An army and battle | Military Crusader Kings 2 Guide

Every county generates some amount of troops. Its quantity you can increase thanks to proper buildings (look at: Economy: Developing of lands and increasing incomes) and laws (Laws) but also human relations matter. The more vassals like you, the more army they'll send you. The good ruler should balance between subordinates' respect and number of possessing lands. Only such combination let him gather big, unbeatable armies.

Usually vassals have more army than their sovereigns.

Troops are being produced in every land you possess, also in those possessed indirectly. To hire warriors, you need to click on the chosen province and choose the icon of recruitment. If you don't like clicking, you can send messages to all warriors in the kingdom, by choosing the icon of an army in the upper menu (screen above). But you have to remember that armies, that wander through the land, are less eager. Their leaders will lose respect to the ruler, what may end with a rebellion. The small land owners get upset the fastest, and the most patient are kings and dukes. But even there do not trust them: tired soldier is an unreliable one. So when the battle dust falls, send boys to their homes. They'll get calm and ready to the next campaign.

Defender gets a bonus to morale if he is fighting on the mountainous terrain. Attacker gets penalty, if he crosses the river.

To understand how particular types of troops works, you need to look at battle's course. It happens without your participation: about the result decide troops' number, quality and placing. You can divide your troops on three flanks before the battle, but it doesn't affect the course: it's better to keep them in one, strong wedge. Such solution solves also a problem of incompetent commanders. In the front of the flank the greatest generals from an army stands. So, more important than the formation is understanding a mechanism of struggling. In the first phase only shooters and little of melee fighters participate. Second phase is a direct encounter between all troops and the third one is chasing the defeated enemy.

Flanks inside the army can be manipulated.

For instance, if your enemy has bigger army it's not worth to send a lot of cavalry upon him, because its main usage is chase. It's better to bet on pikemen, light and heavy infantry and archers. In big number they should stand against enemy's rush and break his morale. Only then you can decide to send some horsemen who'll finish running opponent. Of course you can part and move your troops: it's special icon dedicated to it (screen above). Yet you can't move single formation (bowmen) but only whole groups (like Silesian Army).

Formations divide on few categories, which are described below:

From left: light infantry, pikemen, archers, heavy infantry, light cavalry, mounted archers, heavy cavalry.

Light infantry - base type of troops, quite well at all tasks with no specialization. In comparison with better troop it loses defence.

Pikemen - great in defence (lot of HP and strong melee), but totally bad in offensive and chasing.

Archers - they attack firstly, cause big damages, but then they almost don't participate in the battle. As they have little HP, they often dies (especially when chased).

Heavy infantry - very tough troop, melee only. Do not take part in the first phase of battle and chases.

Light cavalry - weak in the first phase, average in the second, but perfect in the third one. Despite pretences have quite satisfying number of HP.

Mounted archers - good in every phase, particularly in the first and third. It's typical troop for muslims, but Christian rulers can hire them as mercenaries.

Heavy cavalry - very tough unit, perfect at chases and melee. Unfortunately, they require high advancement of the castle what is a rare thing.

Orders appear at the late stage of the game.

How else you can divide troops? There are also mercenaries and knight orders. First ones consume huge amount of money, but they spring up immediately and numberous. But remember, that they serve only for money and without the soldier's pay they'll rebel. That's why sometimes it's profitable to send your mercenaries on death as first ones.

And knights orders are hired for piety points and can fight only against infidels (they decline fighting against believers of the same religion). Their big advantage is that they have no soldier's pay, if they're fighting on the heretic's land and you're a faith defender. Of course obvious flaws are recruiting only during crusades and jihads and that they're available only for catholics.