Missile troop order/protection questions

[Salamander8]

When you have a unit of missile troops, and you set them for say, Fire Fliers as an example, if your opponent does not possess said target, what do the missile units default too? I was thinking it would be: Fire Closest, but was not 100% sure.

On a related question. How do folks here generally defend the less armored, and normally rearward placed, missile types from fliers or fast ground forces that come after them? I was considering diverting some melee troops to the same rough area as the missile troops I want them to protect, but none of the orders seem like they would keep the melee troops covering the missile ones.

[Micah]

I believe the target is picked randomly if there is no matching unit type in the enemy army (though I believe the choice is going to end up picking the closest unit more often)

As for protecting your archers, just set your melee units to attack fliers or cavalry, depending...probably on hold and attack so they don't run forward and then have to charge back. This probably isn't 100% effective, but should work decently enough.

[PvK]

Flankers can be countered by your own flankers, and squads given orders to (hold and) attack cavalry and fliers, placed appropriately.

[krpeters]

Hold and attack closest works well defensively -- a unit stationed way in the back (behind archers in middle) will move forward to close & eat the guys trying to eat your archers

[PvK]

Ya, I think a good one is also for a thug or melee commander perhaps with some men on Guard Commander: (Attack)(Attack)(Attack)(Attack)(Attack)(Attack Closest)
My theory is that this gets the thug/commander to re-consider his target each turn, which helps him adapt better to changes in the first six turns, rather than chasing whoever was closest on turn 1 or turn 3. I'm not sure my theory is entirely valid, though.

[Salamander8]

Thanks for the replies.

I usually have multiple blocks of melee troops set up across the whole of front the set up area to keep enemies from infiltrating through the melee to my casters and archers, but wanted to see if there were other ways to protect them. Fliers are more problematic in general than fast ground pounders as they can bypass the flank melee blocks.

[Edratman]

One method that I have found to create stationary troops is the "guard commander" command, used with a "stay behind troops" scripted commander.

I will use this to create blocking forces for my mages. I haven't used it to shield archers, but I'm sure it will also work for them.

[Tuidjy]

> My theory is that this gets the thug/commander to re-consider his target each
> turn, which helps him adapt better to changes in the first six turns, rather than
> chasing whoever was closest on turn 1 or turn 3. I'm not sure my theory is
> entirely valid, though.

It's my theory as well, and it has worked fine so far. When the thug is quickened,
and holding a frostbrand, you'd be amazed how quickly the offending fliers rout.
Except that I have him on hold for two or three turns, depending on who attacks, so
that he does not go after chaff, and attacks the overflying/flanking units instead.