Comments after losing with the 10 small + 10 large Drum leeway.
Even if I spam 10 small and 10 large drums, the southern city is the only target that can be taken by Turn 14 with Subutai + Robert the Bruce. I haven't tried turning north at the fort.
+20 morale for killing the trigger garrison when Subutai gets beaten into being demoralised by them is not a good trade.
Wheel is far into Nightmare mode.
It's hard to use Yelu Dashi because of mobility and space constraints. Plus, he's just as weak as Baibars at this point.
Most enemies are melee legions. There's no way around it.
Moreover, the enemy pattern is recruit => if legion can move, attack => recruit. Subutai can't destroy the trigger garrisons in one turn, even with lvl 3 Orban (my highest).
Shredding the existing vanguard wave, even with the reinforcements, is no issue. What comes after, the spams, reinforced garrisons, and towers stops further progress.
It felt like ET let the "Epic" Battles designers prepare this stage, and made it worse. And we're supposed to crush the County easily!
How I won:
Baibars escorted by Subutai + Timur. Since ranged gens counter before getting hit, they should be used. Moreover, as most enemy legions are melee troops and poweful gens with charge / detour will hit the rear unit, you cannot use the weak one-archer trick.
War gears:
- Used both Banner Chariots lvl 4 on my escorts (maintain morale + counterattack dmg up + morale gain). Baibars used the Ballista until I switched to lvl 3 Orban's Cannon around turn 8-9.
- Gave Subutai a lvl 3 Steyr Cannon (ignores wall dmg reduction by 40% + reduces wall recovery effect by 50% + anti-cav dmg up by +10%).
- I gave Timur a lvl 3 Orban's Cannon when he moved towards the enemy commander.
- Gave Murad II (2× scout cav) a lvl 3 Orban's Cannon which gave him just enough mobility to reach the city (he has a mobility gem, by the way).
- (Unimportant) lvl 4 anti-cav defensive gear to swordsman Cnut to hold the southern city.
Use Baibars to clear the 2nd unit from the top of the first line. Subutai holds the gap while Timur advances to the next line.
Open a gap along the top area and approach the third line.
Use Baibars to begin attacking the chokepoint castle and suport him with Timur.
Send Subutai alone towards the commander. Timur held the tile north of the chokepoint castle, destroying its garrison so that the enemy will spawn a full legion, blocking the reinforcements + spam. At the same time, Timur might passively help Subutai by clearing some spam + reinforcement legions. Baibars attacked the southern castle.
Subutai uses his active on the commander and retreats to the castle west of the enemy city. This lures the remaining moving escorts to Subutai.
I switched Baibars' gear because the reinforced legion refuses to be destroyed (enemy spam replenished it). Barely emptied the garrison, but had to deal with a new legion. Took the southern city on Turn 11. Switch Timur's gear and quickly send him along Subutai's path. Note: Subutai could be crippled / wiped out if left adjacent to the enemy commander. If crippled, retreat to the same castle as before after unleashing his active.
Baibars to attack the new chokepoint. I summoned Murad on two scout cav, but I believe it's better to summon someone with the +2 mobility points per turn for this tactic: Baibars retreats for Murad to use his active => Murad retreats and Baibars with the +2 mobility attacks and destroys the legion.
Otherwise, just summon Belisarius and let Baibars stay to hit the enemy, hopefully 4 times.
Quickly take the castle once Timur opens it.
No Talent or IAPs.
Sadly, 8-9 small + 5-6 large Drums were used, on top of the lvl 4 gears.
Note: I do not believe that this can be cleared as per my usual style of no Drums + IAPs unless (high-lvl) Talents, lvl 9 / 10 Single Line Formation, and lvl 4 gears can significantly change things.
P.S. Another defeat for the Crusaders is way easier than this, even with the reinforced odds and spam, because we actually have troops to fight.
Gens used and some pictures:
