i heard about ram/hc/lc combo for good defense against high ranger player

[TimberW]

I'm speaking of a high-range player using his high-range troops (archers and siege) to attack ... probably the more common scenario. I think my comments made that obvious.

You appear to be speaking of a high-range player using his pikes or cavalry to attack (at least that is your examples). In your examples, you are absolutely correct that a defense consisting of rams/horses/other melee will use the ram's range (base range 600) to set the initial engagement distance against attacking pikes and/or cavalry (who have shorter base range).

[former noob]

I'm speaking of a high-range player using his high-range troops (archers and siege) to attack ... probably the more common scenario. I think my comments made that obvious.

You appear to be speaking of a high-range player using his pikes or cavalry to attack (at least that is your examples). In your examples, you are absolutely correct that a defense consisting of rams/horses/other melee will use the ram's range (base range 600) to set the initial engagement distance against attacking pikes and/or cavalry (who have shorter base range).

This strategy works because rams are low on the priority list as their job is to set range against a high range player,
and any other range troop or xbows would die 1st attack.

He said a high range player not high ranged troops.

If he is attacked by a high range player with cav or infantry he may lose half as many troops with 1 ram and may eliminate losses with enough rams.

I have seen enough high range players send waves of pikes to kill cav.
If you have a large number of rams they will just add an archer but at least they will not get the extra free attack.
This strategy works because rams are low on the priority list as their job is to set range against a high range player,
and any other range troop or xbows would die 1st attack.

Until you can come up with a reason to pull the rams they are only a positive.

Great seems like you guys are on the same page. In the latest version of the email I saw it was reporting results of lc/rams vs high range arch and then straight rams vs high range arch. The lc were slaughtered like expected and the arch had trouble killing the rams like expected. What I was suprised to see was that the rams were able to kill the arch despite the pathetic accuracy of rams for anything smaller then a barn. (Something like 18 rounds for 100k rams to kill 200k arch.) So there could be something to using rams that are buffed on accuracy, defense, and life for defending instead of using hc with the same buffs, but I do not think it will work for unmodified rams and a ram defense would still be open for hc attack. (I'm thinking this is a lot like the mm/sword/ram defense minus the mm and swords.)

Again Ill reserve final judgement for seeing an actual battle report not half the info in an email.

[jonjon]

ill believe it when someone posts a report with trs and troop stats till then a few rams never hurts as it will push attacking cav back out of being able to set range.

well thats why i post it here coz i wanted a report lol, i ask that person whom sent out that message on the whole alliance to get me reports from the author but till now no proof shows that that really works..
i wish before those dude sent out mesages theyll post there the test they did ..
this ram/HC/Cav combo on defense confuses me much coz i just wiped a 60miller with lotsa rams me lossing only 5.5million might of pure archers

[GenghisHoward]

well thats why i post it here coz i wanted a report lol, i ask that person whom sent out that message on the whole alliance to get me reports from the author but till now no proof shows that that really works..
i wish before those dude sent out mesages theyll post there the test they did ..
this ram/HC/Cav combo on defense confuses me much coz i just wiped a 60miller with lotsa rams me lossing only 5.5million might of pure archers

I saw 2 examples of Rams on Sunday night. One on defense and one on offense. On Defense they were a non-factor since they were so far back in speed and the priority list. There were plenty of Cavs and HC in this defense.

On Offense on the other hand, I was super impressed. 50k Rams with 110k Ballis cleaned house against a strong horse defense. I prefer Pikes myself but I was impressed that someone found a use for Rams besides clearing traps and Walls.

[Noob_58JZDK8]

I saw 2 examples of Rams on Sunday night. One on defense and one on offense. On Defense they were a non-factor since they were so far back in speed and the priority list. There were plenty of Cavs and HC in this defense.

On Offense on the other hand, I was super impressed. 50k Rams with 110k Ballis cleaned house against a strong horse defense. I prefer Pikes myself but I was impressed that someone found a use for Rams besides clearing traps and Walls.

Let's think about it ... rams are slow but have a huge life.

The attacking balls will set the initial engagement range, stop where they are, and begin firing at the horses (per the priority list).
The attacking rams will begin to rumble forward, and get between the balls and the attacking cavalry in the first round.

Depending on many variables, the horses will take one or more rounds to deal with the rams (if they do) as rams and cavalry have very similar attack and defense values (don't have the accuracy values at my fingertips). In the meantime, the balls are firing full salvos each round.

On defense and against archers or siege, rams aren't worth a hill of beans when combined with cavalry or heavies. I don't know how that rumor got started.

[Styromaker]

general rule of thumb (prior to TR adjustments of life/attack/defence) is 1 ram would hold back 1 HC or 1.5 Cav for a round

In the right circumstances that was very often enough to have a no loss win as opposed to losing all your cats or bals in a siege only attack,

How many you rams you send on attack you balanced against the reduction in siege you could send due to a finite wave size

Rams were a good buffer whilst your siege did the damage but rams are not good killers, they just take a lot of killing !

Same applies for rams against the sheer numbers of infantry if you are trying to wipe someone with minimal loss (from memory 1 ram would hold back about 30 pike) so the pike concentrated on you rams in Rd5 not your siege, allowing your siege another free hit.