Scotland... You a kilt lover?

[Lord Xeo]

Scotland.

That small area at the top of England, cold, wet and to many hills. But when those Scots go marching to war in kilts do they rock against the English? Against the French? Against the Italians? Against the might of the Turks and other muslim factions?

I'm wetting my lips with excitement at the prospect of playing this "Under Dog" faction. My style of Total War play is choosing the most weakest faction or again I will use the term "Under Dog" and take them to glorious deeds and expansion.

Sooooo in a nutshell after all that drival is... Is the Scots army a rock 'ard and tough bunch of troops or just a big bunch of sweaty men in skirts running around the battlefield for 10 minutes before going home. (Campaing and multiplayer views required please)

Some of the vetrans and new players feedback would be very welcomed. Thanks!

P.S Dunno if this is in the right thread but I hope so!

[celtic_warlord422]

Well, highland rabble are a bunch of sweaty men getting slaughtered. I find Scotland to be a hard country to lead into battle as few of their guys have decent armour.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Taking the rebel northern English and Irish areas is pretty easy, even at VH/VH. The English will hopefully have one hand tied as they'd be fighting the French in the south so my advice would be to gather an army with a large number of general's bodyguards and thrusting your way to London.

Unfortunately, you won't be seeing too many kilt-wearing men running around and king the enemy rout. Your cavalry would be your main force, backed by your armored units.

It gets pretty boring by the time you take Paris.

[Lord Firkraag]

Unless of course you purposefully stay with highland rabble for the fun of it

[ArnyBoy]

My view on the scottish like celtic_warlord said they are a hard faction to lead into battle but when you approach the late period you do get some handy units such as noble swordsmen and noble pikemen but then there are disdvantages lack of gunpowder and lack of effective cavalry in the later periods unless you get a knight order.

[Captain Crimson]

In vanilla, Scotland are awful in multiplayer. The lack of cavalry and reliance on pikes just asks for them to be slaughtered like cattle. Campaign isn't much better... I could a scottish army as any other army with ease.

In darthmod, they own. Due to pikes having no secondary weapon.

CC

[CaptainSaibot]

I wouldnt say theyre the biggest underdog, after all theyre still alive today. Their infantry isnt that bad at all for campaign.

[Captain Crimson]

IMO, i think the biggest underdogs are the egyptians. Then scotland, then hungary.

[Lord Xeo]

Whats Vanilla?

[Lord Firkraag]

Game without any mods.

[Lord Xeo]

Game without any mods.

Ohhhhh thank you

[Lord Xeo]

I had a think about this and also after reading all the interesting comments. I'm glad Scotland do not field by stats and unit types the best in the game. Means I'm going to have to rely on my skills as a General and bring the best out of my troops and make sure I make full use of everything around me for complete victory!

I like "Challenges"

[Wheem]

Scotland has some pretty decent units (for the single player game at least, I don't play MP). Noble Swordsmen are the equals of the English Armored Swordsmen, but aren't available until much later.

Border Horse are pretty decent light cavalry, and Feudals/Guilded Knights can do an alright job of filling in your heavy cavalry needs (but their cavalry is by no means as varied/powerful as some other factions).

Scot archers are better in melee than those of a lot of other factions (and since they have axes, their melee weapons are AP), but they aren't anything special at range. The Scots Guard of France are amazingly good, but the units available to Scotland don't even come remotely close to comparing.

I've never played that far into a Scottish campaign, though. The lack of gunpowder infantry annoys me, and I don't know the first thing about editing models/textures/unit cards to add them in.

[Captain Crimson]

Noble swordsmen are awesome, as they are very well armored, instead of the English swordsmen's well armored.

CC

[Mythre]

I like Scotland... but they are hamstrung by the fact that they have no ranged units... I beat a short campaign as them.. did well yet still it was a little annoying to have to rely on short ranged bowmen... wouldn't one think the Scots could get a longbow unit or 2? I believe they used the longbow just not nearly as much as England.
Th French Scots guard use the longbow... and oh guess what.. THEIR SCOTS!

[UhOhIt'sAnArrow]

I conquered the world as Scotland. You can totally do it. With your scottish pikes and highland nobles if you lose a settlement it just means you suck at life lol. Field battles can be rather challenging though against eastern factions. But as for any western faction that uses melee infantry, for god sacks just open up charge. The scots infantry is better than everyone elses except for the Danes until around the era of the Mongols arriving.

FER SCOTLAND YE BRUTES!

[Janezki]

I have noticed that when AI is playing the scotts they have best money policy before i destroy them but i dont know is it only with AI :/

[Inhuman One]

I wish they had Highlander arquebusiers and highlander cavalry.

Its just rediculous that the scots guard is such a good unit and the scots themselves dont even have anything close to it.

[Mulattothrasher]

I have played Scotland many times, almost exclusively. I seldom if ever play the game now because of RTW EB. When I did play, I played somewhat historically. I would rely on the Highland Charge for much of my success. This is the tactic I use often, and its served me well many times:

Front line is always Highland Nobles or the Galloglass (sp?). Even on defense, I usually always initiate the fearsome Highland Charge to break them once they marched close enough for my charge!

Second line is the Highlanders. If the first lines charge does not break the enemy, then these guys fill in the gaps and lend support, again, with the Highland Charge, or, move them to flank, then charge.

Third line is the kilted pikemen. I keep them in a soild line at all costs and advance into the enemy lines, and I will only break them up if cavalry threatens to do some damage elsewhere.

Remember, the Scots have one of the best, if not the best charge factor in the game for infantry. I've used this against my more heavily armored foes and with pretty good results.

My front line units often break much of the enemy before my pikes and highlanders can bear down on them can bear down on them. Try it, and maybe it will work for you.

[TW_ruler]

Oh what can I say about this post, only that the Scotts are too cool, so much fun to play. They have little armor but fight like devils. The best spear and pole troops probably in the game, decent cavalry better than England actually imo, and they are just fun as hell to play. They lack gun powder troops, and that sucks later game you do get out gunned. But even though I have never won a long campaign with them I still try. Heck anytime I see a new post on Scotland makes me want to go home and start a fresh game. You definitely want to play them just once they are a lot of fun to play.
Rock on my brothers …