Battle of Bouvines - French faction.
Comments on Bouvines:
The themes for this battle are:
1. Don't lose any cities or your lose immediately (including the English right wing when playing as the HRE).
2. Don't lose the main commander.
3. Wipe out the enemy.
4. Ironic. The HRE faction is way easier even though France was the historical winner. (Resources at the start vs not enough, resources per turn vs not enough.)
5. England is the weak link.
6. Feels much more chance-based compared to Bapheus (which comes after), and more annoying compared to the Crusaders at Hattin.
Resist the HRE-English charge! Save the King!
Arrange your men as such. The 2-unit commander on our left will get a Frankish Axeman from the castle and draw the English in. The rest to hide by the city. I sent Subutai out, but it was risky. Doing so also lured the cav gen to the south of the inf gen.
Without Subutai's movement in this picture, he would normally circle northward and attack the city directly.
You MUST arrange a blockade of the southern city. The enemy will crack its defences easily and so backup must be prepared. Place the King ahead so that he'll take the hit and be forced to withdraw early.
Since I didn't risk him, I stripped him of his troops.
Also, since Murad II attacked via the middle passage, the way to Justinian at the rear was blocked. Thus, Justinian's legion can also be reduced.
All cities to have Workshop lvl 2, and at least lvl 1 Housing. The frontline cities can get lvl 2. The goal is to quickly raise our population capacity to get as much taxes as we can. We needed every one.
Also, equipped main gens with lvl 3 defensive war gear, except Narses (anti-cav Steyr Cannon at lvl 3), Reinforcement Alexios I (Rhinocerous lvl 3), and Subutai (Rhinocerous lvl 3). Equipped some common troops with lvl 2 defensive gear as well, specifically those around the hanging centre (central castle) and to the south.
Because the King moced southward (easier to get to the retreat spot), that probably caused King Otto IV and his centre ro cluster with the HRE left.
Hold your ground!
Montjoie Saint Denis! (Actually claimed to be used at Verneuil)
Although in this run the melee cav gen circled the English wing and hit the centre, we still throw our northernmost troops to attack their city. This usually features Robert and the other inf legion.
Collapse the English forces and take the coalition's right wing!
Hold the centre, Murad is here! Resist any who move against the centre. Although Murad took heavy losses, he recovered them in the castle. This should stop the enemy from moving to our rear.
Continue the bitter fight at the south. The reinforcements from the southern castle should be here, throw them in.
The King should be safe. You may move him to give extremely close troops a morale boost. Otherwise, keep him away.
Note: Unsure when, where and how the French knights are summoned (about 4 legions). Might be from after getting horsed + the King stays in the yellow halo, located around the King's original position at the start, and triggered by the King being knocked from his horse and retreating.
Defeating all the reinforced knights (mostly melee cav, Teutonic Knights) will lead to a dialogue event. Missed it. Seemed to have no effect.
Also, max out the Housing + Workshop if not done. Recover legions and swap exhausted troops out. You MUST hold the south. Also, watch the north.
Route the left, isolate the centre, and smother the right!
Let's win this fight!
Follow the instructions of the earlier phase.
Now, our left has smashed the English advance and counterattacked by taking the English base. Move to attack the centre base with a screen to block troops from the NE base.
Remember: Occupy enemy castles before taking the city. They may spam troops and hit our backs if we fail to do so.
The grind has gradually emptied the diverted centre and the compressed south.
Central forces to flank the southern cluster and support the attack on the central castle.
Continue to hold the south. You may spam 2× swordsmen here or at the captured English base, as needed, as long as you can afford them.
King Otto IV has fled, charge them!
Destroying the King's legion leads to an army-wide morale collapse. Take him down first to maximise your benefit.
Now, wipe out their main forces, storm the centre, and finish the coalition off!
The glory of France shall reign over the battlefield and Europe!
Victory is ours! The Oriflamme was unfurled: take no quarter and wipe out the enemy!
Regroup the south, and send all remaining men in. The King can lead the charge.
Take the centre and split up to take the NE and SE cities. Hurry before time runs out.
Glory to France!
Tiers 1-2 troops can be assumed to be lvl 24. The rest are about lvl 20 or weaker.
Two-handed swordsman at lvl 13, Teutonic Axeman at lvl 12, and Teutonic Knights at lvl 14 or 15.
However, Noble Cav at lvl 20 (used by both sides), Heavy Lance Cav at lvl 20-22, Norman Knights at lvl 16, and the worst of all, Hussars at lvl 8. The Hussars crippled Murad II. Frank Axemen at lvl 21.
Other troops were available in the castles, but I did not use them.
Gens used (north to south]:
1. Reinforcement Alexios I. Legion is lvl 14 War Elephants, lvl 18 BAG, and lvl 14 Hengdao. Lvl 5 Interlaced formation.
2. Robert on the 2× counter inf legion. Lvl 5 Interlaced formation.
3. Theodora on the full range (ranged cav + 2× ranged inf) legion. Surprisingly no pre-set formation and not used at all.
4. Subutai on the 2× ranged cav legion (with Noble Cav added later). Lvl 7 Singe Line formation.
5. Harold Hardrada on the 3× melee inf legion. Lvl 5 Interlaced formation.
6. Justinian on the 2× melee inf legion to the rear (one will be removed). Lvl 7 Single Line formation.
7. Murad II on the mix-cav rear legion. Lvl 5 Interlaced formation.
8. Narses on the 2× counter inf legion. Lvl 7 Single Line formation.
9. Belisarius on one of the mixed inf-melee cav legions. Lvl 5 Interlaced formation.
10. Timur on the Elite counter inf + 2÷ ranged inf legion. Lvl 7 Single Line formation.
No drums, IAPs or talent upgrades.
This is my final Epic Battle fight. Now, all 8 battles across both sides are complete with Secondary Objectives cleared and S-rank clears.