I must, if artillery is present within my ranks, use up all ammunition before going on the attack.
Horsemen must not stand around and gawk. If they are not attacking, they should be riding off somewhere to regroup before attacking again. Any who do not listen find themselves serving as replacements for those who do listen, and damned be the number of chevrons that might be lost.
When assaulting a city, two of the lightest, easiest-to-produce infantry will run the walls. It does not matter if it serves no purpose- it must be done. Once, though, the enemy tried to bring in reinforcements. He failed, due to the wallrunners. Another tried to exit the city and flank my people. He too failed. This only reinforces the commitment to run the walls every time. True OCD.
When the enemy retires to the city center, not a man shall pursue them. Instead, we shall deploy aorund him, seal off his exits, and use up every projectile in our inventory. Only once all are expended will I commit manpower to the destruction of men who must die because they refuse to surrender.
When a unit breaks and flees, I must peel off cavalry to hunt the cowards down and chastise them. This has the added advantage of placing cavalry behind the enemy lines, which can be quite useful later (reinforcing the OCD). This is why my battles often have 100 losses for me and 2500 for the enemy.
Berserkers are not to attack enemies. They are to stand behind the lines, and with their awful, unwashed stench, loud and raucous beer farts, and manly unkempt beards to scare the living shit out of the enemy soldiers. Sadly, they often take a hit and go nuts. My entire battle plan changes to protecting the berserkers, which means following them and taking advantage of the rout they will soon cause. Works every time.
If an enemy refuses a diplomatic advance, I must try again the next turn and up the ante with as much gold as I can reasonably afford to lose. If he turns my Speaker of Words down a second time, it becomes my duty to eradicate the world of such idiots.
If I capture the enemy's capital, I must exterminate. Even if it is a tiny village chosen for its location. Exterminate. I consider it letting my boys run rampant over the enemy throne, raping the queen and princesses, draining the burg of ale and wine, and generally receiving a reward for taking the
statskassa. Ripping down the temple and putting up one of my own is almost a must, but I find a pantheon to Jupiter might be worth a bit more to my treasury and public order than a Sacred Grove or Circle so I fight the urge. It is often at this point I degrade myself for not modding up barbarians to a Level Four ans vow to work on my personal mod once again. Then the next battle comes and rids me of the vow as I joyfully tear into fools who dare stand before me with weapons in hand.
I often build a fort near my capital and put in there one of each mercenary I encounter, and if a Roman, an equite, hastati, principe, velite, and triarii. After the Reforms I add a legionary, a praetorian, and an Urban. I call this my museum.
I am sure there are more, but that is enough for now.[This message has been edited by Terikel Grayhair (edited 12-25-2012 @ 05:30 AM).]