8 Tips For Defending Your Castles - Battle Tactics Guide - Shogun 2

Hello everyone! This video contain 8 tips for both beginners and veterans to help you defend your castles even better. Watch and learn how you can easily defeat all of your opponents while your men are defending their homes. You'll be able to brush up your knowledge on how to be a solid rock on which the waves of enemies will break.
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Music credits
Main theme:
SHW - Miyako JAPAN2
Miyako JAPAN2 by SHW shw.in/
Outro:
Darktown Strutters Ball by E's Jammy Jams
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Links:
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Patreon: / vikinggeneral
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Thank you so much for watching! :)

[@Thomogon]

Tip number 9, use guns. No really, putting guns on your castle's most innerwall is amazing. The onslaught is just a display of beauty. In offensive sieges, if there's no archers or arrow tower to shoot at my men, I will put matchlocks next to the entrance of the castle simply because whatever decides to poke it's head out of there is getting turned into swiss cheese. Guns and archers are also very useful if you have an AI that decides to keep a castle gate open by continuously letting one or two troops run in and out of it. I can't chase them, I can't burn the gate down because it's open.... but I can shoot whomever is standing there! TLDR: I love guns.

[@buzter8135]

Guns based

[@JohnTheRevelat0r]

In FOTS you can destroy a mid-level full stack with 4 militia riflemen and 3-4 spear militia. Half of those being garrison. The AI always splits the troops and ends up sending a smaller (3-4 unit) attack on a flank. That one gets easily repelled due to their distance to the general leading to morale penalties. Then they try to scale the wall with their melee, so you pull your riflemen back and form a ring of fire to shoot them one by one as they come up. If they start to come in for the melee, you send only one of the spear units to stop them while the rest of your riflemen take pot shots. Eventually, when the generals come, it's too late. They climb the walls to face 3 lines of shooters. RIP

[@seancarrgeoffrey3082]

just started playing this game 3 days ago ang I am addicted to watching your guides

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Glad you enjoy them! :)

[@rathernotsay8185]

Save the usegi for last and stay away from mods until you’ve played em all

[@arnijulian6241]

'Viking general' is one of the best quick guides, I'm visiting again because i have got rusty in Shogun 2. Had a 1/2 year break at least due to obligations. I slightly forgot how much great game is! Disappointing that the recent 'total war' games have been fairly sort of tomtit. I only just realized shogun 2 is a decade old, time has passed shockingly fast. How have they not made (Shogun 3) yet, is it just me?

[@burtonbeats5133]

Same, started playing this week Many thanks for these vids

[@Dreska_]

Yari wall is just insanely cost effective in castle defence, but they're very vulnerable to missiles so I find if you can have 2 or 3 units of cav that helps a lot. You don't have to kamikaze them. Just having units outside the walls distracts the enemy AI a lot & will tie up units chasing your cav around & most importantly slow down how quickly the enemy trickles over your walls etc, so your soldiers in the castle can trade much more efficiently. Then as the game goes on keep an eye out for chances to get free archer pickoffs. Assuming you have a lot of yari ashigaru, its good to let them do most of the fighting & dying & then use whatever elite units you have to smash into whats left of the enemy to break them. Even if you're just defending with crappy garrison forces the samurai retainers can do a surprising amount of work charging them into already-weakened enemies. Don't waste them on the front lines taking the brunt of the damage. The moment one section of enemies rout at the defence on top of the wall, charge your freed up units into the side of the next lot of enemies. You can often cascade & roll up their entire line. And when you're in situations where the enemy begins in 3 or 4 separate groups, it can help a lot to immediately smash one of those groups. Pay attention to enemy unit composition as I find sometimes they put 4 groups of archers defended by 1 group of melee infantry, easy pickings for 2 groups of cav. You want to get rid of that archer attrition and reduce how wide the section of wall you need to defend is as much as possible.

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Excellent points indeed!

[@proboiriawan2204]

what if for rise of samurai, their yari ashigaru cant form wall

[@lolasdm6959]

@@proboiriawan2204 Spam samuari

[@sirmiglouche8274]

I'd add that generaly the most effective method when the ennemy starts spread out is to sally out and defeat each unit in detail using the terrain and local superiority as opposed to camping in the forteress.

[@Rebelcommander6]

Defeat in detail is ridiculously viable with how the AI likes to position their units. Not that I can comment too much with how I described a small siege in D&D last night XD

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Yeah, defeat in detail is certainly very viable, but always be wary of losing your tenshu ;)

[@flaggy185]

I have a strategy that it is to counter attack the weakest enemy pushes Normally when they attack a (they think) medium protected fortress, they will split Well, some of them are weak or only have one type of unit If you have unit that can counter it, or fight it at least, then you should do that BUT only if you can, because if not you will only waste man that could be used for better defence And this doesnt apply always, since there will be an army that just forms normally

[@ABCchill]

When I sally out cavalry units early in the siege, enemy units will almost always spread out. If I then don't sally out more infantry units it kinda fucks up my defence. Do you think I should keep cavalry in the castle early in the battle?

[@sirmiglouche8274]

@@ABCchill it depends more often than not putting you cav in a bush nearby waiting for the right time to strike is not the best idea however simply roaming around behind them ripping apart their formation to charge when they climb or get their archers and such. This game is so good, you have lots of opportunities and different ways to approach things which is why what uou do with your cav really is up to your imagation End of my inarticulate rambling

[@MarchalisVan]

Most important feature is shift clicking/dragging the wall with gun units so you can make them 1 layer thick, as the second row doesn't fire, maxing their effectiveness. I agree and disagree with placing melee on the wall. Mostly because often there isn't a way to focus down archers, and the wall gives significant defense to your own units. Also, if your units are superior, like katana vs yari coming up the wall, then they will get shredded quickly anyway, and can save micro management or miss clicks during the heat of battle

[@SabaqnoGaara]

love how compact your vidoes are and it doesn't take an hour or half to watch it

[@SGProductions87]

Sallying out and distracting is probably the single most effective method of defence. The longer it takes for the enemy to access and climb your walls, the stronger your chance of victory. One particular thing I like is to do is lead the enemy around near the wall, chasing your cavalry while your guns and arrows pepper them.

[@alexdavies7367]

Fantastic video, used these tips (and your matchlock videos) to help me hold a T2 Keep against a force twice my size!

[@JD..........]

My first vid if yours, but i can already tell ill be back. Havent played this game in 5 years but its fun to review, and im glad someone made good quality guides on this title. Youve done a good service! These will be go to guides in the future.

[@kaijuslayer3334]

Especially with the Takeda, I’ve won entire defensive sieges that were not in my favor by having a good force of cavalry that I sallied out early, and using them to wreck havoc and stall the enemy from even getting to my walls. Those that made it were too isolated to do much and overwhelmed very easily.

[@jesserayparker6592]

Fantastic tips in all your videos. I've been playing since it came out and I have 800+ hours. Yet, I have learned new stuff from your videos.

[@rizalalbar]

Can confirm, Quite the good tips you have there. Also, having atleast 2-4 missile unit when defending castle were quite useful to support the melee unit fighting inside the castle. Make sure they are on the deeper part of the castle wall, that way, it'll reduce chances of the friendly fire. Cause they are firing the enemy from the higher ground.

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Yup, archers can really do wonders on defensive sieges!

[@rizalalbar]

@@TheVikingGeneral agree, but the matchlock were better in the late game for that.

[@TheVikingGeneral]

@@rizalalbar Oh definitely. Matchlock units are basically the kings of defensive sieges.

[@rizalalbar]

@@TheVikingGeneral couldn't agree more man. I once defending my citadel againts 2 stack of enemy army with half of my army consisted with matchlock ashigaru, while the rest is melee infantry and some garrison unit. suffice to say, the melee just keep the enemy at the killing range. LOL

[@j.lawrence9242]

These short videos are Yarimazing!!!

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Glad you think so! :)

[@saulescolar333]

Im glad u are back:)

[@TheVikingGeneral]

The first two weeks I was on holiday, but then I just got stuck on this video :S But glad to be back! :)

[@sesquipedalian6278]

Awesome, thanks. That wall reload bonus is amazing for matchlock units. Are ninjas and bomb throwers useful defending a castle? I know I'm still not using those units the right way when defending or attacking in siege.

[@bravomike4734]

Most people say they are and they are supposed to be but also in the video covered by TheSmartDonkey, the bomb throwers accidentally blew up their own fort's wall so idk. The downside of the bomb throwers is friendly fire which is no longer a factor when defending on a wall.

[@TheVikingGeneral]

I don't really know how fire bomb throwers work on the defense, other than what I've seen others doing. Ninja's can be useful for sally out's to take out archers, but they're quite vulnerable to counterattacks.

[@oldrabbit8290]

depend really.. for tier 1-2 castle, the wall is too low and bomb thrower don't have enough time to inflict serious damage before retreating.. for tier 3-5 (stone castle) you can throw a 2nd volley under the wall, so it's much better. kisho ninja is miles better than bomb thrower in a siege, for they can actually fight in melee.

[@VaNDaIUKR]

I usually always trying to force enemy archers to climb, then just put yari ashigaru in yari wall and battle pretty much over. It's very difficult or even impossible in small castles though

[@TheVikingGeneral]

I find that the smaller settlements are both easy and hard at the same time. Generally it's easy to win since your units never rout, but you also lose a lot of men to enemy archers.

[@julianhalim7945]

kereenn bangggg..

[@Chocolouf]

Bombs throwers unit are quite practical to heavily weaken strong melee units before they reach your walls, I tend to use two of them in my castle defense before retreating them, and use them to annihilate units stuck in choke points like gates when the ramp is on the inside part of the level, like at 0:08.

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Yeah, bomb throwers are the only "siege" unit I'd even consider adding to my army, but most of the time, I feel they under perform a bit for their cost.

[@SGProductions87]

They are like walmart matchlock units

[@jaystrickland4151]

Kisho ninja do the job better as they are hidden and less likely to catch arrow fire. You can also retreat them and use their stealth ability to pull back very quickly without taking arrow fire. Lastly they are a decent melee unit when they run out of ammo. Putting either Kisho or bomb throwers on the inner gate is always amazing.

[@koreancowboy42]

I rarely leave the castle, due to the fact the castle's giving morale boost / fight to the death. If you hold the center especially if you have very few troops to defend a small castle against many enemies. I love positioning my yari ashigaru below the walls so my archers and gunners can perform well. While the yari wall is making those enemy infantry stuck and getting shot at.

[@gizmoapangalook121]

Tip 5 I did not know. I swap missile troops on the wall and have the melee troops take their place. Ok good to know but I thought it was better because the higher the wall, the easier it seems that you push climbing troops off.

[@semp224]

I've already been doing the stuff that you said for years now and I still think I'm a noob. Especially the gate thingy and routing hahahaa

[@Wisteria_9]

if you had a stronghold, let them climb to first wall and defend the second wall

[@icant7073]

I know garrison can't leave the province but cana they keep the XP they earned from the battle?

[@MercenaryZack]

How much reload boost do the archers and matchlocks get when placed on the wall? I don't see any stat changes when placing them there. Very Helpful video :)

[@TheVikingGeneral]

From what I've read/heard it's around 50/60%. BUT, I've done some searching through the game-files to find the exact number, and I couldn't find it.

[@yveslaurent4875]

Do you have tips about attacking chosokabe castle that have about 15 samurai archer in it? The rest is the general and some yari

[@pp-wo1sd]

1. Use cannons 2. Autoresolve (only on lower difficulties) 3. Starve out Optional: spam yari ashigaru and use them to autoresolve

[@aparioss1072]

Can you cover usage of siege weapons in defensive siege? They can't be mounted on wall, while some of them, like the european cannon, must shoot with line of sight. Is there anything as intentionally breaking a segment of your wall to let the european cannon shoot through?

[@captainsternn7684]

Cannons are almost useless in seige defense. Fire Mangonels are better because they will fire over walls, but run out of ammo way too fast (you'd think there would be in inexhaustible supply of ammo in a castle...) So either target enemy arty and take out 1 or 2, or where infantry is consentrated. Most effective seige units to use, Fire Rockets or Bomb Throwers, they can attack from the cover of a wall and do massive damage to enemy formations and even cause routes while they're assailing your walls.

[@HistoricalWeapons]

Ur archers on castle is more cost effective than their attacking archers

[@Cthight]

Another Tip is when the enemy has explosive dont put your troops all in one place and spread them so they dont get hit by explosive mangonels.

[@ryuhanja3415]

I watch this for tips as I defend from the ikko ikko horde of 7k

[@trapaneezus]

Those free garrison units of yari ash and samurai retainers have saved my ass so many times it's not even funny.

[@3dgamer622]

Well if i have gun i will put my meele unit on wall so the enemy will be shot without much risk of friendly in the way

[@flaggy185]

Tip 1: YARI WALL

[@TheVikingGeneral]

Yari wall will always be yarimazing

[@elih9700]

Matchlocks, use matchlocks.

[@adumbass8759]

Any total war game: walls defends soldiers Shogun 2: soldiers defends walls

[@Druguaer12345]

Its good to have a small to medium sized army(without general your willing to lose) and just defend until your all dead. The ai will susstain way to many casualties to defend when you send in your real army to retake control.

[@slazen2800]

why your units have 200 bro?My game have only about 50

[@TheVikingGeneral]

It's a setting (under graphics, logic), which determines unit size. I have mine set to ultra.

[@slazen2800]

@@TheVikingGeneral thank you!!!!

[@markbrandon7359]

Never defend your castles it's easier to take it back later also it's hard enough to afford to maintain one or two armies no way can you afford to garrison your castles with enough troops to hold them. In most cases the attackers army will move on leaving one or two units behind to defend and can be retaken easily

[@angelicstrider667]

Defending a castle allows you to section off fights and forces ai to climb walls losing troops. Archers in a wall will be much harder to kill and if used properly you can wipe out other bow units extremely quickly. Alongside this bomb throwers positioned in a wall against climbing melee units are extremely effective and can wipe out a target in an instant

[@Peatingtune]

There's nothing more satisfying to me in TW games than successfully defending a castle or city. Well okay, that's a lie - wiping an entire defending AI stack in a castle with zero casualties by relying on Armstrong guns and naval barrages in Fall of the Samurai is more satisfying. But besides that? Nothing.

[@markbrandon7359]

@@Peatingtune How about in the early stages of the game when your struggling to survive with only one army that can't possibly defend your entire territory. It's much easier to let them take the castle then take it back you will suffer far fewer casualties

[@Peatingtune]

@@markbrandon7359 I usually keep 3-4 extra ashigaru units in castles on my front line even in the early game and find that to be enough to win most siege defenses against the AI unless they bring a full stack. Even if I lose, my army can return and mop up the damaged enemy stack. I just really dislike losing any territory when I play. Matter of pride. It also helps I only play on normal campaign difficulty - one-province AI factions with a full stack of samurai are not my cup of tea.

[@markbrandon7359]

@@Peatingtune Doesn't money become a problem? Between military units, ships, monks, spies ect before you know it your bleeding money. I prefer to post an army near by and depending on what the enemy sends I can attack him, fortify the castle or wait until it falls and retake it.

[@MrEricks12]

most important tip: download a castle mod

[@TheVikingGeneral]

I'm not into modding shogun 2, so I wouldn't know :P

[@MrEricks12]

@@TheVikingGeneral the vanilla castles are just bad and boring, I personally recomend a mod called strongholds of the samurai

[@descendit8622]

@@MrEricks12 I just started playing shogun again, Def need to try this. Thanks!

[@bigbaba1111]

Thanks mate. It's annoying. As soon as you play "hard" difficulty, the AI spams his full stack armies and attacks you non-stop.