Favorite Army

Byzantine Productions Pike and Shot is a deep strategy game set during the bloody conflict of the Thirty Years War.

Moderators: rbodleyscott, Slitherine Core, Gothic Labs

Post Reply
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

What is your favorite army and why? Doesn't matter which time period, from approx. 1500-1700. What factors influenced your choice? Was it just from playing one so much that you got comfortable with it? Or perhaps a certain historical period appealed to you? Or maybe you were more the type that enjoyed playing underdog armies against all odds? Would be glad to hear your choices. Also would like to hear Richard Bodley Scotts choice, as this is his baby after all. As for my self, I've become appreciative of late of the wild Zaporozhian Cossacks, very different from the run of the mill Western European Pike and Shot brutes. Also I immensely enjoy Louis XIV's French army, but for me they are devilishly tricky to win with.
Cheers
Alex
Pixel
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Posts: 386
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:52 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by Pixel »

French (Italian Wars) with their big blocks of Swiss Cheese and nice Gendarmes. Also partial to the Ottomans and the Polish.
Image Image
Pixel
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Posts: 386
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:52 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by Pixel »

I also think that the Huguenot French are fun to play as in some of the Tercio to Salvo scenarios.
Image Image
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by rbodleyscott »

My favourite is Transylvanians.
Richard Bodley Scott

Image
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

Pixel wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 7:52 am French (Italian Wars) with their big blocks of Swiss Cheese and nice Gendarmes. Also partial to the Ottomans and the Polish.
So you're fond of those big Swiss Pike blocks then? Ottomans are a potent army, not too fond of fighting against them though...
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

rbodleyscott wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 12:35 pm My favourite is Transylvanians.
How come the Transylvanians Richard?
SnuggleBunnies
Major-General - Jagdtiger
Major-General - Jagdtiger
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:09 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by SnuggleBunnies »

It would be impossible for me to pick one favorite, but a few standouts -

The early English lists with their mix of bows, bills, and arquebus
Russian lists, with Bardiche and Arquebus armed Streltsy acting as an anchor for Bow armed, armored cavalry, supported by lance and bow armed cossack light horse
And of course the Swedes with their Salvo foot.
SnuggleBunny's Field of Glory II / Medieval / Pike and Shot / Sengoku Jidai MP Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjUQy6dEqR53NwoGgjxixLg
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

SnuggleBunnies wrote: Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:25 am It would be impossible for me to pick one favorite, but a few standouts -

The early English lists with their mix of bows, bills, and arquebus
Russian lists, with Bardiche and Arquebus armed Streltsy acting as an anchor for Bow armed, armored cavalry, supported by lance and bow armed cossack light horse
And of course the Swedes with their Salvo foot.
SnuggleBunnies those are some good picks, especially the Russians. But tell me, you like the mixed English units with Bills and such, But how do you play them successfully? I find when I play them against Continental armies of the same period, they get out shot and out melee'd. What is your secret to success with them? Just curious.

Cheers
Alex
rbodleyscott
Field of Glory 2
Field of Glory 2
Posts: 28014
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:25 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by rbodleyscott »

AlexDetrojan wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 5:22 pm
rbodleyscott wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 12:35 pm My favourite is Transylvanians.
How come the Transylvanians Richard?
I am just a vampire at heart. And I can make the troop combination work, given a reasonable amount of terrain on the map.

Beware the Transylvanian forest! (Especially within a 20 mile radius around Castle Dracula).
Richard Bodley Scott

Image
SnuggleBunnies
Major-General - Jagdtiger
Major-General - Jagdtiger
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:09 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by SnuggleBunnies »

Terrain is key, and English armies do very well against armies not based on pike keils. But you did say favorite armies, not best armies; I just enjoy playing with them, even though they are rather bad.
SnuggleBunny's Field of Glory II / Medieval / Pike and Shot / Sengoku Jidai MP Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjUQy6dEqR53NwoGgjxixLg
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

rbodleyscott wrote: Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:00 am
AlexDetrojan wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 5:22 pm
rbodleyscott wrote: Thu Dec 27, 2018 12:35 pm My favourite is Transylvanians.
How come the Transylvanians Richard?
I am just a vampire at heart. And I can make the troop combination work, given a reasonable amount of terrain on the map.

Beware the Transylvanian forest! (Especially within a 20 mile radius around Castle Dracula).
:lol:
Pixel
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Posts: 386
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:52 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by Pixel »

I knew someone would pick Transylvanians.
Image Image
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:48 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by AlexDetrojan »

Pixel wrote: Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:55 am I knew someone would pick Transylvanians.
I've as yet to play them, what's so fascinating about them, other than their leader Vlad being the Halloween yard decorating champion? :wink:
Alex
Pixel
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Panzer IIIL
Posts: 386
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:52 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by Pixel »

They are a somewhat tricky army to play especially against some of the more powerhouse army lists. Limited amounts of Pike but the Transylvanians do get a option for Haiduks (some of the nicer muskeeter type units) etc. in one of the modules at least. Additionally, a mix of Boyars (Armored Lancer, Gendarme Style) and lots of Hussars make Vlad's hordes a somewhat cavalry focused army.
Image Image
awesum4
1st Lieutenant - Grenadier
1st Lieutenant - Grenadier
Posts: 770
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:22 am

Re: Favorite Army

Post by awesum4 »

I love Scots border raiders, the earlier army. There is normally 1 compulsory average cavalry lance, the rest of the army is light horse with light lance, crossbow and sword. If you have a fairly open battlefield they are deadly. Very mobile so you decide where the fighting takes place, has heaps of shooting, can withdraw if getting outshot, and their charge is devastating if you find an exposed flank or rear, which there are normally plenty of.
ahuyton
1st Lieutenant - 15 cm sFH 18
1st Lieutenant - 15 cm sFH 18
Posts: 833
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:31 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by ahuyton »

Very hard question. Personally I like an ECW Royalist army with cavaliers, but they can be difficult against all the parliamentarian shot.

In the 30YW period, I would go with the early Protestants, but not because they are any good (they may be, I cannot tell) but they have a certain romantic appeal.

Finally I can endorse awesum4's remarks about the border raiders - I only played them once, but it was lots of fun.
GDod
Sr. Colonel - Battleship
Sr. Colonel - Battleship
Posts: 1668
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:26 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Favorite Army

Post by GDod »

I know they're a populist vote but still, you can't go past a Polish Winged Hussar in recharge mode Alan...if you can time them right they are pure poetry in motion!
With the wind behind you anything is possible.jpg
With the wind behind you anything is possible.jpg (12.36 KiB) Viewed 3575 times
Athos1660
Major-General - Elite Tiger I
Major-General - Elite Tiger I
Posts: 2561
Joined: Wed May 29, 2019 3:23 pm

Re: Favorite Army

Post by Athos1660 »

My favorite army ? The 17th century French armies, especially Louis XIII and XIV ones : dragoons, musketeers, some bayonets...
Post Reply

Return to “Pike & Shot”