Advices | Battle Total War: Attila Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Use quick save before battle. It will save you lots of nerves because of losing, especially if you have lost due to not seeing a single enemy formation or a badly given order. It allows you to modify a flawed battle plan as well or - if you're attacking - change the starting conditions, in case that the previous ones happen to be less favorable than you expected.
It is rare to realize a battle plan. A small battle between five units on each side is easy to control. Battle of twenty formations require much more effort, and there are even larger ones, with allies presence in them. In general, every plan might not work, but the larger the battle, the larger chances for failure. For simple reason - more things might not work. All it needs is to general to be killed by a catapult shoot for half of army to run away after losing its morale. Because of that, similarly to planning campaign, it is better to give yourself some general objectives and try to get them instead of planning battles with every detail. In long term it won't work anyway.
Daunt the chaos on the battlefield. Learn how to use camera, list of fighting units and regulate speed battle. During large battles you won't be able to be everywhere. It is easy to miss a break in the right wing or end of archers ammunition. Your advisor will be of great help, but when he will scream about death of a general he won't tell you where his formation is. You must find him on your own, and that requires time and attention, which you might not have. Because of that, each battle will be chaotic until you learn how to use tools that allow you to daunt that chaos.
Carefully regulate battle speed. Situation on the battlefield changes very quickly. Increasing the battle speed to maximum makes it easier to miss some change and might end with failure. It is best to fight with standard speed, increase it when situation is under control - enemy is far away and you're currently shooting at him, or only two enemy formations are left on the battlefield and reinforcements are far away, and slower it when situation starts to surpass you. In extreme cases you can pause the game and use a moment of peace to give new orders. Standard battle speed isn't too quick and many times a battle will take twenty and more minutes, but it is better to sacrifice that time and win than waste it on losing.
Keep attention to move order. During battle, computer frequently treats march order as order to run, even if that was not your intention. When sending formations to battle check the orders bar and if needed, make adjustments.