When it´s time to "charge".

[LoneWolf]

I don´t like too much this tactic, but I know, that in many cases it´s necessary to send a few Horsemen or even Lancers to engage their enemies in "charge" and let them devastate the enemy or be destroyed by doubled defence of their foes.
Charge, however, is very powerful attack. I use it for example in Heir to the Throne campaign against the orcish crossbowmen or another units, that are strong on ranged attack.
I also think that the best time to use mounted charging units is when some wounded enemy units retreat. For me is also very important that my Lancer or Horseman must be able to kill the enemy in ONE charge (to avoid heavy injuries - as little counterhits as possible). That´s not a big problem with Lancers, I suppose:-)
The best strategy : HIT AND RUN. There is no reason for charging units to stay in direct fight after their charge.

[jg]

I agree with you, the only time you should attack, is when you are relatively sure that you can kill your enemy with one blow. Otherwise, you can only do suicide. But it gets even better when you have 2 horsemen, and if the first one doesn't succeed, the second one will definately. That's what I also like to use.

jg

[cheerful coffin]

lol in my HTTT campaign Blackwater Port scenario, the boss is in a village with hp <10. I use my loyal horseman to charge him, but it got killed instead

So I guess I should charge only in 2 conditions:
1. the enemy is low in hp AND on a terrain with <=40% defense
2. the enemy does very little melee damage relative to your charger's current HP (e.g. Dark Adept )

[LoneWolf]

lol in my HTTT campaign Blackwater Port scenario, the boss is in a village with hp <10. I use my loyal horseman to charge him, but it got killed instead

So I guess I should charge only in 2 conditions:
1. the enemy is low in hp AND on a terrain with <=40% defense
2. the enemy does very little melee damage relative to your charger's current HP (e.g. Dark Adept )

It´s important to know that orcish warrior (I don´t remember who leads orcs in this scenario) has good melee attacks and 60% defence in village.
Had you an elvish shaman in your army? (to slow the orc, that he has only 2 counterattacks) Good idea is to wait till sunrise, or possibly to the day conditions (noon, afternoon) to make sure that orc´s attacks won´t be too dangerous even by the charge.
But I understand it, and if I were in your position, I´ll do it probably this way, too.

[kiet]

Sometimes,it may depend on your luck.
About charging on a unit in shallow water doesn´t always work for me.
Once it ended up with my Grand Knight getting killed.(damn,I shouldn´t have charged on that Warlord,it just because he had exactly 48 Hp left and I could kill him in one blow)

[xtifr]

Charging units are similar to mages, in that you have to use them carefully, and need to be prepared to try to protect them if they become vulnerable. They're complementary to mages in that they're best used against ranged units. They're devastating against enemy mages or dark adepts.

Charge certainly can be used against unwounded enemy units, even melee units, but only if you're confident that you can survive a single round of combat and that you can bring up enough other units to finish off the enemy and fill in the gap left by the dead enemy so that your now-wounded charging unit ends up safely behind your line, where it can retreat to find healing next turn. Of course, this strategy becomes far more risky if you're facing skirmishers....

[kiet]

I don´t think charging units are as vulnerable as mages are.
And for me they aren´t as valuable either if you compare a Arch Mage vs a Grand Knight.

[JW]

Slow decreases damage by half, not strikes.

Horsemen have at least 8 moves (GKs 7), skirmishers (level 1) have at most 7 (Ambushers .

ps, it's all about CTK and return damage.

[Zhukov]

I don´t think charging units are as vulnerable as mages are.
And for me they aren´t as valuable either if you compare a Arch Mage vs a Grand Knight.

It's hard to compare units that are so very different. With those two I would say it is a matter of taste rather then one being strictly better then the other.

[SunTzu]

Charges..I dont like that tactic.
I prefer to win the battle before fighting it, if i can.

[Thrawn]

Charges..I dont like that tactic.
I prefer to win the battle before fighting it, if i can.

that works, until oyu then fight and have luck screw you...


BtW, with the other horseman thread, is this really nesseccary?

[JW]

BtW, with the other horseman thread, is this really nesseccary?

EP made that thread in response to this one.

[Ken_Oh]

Charges..I dont like that tactic.
I prefer to win the battle before fighting it, if i can.

Nice. I was expecting to see some RoTK fans on here eventually.

[Elvish_Pillager]

that works, until oyu then fight and have luck screw you...

That's not true. If you win the battle properly before fighting, luck cannot screw you. (Unfortunately, this type of victory is not possible on the average modern map. Mapmakers like fighting. )

[TheChosenOne]

Charges..I dont like that tactic.
I prefer to win the battle before fighting it, if i can.

When I played HttT in the scenario after Return to Wesnoth (where all the leaders were GKs, but I forget the title), only then I found the true power of charge. Not even my Lord Konrad with 15--4 flaming sword (fire) can survive hordes after hordes of the horsemen's charge. Konrad had about 70++ maxhp I think and he got killed at the 3rd horseman charge.

mod's note: the scenario is Test of the Clan
mod's note: and you're darn right!