Art De La Guerre

[KevinD]

[Black Prince]

[kevinj]

I can only speak for how I designed and used the army which is largely the opposite of what's mentioned above, although the composition was set before knowing what others were using, the tactics used were based on the armies I faced. My list was:

1 Strategist
3 H Cav Bow Elite
1 L Cav Bow Elite
2 HSw 2HW Elite
3 MSw/Bow Elite
2 LI Bow Ord

2 Ordinary Included
3 HSw 2HW Elite *
3 MSw/Bow Elite
2 LI Bow Ord

3 Ordinary Included
1 H Cav Bow Elite *
1 L Cav Bow Elite
1 Expendable

My aim is normally to use Corps 2 in the centre, 1 on the most open flak and 3 wherever it can make a nuisance of itself. I'll normally try to attack in the plains if possible.
2 of my first games were against WoTR and HYW English. There armies tend to be infantry based and not have many knights, so I chose minimal terrain with a view to working the flanks with my more manouvrable cavalry and facing off the centre with my elite infantry. The HSw can happily fight Ordinary foot knights and the fact that 16/20 combat units were elite often gave them an edge to win or helped when they had a disadvantage. Both of these armies were bulked out with mediocre troops who struggle when trying to take on elites.
The other game on day 1 was against Medieval Scots, so again I went for minimal terrain to work the flanks of his schiltrons. The 2HW Samurai like Mediocre Pikemen! Then I found out I was facing the "In France" version with no pikemen, a French Knight Ally and more mediocre longbowmen than you can imagine. I used the C-in-Cs cavalry and light horse to keep the knights occupied, the small command to delay his flank march and was able to use the elite foot to take on the longbow hordes.
First game on day 2 was against Swiss. Since they only have mountains I opted to defend in the plains in order to minimise terrain again with a view to working around the flanks and delaying combat against his Elite pikemen for as long as possible. We rann out of time with me 15-5 up,
Last Game was against French Ordonnance who had masses of knights (9 I think) which was most worrying. Again I went for minimal terrain to maximise my opportunities on the flanks. However, he also has a hesitant unreliable commander so didn'd go for an all out attack, This turned into a game of manouvre tring to get advantages and me trying to pick off weaker units while avoiding the knights. I was up about 10-5 when time was called.

If I'd faced Elephants I agree with using plantations, but I'd avoid putting brush or fields down as these don't affect the elephants or their likely support troops and only hinder my HF or Cavalry. I would look to use more terrain if facing a cavalry based army, although if there's a big open area I'm happy to use the HF/MF alternately in a line.