Medieval II battle guide: cavalry, spears, missiles and sieges
Use combined armies and prepare an entry route before assaulting a fortified settlement.
Edition covered
The original 2006 Grand Campaign and standard PC rules. Publisher images come from the later Definitive Edition bundle. Separate Kingdoms campaigns and mods use different factions, maps and rules.
Hold the enemy before charging
Heavy cavalry needs space to form and charge. Let infantry occupy the opponent, then strike an exposed side instead of driving horses into a prepared spear wall.
| Role | Strength | Weak position |
|---|---|---|
| Spearmen | Hold against cavalry | Attacked from behind |
| Heavy cavalry | Shock charges | Crowded melee against spears |
| Archers and crossbows | Ranged pressure | Caught without protection |
| Heavy infantry | Sustained fighting | Surrounded |
| Siege artillery | Fortification damage | Exposed to mobile attackers |
Plan usable siege entrances
Inspect gates, walls and equipment before committing. A narrow entry funnels attackers into defenders and may prevent supporting missiles from finding a safe line of fire.
| Check | Action | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Gate approach | Bring a breach tool | Reliable entry |
| Wall defenders | Plan missile support | Reduce climbing losses |
| Second route | Keep an alternative | Avoid one stalled bottleneck |
| General | Protect leadership nearby | Limit morale risk |
Keep missiles clear of friendly troops
Ranged units need useful angles. Higher ground and flanking positions can help, but check that your infantry will not block the shot as it advances.
Keep a reserve for changing conditions
Fresh infantry or cavalry can answer an unexpected attack. Committing every unit immediately makes a single broken formation much harder to replace.
Fresh infantry or cavalry can answer an unexpected attack. Committing every unit immediately makes a single broken formation much harder to replace.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Medieval II: Total War publisher listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Original game manual | cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com |
| Feral game manual | www.feralinteractive.com |