Total War: MEDIEVAL II - Definitive Edition MP army composition + templates to download

Just Give Me The Templates

I realize that some of you just want to get the army templates without reading the guide so here you are:

download locations: Mega hosting[mega.nz]

tinyupload[s000.tinyupload.com]

there are altogether 158 templates. They are mostly focused on high and all periods.

unzip the files, and put them to this location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\armies

or any other location where you have steam installed (not sure if it works for non-english game versions).

Each army follows this naming pattern: faction period money number of cavalry units. e.g.: milan High 10k 6 cav or Fr all 15k 6 cav rush

There are no artillery and almost no gun units in the army compositions (when there are gun units it is written in the template name).

Multiplayer Rules

When entering a lobby, you have to obey certain rules presented by the host. Usually the rules should be written in the game name.

The most popular rules are:

all period, 6/2 cav no gun ele art (ele means elephants), money: 15 000 or 12 500

high period, 8/3 cav no ele art, money: 10 000 (2017-02-05 EDIT - this is popular only among "old guard" - i almost never see anyone playing high period now)

So you will see this kind of a game name: 6/2 cav no gun ele art which means that you can have max 6 cav units (and yes that includes the general) including max 2 missile cav (e.g. 1 General Bodyguards 3 Conquistadores and 2 Jinetes for late period Spanish army) and no gun units, no elephants and no artillery.

You will often see variations of the aformentioned rules, such as all period, 12,5k 8/3 cav no gun ele art, high period,12,5k, 6/2 cav no gun ele art etc. Generally most people set money between 10k and 15k which i think it's correct because playing on higher money level gives too much power to the most expensive factions (e.g. Spain/Portugal) which tend to already be the strongest.

I'm not the biggest fan of the rules (i find them too restrictive) but i do admit that they make sense.

Some explanation for the rules: Musketeers are by far the strongest skirmishers which are available to only a few factions (Spain, Portugal, Milan, Venice, Turks and Russia - although russian ones are not cost efficient) and artillery leads to a defensive playstyle and hill camping if possible. Elephants are kinda OP but the rest of the faction (Timurids) is so weak that i dont consider them totally game breaking in low money battles (10k) but most people prefer to play without them.

Basics Of Battle In Medieval 2

Most battles in M2TW follow a similar pattern: they start with skirmish phase, followed by cavalry charge, which would allow infantry to close and start the carnage while both players are trying to charge cavalry at the enemy infantry and deny the same to the enemy. I will talk briefly about each phase.

SKIRMISH

there is not much to say about it - you simply move your archers to have enemy units in range of your missiles. Put your archers in loose formation in front of your army and select all your army and right click towards your enemy while keeping alt pressed (to maintain the formation). A few simple tips:

most elite missiles have long range tag in their description. It means that their range is 160, while for comparison worse archers (eg Peasant Archers) have 120 range. Every horse archer/horse crossbow has 120 range (with the exception of Lithuanian Cav - range of 100)

cross-bows (x-bows) are better than most archers, Pavise x-bows are the most cost efficient skirmishers in the game (except for Genoese x-bows which are just elite pavise)

you can decide to attack your enemy archer line with your cav. Create some diversion with another cav unit and charge cav (especially fast light cav) on another side in the enemy archer line and withdraw after the charge.

Javelimen are very weak and not recommended. The best Javs are cavs, especially Jinetes.

Avoid engaging your missile cav against foot archers or x-bows. Even weak foot archers can beat your missile cav in a missile duel.

You can also watch:

Swissman15: Noob School - Skirmisher Tactics

Pixelated Apollo: Top Ten Archers

THE CHARGE

The biggest difference between M2TW and any other TW game so far is the power of cavalry, especially heavy cav. Cavalry charges win the game. You can charge from the front or from the back or from the side it's still gonna be effective. The game centers around charging your cav into enemy infantry blob and denying your enemy the same.

You can stop enemy cav in several ways:

face enemy cav with your own cav - the easiest solution. Most game starts with 2 players charging at each other and absorbing heavy cav charge with heavy cav. Keep infantry forces behind your cav so that after the charge they will do the fighting so you can withdraw your cav to do another charge while enemy cav is fighting in melee your infantry

use pikes - Pike units are everything that spearmen would love to be but aren't. Pikes are supper effective vs cavalry and they can absorb the charge with minimal loses while routing enemy cav unit. Especially in low money battles in all/late periods Pike Militia might be the most popular unit in the game because it is extremely cost effective. It can deter cav strikes and it's great to support heavy infantry fight

use stakes - some units, like English Longbowmen, can deploy stakes that protects them from cav charges. They are very effective, killing virtually every cav unit that crosses them from the direction of sharp endings (they dont harm cav if it walks from the opposite direction). Stakes are sometimes hard to spot on the map so many times players run into them and don't even notice. Remember that you can only deploy stakes before the battle and the enemy can see them during the deployment phaze. Don't be a noob and don't try building a noob box. It rarely works and it's no fun for anyone.

put a buffer unit - simply deploy peasants or another cheap, sacrificial unit such as Religious Fanatics on cav's way to absorb the charge. The unit will die but it stops the charge and the enemy has to retreat the cav to get distance and momentum for another charge.

use fast cav to charge at flank - If you can see enemy cav charging your infantry you may try to intercept the charge with another cavalry unit, especially fast light cav, and attack the flank of the charging unit. If the charging cav gets attacked on a flank, the charge collapses and it starts engaging the attacking unit. it's easier said than done, though.

you can also read this guide: How to Cavalry by Sir_Calcium1066:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=184608652

and watch Swissman15 noob school videos:

Pixelated Apollo: Top Ten Cavalry

INFANTRY BATTLE

This is often the main engagement when the lines of infantry are slashing at each other. It's hard to give general tips since at this point since every battle will be different, but still:

If your cav is fighting against infantry - withdraw them - gain some space and charge

Try not to attack pikes heads on - manouvre your infantry to attack from the sides

some units that were routing might reform behind your lines - make sure that they return to battle asap.

spread your infantry - don't create big infantry balls that are easy targets for arrows and where only a few of them are fighting while the rest is waiting at the back

try not to get your general dead - it causes a huge morale penalty

You can also watch:

Swissman15 Noob School Infantry Tactics

Pixelated Apollo Top Ten Infantry

-------------------

Excellent video battle guide (a must watch!!!):

you can also download Faction And Unit Stat Tables here: http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?93740-New-FAUST-v1-3-(Unit-Stat-Guide-with-pics)-is-here or check unit stats on this excellent site: http://m2tw.warlore.org/units

Factions And Army Composition Part 1

MP army composition + templates to download image 66

A basic setup for most armies should be 3-4 archers/x-bows in loose formation in front of your army. Followed by 5-8 cav units (depending on rules). The rest should be spent on heavy infantry sometimes, especially in low money battles teamed with cheap and highly cost efficient infantry (Pike Militia, Religious Fanatics, Woodsmen).

Let's talk about factions:

ENGLAND

Average strength faction. Their unique units: Longbowmen lose hard against the most popular skirmishers: Pavise x-bows which forces England to rush. England, depite how many players run them, is a rush faction. Billmen are a very cost efficient infantry, especially Heavy Billmen which offers great value for 300. English knights are overcosted version of Imperial Knights but their dismounted version should be prefered over other infantry options especially on the flanks. Demi Lancers are ok for their price and should be used as chargers, although most of your late game cav force should consist of Knights Hospitalier. Under the rules that allow a lot of cav, Hobilars scream value and should be employed to run down routing units (so they wont come back) or to get sneaky back charges against enemy infantry.

Do: rush, employ infantry heavy armies

Avoid: Noob-boxing, heavy missiles armies (Sherwood Archers are ok in early period though)

FRANCE

Above average strength. Even though it has no Pavise x-bows they have access to Aventurier which are excellent crossbowmen which are strong in melee and Scots Guard -another great missile unit. I prefer to rush as France and keep Aventurier/Scots Guard as buffer from possible back charge on my infantry. Their unique unit Pikemen is extremely cost efficient and should be chosen over Voulge Militia or Voulgier. Dis. Noble Knights are excellent addition to the infantry force and i'd go for them first even before picking feudal knights. France is one of only 2 factions that can access pikes in high era.

Do: employ infantry & pike heavy armies and rush vs Pavise Crossbowmen

Avoid: French Mounted Archer and their dismounted counterpart, Gendarmes and Lancers.

HRE

Above average strength. HRE has the best heavy cav in the game. Not only Teutonic Knights but also Imperial Knights are the best cav in their price range thanks to strong charge and armor piercing ability. Their infantry force is rather weak. Dis. Imperial Knights have low morale and tend to break early so it is even more important with this faction to keep the general alive.

Do: cav heavy armies

Avoid: Dismounted gothic knights, Gothic knights; Forlorn Hope, Zwei-Hander

SPAIN

Strong faction. The nation simply has no weaknesses. Dis. Conquistadores are best infantry in the game, Conquistadores, although weaker than Chivalric Knights are faster and cheaper. Tercio pikemen might look expensive (especially the upgrades are expensive) but they are a very good unit.

Do: use Spain in high money battles,

Avoid: Javelinmen, Almughavars, Gendarmes

VENICE

Strong faction (best after Spain/Portugal). Most important unit is the Venetian Heavy Infantry (VHI - very cheap upgrades btw), in 1v1 the strongest infantry unit in the game but has low morale. For that reason you may put your general in VHI unit in the middle of infantry line and put the Carroccio Standard near them. For the cav force use a mixture of Gen Bodyguards, Knights Hospitaller and Stradiots (the best light cav in the game). Remember that guys carrying the Carroccio Standard are supreme spearmen and after putting the standard in the right place, get to them to leave it there and run them to fight enemy cav.

Do: high micro battles utilising Stradiods as fast charges

Avoid: Venetian Archers (Pavise x-bows are better), Broken Lances, letting hammer-and-anvil charges on your infantry line (can easily break since they have low morale)

MILAN

Average strength faction. Milan is known for it's missiles. Genoese Crossbows are the best non musketeers missile unit in the game followed by Genoese Cbow Mil. They have rather limited infantry options, since after Feudal Knights they have to deploy unreliable Dis. Broken Lances or Dis. Italian MAA.

Do: Missile heavy army (especially in team battles), protect your missile line

Avoid: Broken Lances and Famiglia Ducale should be left - Knights Hospitaller are a better choice.

SICILY

Average strength faction. The faction is very strong in the early period but offers almost nothing in high and is somewhat average in all periods. Dis. Norman Knights are basically Dis. Feudal Knights and Norman Knights have exactly the same stats as Conquistadores. Condottieri are ok considering the price and can be used in some low money battles. Sicily have access to 2 units of Pavise X-bows so you may consider creating 5 x-bows armies.

Do: Balanced or missile heavy armies

PORTUGAL

Strong faction. Most of what i've written about Spain can be applied here as well. Aventuros are probably the best Pikes in the game. Let me mention that pikes get much better when the unit size rises - they are rather weak in small unit size but in huge they are very tough to beat. Dis. Portu. Knight are a nice addition since you dont have access to Dis. Chiv. Knights. Jinetes can be employed as harassment and light cav.

Do: Balanced or rush armies.

Avoid: foot Javelinmen,

SCOTLAND

Above average strength (esp. low money). They suffer from lack of quality archers which bodes ill against missile cav but they are great addition in team battles. Highland Pikemen and Galloglaich scream value and can help you in low money battles. Border Horse is one of the best light cavs in the game. An infantry centered rush using swords, 2-handed axes and pikes with Gen Bodyguards, Knights Hospitallers and Border Horses as cav is a forse to be reckoned with.

Do: infantry heavy rush with no missiles or 1 unit of archers.

Avoid: Highland Nobles.

DENMARK

Below average. Norse archers are quite good at melee but it's really hard to use such a unit that is good in melee but it's an archer (prolly better in sieges). Most of their foot uniques are simply not worth it. Huscarls are great in early and high periods as a supplement to Feudals and Chiv knights. Norse War Clerics can be employed to melee other cav but Chiv Knights seem to be the safer option.

Do: infantry or cav heavy rush

Avoid: Norse Axemen, Dis.Huscarls, Viking Raiders (sometimes you might need to get some of those when money allows).

HUNGARY

Average strength faction.Royal Banderium is one of the best cav, considering the price and taking 4 of them is a no brainer. If you play under higher cav limits Hussars are great 7th and 8th cav unit. Croat Axemen is a great supplement to feudal knights. Their Chivalric Knights and Dis. Chiv. Knights are really Eastern Chivalric Knights and Dis. Eastern Chiv. Knights and are weaker than their western counterparts. Dis. Eastern Chiv. Knights are decent but still 20 more expensive than Feudal Knights and at the same time slightly weaker.

Do: Balanced army, cav heavy army (under 8 cav rules)

Avoid: Eastern Chivalric Knights (Royal Banderium has the same stats and is 90 less expensive), Transil. Peasants, Battle Assassins.

Factions And Army Composition Part 2

POLAND

Below average (but strong in the high period). Almost every unique cav unit (6 of them!) is great. Polish Knights and Polish Guard are Chiv Knights at discount. Hussars are great light cav that almost never see play simply because there are so many other options. Polish Retainers, while not very powerful, they are great chargers for a meager 650. Strzelcy are great to counter enemy missile cav (they have shield but they aren't as fast as western Mounted x-bows) and on top of that they wield Axes that give them armor piercing attack in melee. Lithuanian Cavalry have great stats for a horse archers but suffer from a rather low range of 100 (120 is the typical for HA). Give them an armor upgrade and use them as light cav. Real problem of Polish armies is lack of a second, quality unit of infantry. While Dis. Polish Knights are same as dis. Chiv. Knights you still would like to have a second infantry unit to fill the line. Sadly, since you dont have it you need to make a thin line with Dis. Polish Knights strenghtened with Woodsmen and rely on your cav to take the battle. Polish archers are even worse than the infantry. Crossbow Militia is your best bet.

Do: cav heavy rush,

Avoid: Archers :)

RUSSIA

Average strength faction. Russia's problem is a lack of quality infantry units. Their cav line-up is very strong. Druzhina is great cav at a rather low cost of 690 and Tsars Guard while slow and devoid of powerful charge can win 1v1 against most cavs in the game. Dvor Cavalry is one of the best (if not the best) missile cav in the game. Dismounted Dvor might be the best hybrid unit archer/melee but those are hard to use. In many battles you are better off finishing the skirmish engagement early after a couple of volleys and make them run into the infantry battle since they are actually very strong in melee. Dis. Druzhina and Dis. Boyar Sons are overcosted but quite often you don't have any other choice of units.

Do: cav heavy rush, balanced army (but not against Pavise Crossbowmen)

Avoid: Cossack Cavalry,

BYZANTIUM

Below average. Byz is strong in the early period and gets weaker as the time passes by. Varangian Guard is exceptional for its cost. Vardariotai is, to me, the best missile cav in the game since missile cavs usually have to be quick and Vardariotai, unlike Dvor cav has fast moving trait. Between Kataphractoi and Latinkon I prefer the first one, even though Latinkons have better charge. You can also add 1 or 2 units of Alans since they are very strong light cav. Dis. Latinkon is basically an overpriced Dis. Feudal Knighs unit. Trebizond Archers are very good for their price. If you expect them to face other archers (with non armor piercing arrows) consider giving them armor upgrade.

Do: use them in the early period, micro-heavy horse archers tactics with Vardariotai

TURKS

Below average. Their cav is very strong both Quapukulu - strongest and most expensive cav in the game and Alan Light - one of the best light cav. For infantry you need to choose Ottoman Infantry and some spearmen. I prefer Saracen Militia because i want my spearmen to form Schiltrom in front of Naffatuns (btw. remember to turn off skirmish mode from naffatuns).

Do: learn to use naffatuns effectively

Avoid: Janissary Hvy Inf and Janissary Archers - very expensive and they don't deliver, Turkish Javelinmen, Hashishim (unless on high money battles)

EGYPT

Below average. Royal Mamluks are very powerful. Tabardariyyas are slightly weaker Varangian Guards. Generally you need to win with cav and try to kill/rout as many infantry unit as possible with naffatuns.

Do: learn to use naffatuns effectively

Avoid: Mumluks archers (too expensive), Kurdish Javelins, Nubian Archers (Desert Archers are better), Hashishim (unless on high money battles)

MOORS

Above average. The strongest muslim faction. Dis. Christian Guard is a great infantry as strong as Dis. Conquistadores ( difference - no armor upgrade). Peasant x-Bows are very strong despite their name and are preferable over Desert Archers. Tuareg Camel Spearmen are one of the best answers to cav in the game. Flank or rear charge at enemy cav might rout even the most elite of knights. Christian Guard is good even if slightly overpriced.

Do: use cammels against enemy cav, balanced armies

Avoid: Sudanese Javelins, their Spearmen are weak, Hashishim (unless on high money battles)

PAPAL STATES

Below average. A rather uninteresting faction. Papal Guard as most spearmen units is not worth it. Swiss Guard, while essentially pikes is much stronger the cost 890 is just prohibitive.

Do: Balanced or missile heavy armies

Avoid: Broken Lances, Swiss Guard (unless on high money battles), Papal Guard

MONGOLS

Below average. Great archers: both Mongol Infantry - which, as the name suggest, make most of your infantry force and Mong Foot Archer which is a cheap quality archer that will break fast when engaged in melee. The cav force is actually decent - both Khan's Guard and Mong Hvy Lancer have armor piercing weapons.

Do: missile heavy army, learn to use naffatuns effectively,

Avoid: putting too much emphasis on horse archers - they are easily countered by foot archers.

TIMURIDS

Weak faction. A very weak factions that is compensated by giving them very strong Elephants, especially Elephant Artillery is bonkers. Sadly it's hard for me to talk about them since most rules ban elephants making them a faction you take only for fun. Their cav is decent though (Khan's Guard) and they have access to Naffatuns. One tip - their Afghan Javelinmen, unlike others can get armor upgrade so if you opt for them give them this upgrade.

Do: missile heavy army, learn to use naffatuns effectively,

Avoid: breaking the rules and bringing elephants

AZTECS

Weak faction. Rather weak in 1v1 but might be usuful in team battles on low money since their infantry is actually pretty strong.

My rankings of factions:

All periods:

best: Spain, Portugal, Venice

good: HRE, France, Moors, Hungary (esp. low money), Sicily, Milan, Scotland

High period:

best: Moors, Portugal, Poland, Scotland (esp. low money/low cav)

good: Pap State (esp. low money and low cav). France, HRE, Spain (gets better with high money), Byz, Russia, Turks, Egypt (very good under max 5 or 6 cav rule)

Early (not popular and not really balanced):

best: Byz, Sic, HRE, France,

good: Hungary, England, Russia, Mongols, Denmark

you can also watch

Pixelated Apollo Top Ten Factions

Ending

Hope i helped. Again i urge you to download the army templates.

I can also recommend this guide:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=752793738

Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=662878613

MP army composition + templates to download