Step aside footmen, this is knights work (a guide for infantry, I guess)
I am aware that many people in this community consider Michael as some sort of a troll.
Those of you who know me better know that I am a most noble, very intelligent, friendly and nice person. Am I right?
Well, I see, people dont want to read long essays so I better get to the point:
Some of you (footmen infantry) dont seem to understand that the archers and cavalry in your team are your friends, they offer you support and help, but you (footman infantry), well, no offense intended, sometimes really fail so hard.
Hate me if you want, but read and think about the following hints (for footmen infantry):
1) When you (footman infantry) are fighting against other infantry on the plain open field, and see a friendly cavalry rushing to your aid, you make it for both of you so much easier when you get some distance between your opponent(s) and yourself. Let the horseman do his thing- couch/ stab/ slash or knockdown your foe. Make yourself ready to slash your opponent, should your friendly horseman not be able to kill the enemy, he will at least stagger him (in crpg most likely knockdown him), what will give you the chance to get at least one free hit on your enemy while he is desperately trying to get on his feet again.
Sounds very simple, and guess what, it is. But so often my guy on his courser gets sad, yeah, really really sad, having to watch one enemy in terminator-style killing half of his team. It would be so easy to stop this killing machine, if, yes if, not constantly one friendly footman would dance in front of him (and so protect him from my guys most deadly lance), just to fall dead two seconds later.
Footman, backpedal, let me lance or if I fail here I ll at least knock him down for you, and once lying on the ground, the most fearsome foe gets so helpless.
Battle doesnt mean to kill as many as possible before you fall. Not at all. Battle means to survive.
The famous Italian football coach Giovanni Trappatoni once said a wise sentence: 1-0 is a more satisfying result than 5-1, because 5-1 means you have made one mistake too much.
In crpg its even more obvious. When you dont die, your team wont loose. Simple. That doesnt mean you should hide or turn it into a draw. (Me personally, I often press tab and when I see its over, I let them kill me as fast as possible.) Not at all. It means dont waste (or even risk) your hit points unforced early in the game. It means to save your hit points as long as possible, for the time you really need them, hopefully the end-game where you can make a difference. There is no sense in team-damaging to get that peasant/ afk-guy killed before your four friends. There is no valid reason to risk your hit points just to get that guy killed before your friendly horseman can backstab or at least bump him for you.
2) But tell me, what are you doing with your shield and your steel pick on the open field anyway, when you are needed on the hills/roofs/ in the trees to clear those regions from rangers who are shooting at your cavalry and shock-troopers (2h/ pole-infantry)?
3) Watch your back, always. Especially when you spawn late, there will most likely be some enemy lancers around who try to get some easy kills.
Although some people who probably havent played much cavalry since the original mount and blade game always say couching is easy, its not. Against moving, 'zick-zacking' targets its practically useless. However, it works against unaware or not moving or just pushing W runners. Also, you cant parry a couched lance with your weapon. So if you cant dodge it, try to jump to the side and slash the horse (or the rider). Most horsemen will avoid attacking a footman who is aware of their presence. Except Torben, he is a special one. Block down, and hope that some friendly horsemen will see whats going on. There is a good chance because Torben is best back-stabbed when he isnt looking. Get close to walls, trees, or on hills. When you are already in a group of friendly infantry, dont stab one of your five friendly two-handers who are fighting those two enemy shielders with your pike in the back, you help them more, when you guard their back and let them do their thing. My guy almost pities enemies, when they all focus on one guy, he's couching one heavy armored enemy and bumping another light armored to death. Almost. Then he turns around and continues.
4) He who runs can fight later.
When you (infantry footman) see a huge mob coming, dont be over-confident. Look around. Maybe some friendly cavalry who can cover your retreat is around. Here melee infantry can learn from archers. They often judge the situation, understand, when its the time for shooting, and when its the time for running.
Cavalry will circle around foes, make them nervous, what will give you more time to escape. They even might kill some, what gives you eventually the chance to finish the rest.
But dont be over-confident, dont hunt for kills.
I sometimes see (no offense intended) situations like this: One guy in heavy armor with a poleaxe hunting an archer. The archer is smart and runs, looking for reinforcement. He is lucky. A friendly shielder is still alive. But instead of staying back and protecting the archer, the shielder charges the poleaxe-guy. The archer cant help him, because he could hit the shielder. Same for cavalry. Poleaxe-guy kills the shielder, then the archers.
Just stay back, let the archer do his thing, and should the poleaxe-guy come too close, then interrupt, but in a very defense way. Help the archer to get some distance, but dont get too close. Your shield will break fast, and back-pedaling and parry is easier than the other way around. Also, your archer can shoot to your help, when you are not so close. Lastly, you wont fall for a kick-slash.
