Attacking strong walls

[NameX1]

Hi,

I've managed to scrape through to Gunpowder Age, but mainly through farming with the occasional raid. I've never used any of the stronger troops; balista, healing cart, knight, wall breaker; just relying on rifle dudes, the german axe men and the heros (I now have 3, so I've just cycled through them as they get wiped out).

I ran two attacks in our alliance's war, the first went pretty well; 5 stars in well under 2 minutes with half my troops returned uninjured and most of my tactics unused. The second, on a lower ranked base, I got wiped out (2 stars, but was never close to any more). The difference was the wall strength; first had weak walls, this one had storng walls.

I assume the way to attack bases like this are with balistas, perhaps with knights as meat shields, and probably with a load of rifle men to take care of enemy troops. I just don't really know how to do this?

How would you attack this base? I've waited until our war has ended to post this, so that people don't think I'm trying to cheat.


regards
Dave

 

[JuDomines]

Hi,

I assume the way to attack bases like this are with balistas, perhaps with knights as meat shields, and probably with a load of rifle men to take care of enemy troops.

So you got your answer Dave. you just forgot the best unit of this game: supply cart

 

[NameX1]

Any suggestions on how to use it? I've tried "regrouping", clicking on an area of ground and have all troops come back to it, but I find that some get there earlier and then run away, dispersing in such as way that it was pointless.. The very few times I've actually used the supply cart its ended up getting left alone and there wasn't much (anything?) I could do to help it... I guess I'll just try using them more

Would I guess that supply cart + balista is a good approach? keeping some inanftry around in case attackers come out of the forest?


regards
Dave

 

[Ravenlord]

Personally I like ballistas but 30-40 archers do a better job of protecting the ballistas than a supply cart. I find the cart has a 50% chance of doing what it's supposed ie: half the time I lose as many archers with as without the supply cart. 90% of the time my army has extra archers instead of a supply cart - in theory more firepower should do just as good a job as saving my army.
Speaking for myself, I've had good success with the following army composition:
6-10 footsies (for last minute clearing up - with a general)
About 30-40 archers
4-6 HC (depending on horses or tanks)
3-4 ballistas (depending on my mood)
(keep tactics and Mercs for those maxed out IA bases)

As for regrouping, if you can click on a space that's more-or-less in the middle of your spread-out troops then you'll get them in one spot at the same time to benefit from a supply cart. You have to think quickly to get this right all the time though - but practice makes perfect. Sometimes you have to accept that you have to lose a few to save the majority - it all depends on the existing defenses at the time.

Another thing to consider about regrouping is going towards the enemy. If your army is still largely intact sometimes heading towards a group of towers/ballistas is the way to go. If they're close enough to a ballista it won't fire at them AND once they're all there they tend to shoot at all the towers at once. You lose a few men but the result is a bunch of towers are all gone in a few secs. PLUS, your army can keep going as they're next to other buildings - rather than away from the base after a retreat/regroup. Even without a supply cart, regrouping is about consolidation - sometime you might just want to concentrate your firepower.
​
Again, timing is the key but hey - there's another base just around the corner to practice on (again!).

 

[Jasonian Empire]

Personally I like ballistas but 30-40 archers do a better job of protecting the ballistas than a supply cart. I find the cart has a 50% chance of doing what it's supposed ie: half the time I lose as many archers with as without the supply cart. 90% of the time my army has extra archers instead of a supply cart - in theory more firepower should do just as good a job as saving my army.
Speaking for myself, I've had good success with the following army composition:
6-10 footsies (for last minute clearing up - with a general)
About 30-40 archers
4-6 HC (depending on horses or tanks)
3-4 ballistas (depending on my mood)
(keep tactics and Mercs for those maxed out IA bases)

As for regrouping, if you can click on a space that's more-or-less in the middle of your spread-out troops then you'll get them in one spot at the same time to benefit from a supply cart. You have to think quickly to get this right all the time though - but practice makes perfect. Sometimes you have to accept that you have to lose a few to save the majority - it all depends on the existing defenses at the time.

Another thing to consider about regrouping is going towards the enemy. If your army is still largely intact sometimes heading towards a group of towers/ballistas is the way to go. If they're close enough to a ballista it won't fire at them AND once they're all there they tend to shoot at all the towers at once. You lose a few men but the result is a bunch of towers are all gone in a few secs. PLUS, your army can keep going as they're next to other buildings - rather than away from the base after a retreat/regroup. Even without a supply cart, regrouping is about consolidation - sometime you might just want to concentrate your firepower.
​
Again, timing is the key but hey - there's another base just around the corner to practice on (again!).

After trying it out a few times at the advice of another player, this was also my experience with the supply cart. I usually turn them loose with my heavy cavalry to keep them alive a little longer. They don't protect faster, weaker troops that well, in my experience. When it works, it does a pretty good job. But about half the time, the supply cart does something completely wonky and just uses up troop space that I could better utilize for something else. I haven't bothered to use one in my armies for quite some time now.

I use sappers to knock holes in strong walls- along with hurling my entire army at a single point. To take out heavy defenses (gun towers, etc.) you sometimes have to rush them. It usually does the trick, but if you've rushed to gunpowder without upgrading your troops, you are probably undergoing an exercise in futility.

Be patient. Upgrade your troops and barracks before you march off to war.