The Match: 2v2
Holy Roman Empire (me) and my Spanish ally versus the Scots and the Mongols.
The armies: Initial thoughts going into battle: At first, I felt confident knowing that my Holy Roman Army was using the latest military technology against the outmoded gear of the Mongols and Scots. In respect to the technology, the Mongols were in 1200 and the Scots were in the Norman conquest, as compared to my my own and my ally's army, who were past the fall of Constantinople and into the 16th century. However, I knew that skill can triumph over guns. As a note, I was opposite of the mongols, and my Spanish ally was opposite of the Scots. My position was ideal. I was on top of the map's only promontory. Using a strategem I had read only 15 minutes before on the forum, I deployed my troops in such a way that my Arquebusiers and cannons would shoot over the heads of my melee heavy infantry. As per my request, my SPanish ally rushed to join me on my hill and turned the yawning gap of my left flant into a wall of solid Spanish steel and musket fire. As the battle opened up, we were lagging, as hosts haven't yet realized that even newer compurers can only handle 4000-5000 troops. My basilisk cannons were reloading painfully slow as Mongol Rocket launchers were driving me insane. Luckily the extreme armour and overall quality of my troops (I made sure to give every soldier a chevron upgrade) caused the damage to be superficial. My basilisk cannons were not much crueler is a significant way. My reiters were the greatest example of just how cruelly effective guns are over bows. My ally was watching the advancing Scots and their cavalry (who were harassing the SPanish cavalry and cannon who were still trekking to my hilltop position). The Mongol archers decided to harasshis flank. I had already seen this move and was rushing my reiters to meet them even before my ally called for aid. Soon, the mongols were going down under the repetitious pistol punishment. When I deployed circle formation (think cantabrian circle), the Mongols were routing while only 2 reiters out of 80 lay dead. Soon, the second group of mongol horse archers were routing, with negligible losses to my own forces (after a short melee). On the main line, I ordered an armoured charge. I had warned my ally to be extra vigilant, as i would be distracted with the charge, destruction of the rocket launchers, and the protracted melee when the lines clashed. Mongol infantry was no match for dismounted Gothic knights wielding two-handed flamberges, in addition to dismounted Imperial knights, who shield makes them tougher to kill. My ally called for aid, but I was still cleaning up the Mongol mess. My Arquebusiers brought perilous fire upon the Mongol cavalry, which now with the infantry disintegrating, was alone. A charge of Gothic knights and my general along with reiters, who at this point were constantly galloping around and shooting, scattered the Mongol cavalry and routed them with in due course. I was surprised with the lack of fight the Mongol cavalry had. Once the cavalry was more or less destroyed, the player admitted defeat. I now focused on rushing to my ally, who had called for me earlier. The Scot cavalry was routed and long gone. A protracted melee had taken a rather harsh toll on my ally's cavalry as well. My cannons turned, my reiters rode and full gallop, and the rest of my army speedily went to my ally's assistance. Luckily the Scottish army came at a column, so we were more or less killing his army 1 or 2 battalions at a time. My Arquebusiers (some of which had met a nasty end with some scattered Mongol horsemen) did limited work, as his musketeers were more numerous and (because they were musketeers) superior to my own troops. My reiters and arquebusiers did more or less destroy the scottish archers though. A few Scot nobles and pikes were left. Once I organized what was left of my somewhat depleted army, A full scale charge of German steel and guns sent the scots into a full rout. The Gothic knights, with their two handed flamberges, absolutely shredded the Scottish pike formations. Arquebusiers, reiters, and mounted knights ruined the dismounted noblemen. A final note: When I was fighting the Mongols, the played more or less abandoned the melee infantry to their fate at my hands. His handling of the cavalry was rather slow and his reponses to a given situation came to late to be of use. His main achievement was in mauling a unit of Arquebusiers. Also, he didn't seem to realise that fire arrows are abolutely useless against super-heavy troops (most of my troops got an armour bonus if the game allowed it). So, if you were the Mongol or the Scot, what would you have done?
Forces contributing to victory. 1) Excellent cooperation and communication between allies. 2) Good handling of skirmishing cavalry. 3) Terrible cooperation between the Mongols and Scots.
Crusade! Our brothers in the East need out swords to subdue the Infidel! The Saracen defiles the Sepulchre and is at the gates of the Roman emperor!. Ride! Ride ye holy soldiers to Jerusalem! Byzantium calls for aid...Christ and the Virgin weep at the blood of martyrs spilled on holy pilgrimages! Crusade! -Medieval 2: Total War