Tatics and Melee Commanders

[General Tacticus]

I like to use my melee commanders in the frontlines in the first turns, against weak indies, to try and snatch a good heroic ability (valor, bellow, quickness come to mind). But once I am facing the AI or tough indy, they go back to a safer battlefield position.

Some tactics to minimize risks :
1) put your army in front and sligthly to one side, and put your commander a little back and more to the side, on hold (one turn) and attack. He should arrive in the main battle once the enemy is already engaged, and on what will be the enemy's weaker flank.
2) with a mounted commander, give him a few (mounted) bodyguards, and let him lead an attack rearmost attack if the enemy has some weak missile troops (not Ulm crossbow !)

In any case, never risk a commander that way without knowing what you are facing.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Saxon:
Then again, Dad also thinks that you can fix anything, including nuclear reactors, with duct tape, so perhaps he is not perfect..

Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together. If it doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough. Your father is a wise man.

[PvK]

For the actual question (instead of supercombattant value discussions), to get a commander to actually fight in melee more often than not, he needs to have an Attack order, as the default for a melee commander is Stay Behind Troops.

To keep him from fighting alone or getting stuck, you need to look at his Action Point rating to see how fast he'll advance in combat, and compare that to your other troops, and place him ahead or behind or to the side as appropriate, which may take some trial and error.

You can also assign troops to him on guard commander. As long as they aren't slower than he is, and start out near him, they'll follow him around and fight at his side.

You usually want to have at least one commander on Stay Behind Troops or some other safer order, though, because once the Last leader dies, the men tend to flee.

PvK

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together. If it doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough.

Another excellent, pithy saying by Norfy, to go along with "drive-by priestings". I'm going to have to start compiling a "Complete Sayings of Norfleet" document ...

[mlepinski]

Thanks a lot for the help. I've found all the replies to be really useful. (Except of course for the ones about duct tape )

- Matt L. :->