Tactics on the battlefield | Stronghold M&M: Heroes VI Guide
Last update: 01 February 2017
Basics
Barbarians made their hallmark from merciless fighting. Created to defeat demons they have many useful abilities which can be used. The most important is of course rage increasing initiative of all savages and also attack and number of retaliation on higher levels. Enraged beast from Stronghold find no one equal at the battlefield, because they're too fast and strong for anyone to stand them. That's why orcs and fellows should attack enemies ASAP.
Of course, during battles we can't forget about carefulness. Barbarians troops are very strong but not so tough. That's why the most effective tactic is to attack one, the closest enemy's unit with whole army. In such way, opposite (with usually one counterattack) will cause us minimal damages and we'll easily reach level of rage. Thanks to it the encounter will be much easier: our creatures will cause many damages before enemy will be able to react. It has to be said that the rage lasts only one turn, so it's best to charge it in one phase and use in the following one (otherwise it will be wasted).
As it was mentioned, barbarians' troops has small HP and we should care about them. It's rather difficult as they don't have any healers in army, so hero must become one. Heal spells from light and earth magic can be very helpful and sometimes even decide how the battle ends. If we want to keep our troops alive, our hero should focus on resurrecting.
During battles we should eliminate enemy's healers ASAP: they're a quality we don't have which is very helpful for an opponent. If we do it, we'll torn rest of troops apart, because our army has much better statistics.
Battles on the Field
General tactic of Stronghold's armies is very simple: let enemy approach in a range of blow and then attack him at once with all units. In this way enemy's army will fall apart under the strength of our forces. It's important to eliminate opponents one after another, the less troops at once, the better.
The biggest initiative in our army have panther warriors, they are fast enough to outrun most of enemy's formations also. But it's not always worth to charge with them at opponent's healers and shooters. Big speed means that they reach targets first so they will become an easy target to decimate and eliminate. Sometimes it's isn't worth that risk and it's better idea to wait for enemy's move.
When enemy approaches at a distance in which all our forces can reach him, we'll attack. The best is to use mentioned earlier panther warriors, who can attack without retaliation. Then send crushers to the battle with their powerful attack and double blow. Both those troops we should heal as often as possible, because they're a spine of our army.
When two first formations are involved into fighting, we should sent rest of our army to battle. Dreamreavers cause quite huge magic damages and have big resistance and HP, that's why it's worth to send them against the toughest enemies (if they do not have magic resistance). Shooters, namely centaurs and goblins, should fire at the weakest opponents. Goblins can be used even earlier to setting up traps which can be used to block the strongest units in enemy's army.
In case of furies, their task should be tormenting enemies, they stop retaliation what makes them perfect to that task. Whereas cyclops can make the crucial blows. Impervious to Pain makes them also very strong in defence. If we upgraded them, they'll become a perfect artillery with all qualities of the basic unit.
Siege
No one is as good as barbarians in conquering castles. Wallbreaker increases damages caused to walls and cyclops have a bonus against obstacles. Those facts makes rushing into the castle an easy task for savages. And inside their will easily smash enemies, thanks to their powerful attack and many offensive abilities.
Every siege we should begin with sending cyclops under the gates, which they'll break in few moments. It good idea to support them with furies who can fly over the walls and attack without retaliation. Of course just after the one-eyed it's worth to send -panther warriors and crushers. Such attack should defeat every enemy. Also centaurs and goblins will be helpful. It's also worth to take a look at dreamreavers who can increase our army initiative what will definitely help in conquering enemy's fortifications. If we don't have cyclops then shamans and maulers will replace them. Of course hero has to support his army, both thanks to passive abilities and healing/damaging spells.
If we are defenders, we'll also win rather easily. The basic thing is placing centaurs in the tower, what is going to increase their attack. Next, we should pester enemy's life to which perfectly fit Sky and Earth used by dreamreavers. Rest of the troops should concentrate on defense. Put cyclops under the gates to counterattack enemies' blows (if they're upgraded they're better as a shooters) and panther warriors with crushers just behind them. If enemy stuck in the moat, it'll be a death sentence for him. It's a perfect moment to attack him with furies. Such constructed front should bring us victory if our troops will be resurrected.