time splitting rather than attacking, which (bombed by artillery) means hundreds of losses. Even if it doesnt split the enemy, and the enemy still concentrates, he will concentrate in the center. A perfect duck shooting begins. instead of aligning my troops in a horizontal line like i showed here, a tend to position them in a slight "V" around my cannons, so that my cannons are more protected:
a bit like this:
in_______________________________in
____in______________________in_____
________in ar ar ar ar in_________
It is a nice trap the enemy is likely to fall in. And then, I love to switch to canister shot. 4 artilleries (12 cannons) with canister shot dont even need protection from infantry anymore. it will make them mass rout.
Be careful however: this does NOT work if you place too much artillery in the center. The following should be AVOIDED:
in______________________________________________in
____in______________________________________in____
________in ar ar ar ar ar ar ar ar ar in________
As you can guess, the enemy will have no problem charging your center, and the battle will be lost.
[This message has been edited by sebsone (edited 04-20-2010 @ 06:48 AM).]