Flanking and Rear Attacks

[Thufir]

Arralen said:
The key to get you own troops to flank effectively is the "hold and attack"-command. While holding for 2 turns, the enemy front line converges on you front line, so the likelihood of your flankers being "drawn" to the wrong target is smaller.

I like the hold and attack, I'll try that one out.

And use fast troops for flanking - mounted troops or flyers. They'll have to pass less checks, which are done at the start of each turn, judging from the comments of some dev.

Of course. I'm using Devils in my example.

T'ien Ch'i (or however they're spelled) mounted archers actually work great with the revised "hold and attack"-command (with v2.12 and later). While on hold, they use their compound bows on the nearest advancing enemy, then attack the flank of the enemy formation with their lances. If they don't reach them or the squad is big enough, they'll even fire three or more times. I have actually seen them use their bows when pursuing fleeing enemies - shooting them right in the back from 3..6 squares distance. A very cost effective way to cut off someone's retreat

They are vulnerable because of low prot value, so try to get either protection or at least Legions of Steel cast on them. Protection makes them vulnerable to fire, but anyone trying to toss fireballs at those fast moving targets puts his own troops into danger as well - most fire spells aren't terribly precise

This sounds interesting, and I like to play T'ien Ch'i, so this is particularly relevant. But I have to ask, have you used this successfully in MP play?

[Arralen]

Ah, umh, you see, T'ien Ch'i is such a slow-starter, especially Spring&Autmn, that it's considered the weakest nations by some ... .
I'm not shure about that, but they are to slow to be competitive.
I tried to do a Spring&Autmn speedup mod, but, honestly, I don't really know what to change to make them stronger at start. Other than using that standard SC pretender to do the expansion during the first 6 turn or so. Changing the national summons spells would be a possibilty, but IIRC even with 2.14 we can't mod how much "effects" a summon spell has. (Should add that to the wishlist thread...)

So, with two words:

Never tried !