SIEGE GUIDE! - Total War: Warhammer Beginners Guide

[@Felthorius]

When defending during the siege it is the most important to take your army outside the walls. This I've learned from Game of Thrones TV Series.

[@robrobusa]

Also, charge your cav blindly into the enemy frontline.

[@ZeriocTheTank]

Now I'm mad about season 8 all over again....

[@apocratos0174]

Gtfo here with GoT shit. They don’t deserve even to be made fun of

[@Orlkov]

You had me in the first half, not gonna lie

[@craigmartinj]

And place your siege weapons, catapults and such *in front* of your battle lines.

[@WarPigstheHun]

"Don't Use Ladders." So that's why all my units were exhausted after they reached the top! Damn me!

[@unholyxeras8182]

I know this is an old post, but I do on occasion use ladders...if I have a perfect vigour unit or two available - not many of those though

[@NORWAYHARDCORE]

well there are some instances where ladders will help you win the battle. say if you have all your siege towers on the right flank, and scale the left side walls with units with stalk, which can open the gates on the left side to let your cavalry in

[@NORWAYHARDCORE]

welp he mentions that as well

[@phylippezimmermannpaquin2062]

*laughs in undead*

[@emperorcip9756]

Been using ladders just fine with my lizardmen army. But then again it doesn't matter because I just charge the gate with my monsters and massacre anything anyway.

[@alexhathway6680]

Please please keep up these tutorials. They are so helpful.

[@Zerkovich]

I'm not sure what else to cover now!? D: I've done most aspects of this game. Is there anything you wish to understand furthur? That question goes to anyone who see's this. Idea's are welcome.

[@alexhathway6680]

Zerkovich I know it's not even out yet but I think a wood elf one would be really useful because I know the style for them is going to vary a lot (with heavy emphasis on missile units) :) Just having a regular source of total war warhammer vids is really good.

[@Hihosilver3456]

Go into specific army compositions? Specific races and the base army compositions that work and how they deal with threats/races etc.

[@TIGRETONICO]

Maybe make unit reviews? As in, look into the strengths and weaknesses of some specific units that are out of the ordinary

[@BobbersDown]

I would like to see your take on good mods to play around with for people who are new.

[@startrekmike]

It is so nice to find a channel that takes a more generalized, less competitive/e-sport focused approach to tactics. A fair few youtube channels devote themselves to finding dominant (and often cheesy, immersion killing) strategies and tactics and placing them out there like absolute rules. Often focusing only on "viable" units and ignoring "useless" ones. Your approach is very nice. You don't load down your videos (at least these kinds of guides) with any of that and instead just talk about the game as a whole and how things work in a way that is useful for both the non-competitive player and the competitive one. Keep up the amazing work, You have gained a easy sub as far as I am concerned.

[@Zerkovich]

Thank you good Sir. That is part of the ethos of my channel to not rely on everyone else's ideas and "meta" or best builds. Especially cheesey cheap tactics. Glad you appreciate the message. Appreciate the sub!

[@daveyb454]

I agree. His best line in most videos is. "Play around and see what works for you" gives ideas not orders. Explains pros and cons and benefits of rarely breaking the standard rules.

[@MeanMan444]

I mean... The cheats that the ai gets on legendary and even very hard difficulty pretty much force you to optimize and cheese to some extent; if you don't 9 times out of 10 you will get overwhelmed and rekt :/

[@1who4me]

@@MeanMan444found a legend fanboi

[@arcticnerd5994]

Sieges were by far the most disappointing part of Total War: Warhammer. Sieges in many other Total War tiles were some of the most exciting and dynamic battles. In this title they are dull and repetitive which is unfortunate as they could have had been exciting and unique.

[@Zerkovich]

Well put. Agreed.

[@John-if9ig]

I have always disliked siege battles in all of the Total Wars mainly due to the fact I am a cavalry commander and well i cant do anything really in sieges

[@arcticnerd5994]

+John Trujillo Sounds more like an army composition problem then a problem with the games.

[@John-if9ig]

it's mainly for the fact that I like calavry more than infantry so i build my armies around that also the battles are a lot slower

[@TheShiz9797]

I just want medieval 2 sieges but with better AI

[@jakefrost7404]

With guides like this, who needs tutorials?

[@KillerKrieg]

That's what I am saying, which is good, because it seems like Total War never gives you any.

[@PixelatedApollo1]

Siege Guide Step one - Rush Walls Done

[@Zerkovich]

No... There's sooo much more! I can wait outside the walls and plan my attac... Oh wait. That's gone. Well I can have use actual siege equipment for its purpos ...Oh Wait. That's gone. I can use clever diversion and attack the enemy fortress from many angl... oh wait. That's gone. I can use tactics and play interesting siege battles!!! Oh wait... Fuuuuck! You're a man with Total War power. Make them make sieges great again! If not, I say we lay Siege to the CA studio until they change it. Sieges for the Siege God!

[@gunslingerspartan]

Mr.Franz, tear down that wall!

[@PixelatedApollo1]

haha I have no power, lets just hope they don't do the same for historical titles

[@lush.hayden]

Pixelated Apollo Step 2-Have bad ass cinematic angles and explosions.

[@karner1541]

Try GCCM, makes the siege battles a lot better

[@risa123456789]

400 hours played, just learned that you can select towers and choose targets. Wow. Also, it's true, never use ladders, unless you're in a campaign and you need to win that siege the first turn, before you can build towers

[@Zerkovich]

Hahah, yeah Creative Assembly don't seem to like telling you half the stuff you can do in the game.

[@Vherstinae]

Vampires siege guide: Step one - send varghulf to gate Step two - send aerial units to the walls to attack the ranged enemies Step three - win

[@nayrosnoflaalfonso1050]

you forgot a step destroy any artillery units first then got to the walls

[@lich109]

@@nayrosnoflaalfonso1050 Nah, the enemy might have more guys sitting on the objective that can handle your vargheists. The ranged units on the wall can easily outdamage their artillery anyway.

[@timeenoughatlast3368]

Im playing steal faith and i think they genuily messed up with the Varguff because nothing can break gates in there roster any more. Its so annoying that 56 crypt gouls have only broken about 50% of the gate by the time my zombie dragons have exterminated the entire garrison

[@Cross_111]

One more point which is important as the attacker: dont leave your unit standing in the cone of the siege tower (except to take shots for your siege equipment which is far back) Siege towers have unlimited ammunition and never tire with their accuracy so if you are standing in front of the wall get away from the fire range of the towers. Every unit you lose that way is an unnecessary dead and should be used to crush the enemy instead

[@EldenLord.]

As a Total War noob, I am always completely overwhelmed with sieges and lose control quickly. Especially if I have a full 20 stack army + some reinforcements. Thank you so much for this guide. Hopefully I will do better now :)

[@Zerkovich]

Good luck friend!

[@Robert399]

Those dwarf siege towers look hilarious. It's like a giant's chess set. Speaking of which, how many towers is it worth building? To get that many you'd need to spent like 10 turns waiting outside the walls

[@EvelynDayless]

This is just for legendary AI going through the campaign mind you. I just have my artillery first break their towers on one edge of the map while a hero distracts their towers; towers have a pretty narrow arc of fire and if you clump on one side you only need to kill one or two towers. Then I knock some holes in the wall and abuse the shit out of the AI with ranged units; any flying units I have go to their back line to knock out artillery and maybe shatter broken units. For undead, I usually have a giant force of bats and a few gargoyles and immediately fly them over the wall and wipe out the enemy flying/ranged units then any other vulnerable units. Flying units can usually decimate enemy units standing on the walls and the AI generally flees the walls anyway once their gates are being knocked down. Which is the second part, split up all your land stuff into two groups and rush the doors. I'm usually fighting with mostly skeleton warriors 2 vampire lord and 2 vampires. With them clumped at the doors the towers can't hit you and once you break through, between having lords up front and the limited line because everything is clumped at the door your healing magic ends up being insane and as the fight turns in your favor have your flying units smash into their rear. You can also have some units ladder up the walls once the enemy abandons them and then use them to flank. I don't think I've ever used siege engines in a Warhammer campaign. The AI is almost worse than Shogun 2's siege AI, and it's a waste to build them when I can get more favorably results without them...

[@hugovandyk9918]

Great guide. I must say that I never noticed how exhausted units become climbing ladders. I knew that it's the less optimal way and that units did worse climbing ladders but this really incentives using siege towers.

[@jamesmcgill2036]

Your videos are so detailed for new players, so underrated in terms of subs mate. New favourite channel

[@Zerkovich]

Thank you dude! Appreciate the love. That is always the greatest compliment. **high five**

[@EternalSilence1]

So, i've been playing this game for over 4 years now (total war warhammer 1 and warhammer 2). I thought i knew everything, but youtube suggested me this video. So i thought: why not? I just had my mind blown, several times ffs.

[@Renyth]

It's pretty satisfying having a unit or 2 of Irondrakes firing down on people entering through the front gate. Box them in right with infantry and it's basically a box of fire.

[@justrobin8155]

I just wanted to say that even 3 years and some change later, I'm still using your channel to set me in the right direction when I find myself particularly lacking in some area. You're the man, man. Thanks for the simple guides (that CA should have given us proper tutorials for).

[@FSchardosin]

"Don't Use Ladders" I aways send all infantry to the walls, hero and monster to the gates... now i know, they hate me.

[@pinoarias8601]

It bothers me a little that you're defending a karak as beastmen, lmao.

[@Zerkovich]

Sometimes the Beastmen like to chill in a Tavern, so what. That definitely happened in the lore, probably...

[@smithers4420]

I'm stuck somewhere for a week where I can't play any total war so u have just been watching all your tutorials and I thnk its a good thing, I've learned allot but can't wait to play again.

[@damo9961]

I always use ladders - on legendary very hard. 1/3 of the AIs units sit in the square, some sit behind the gate. With archer support you still easily win the walls with ladders.

[@thorstenfinke2751]

i do just the same. In campaign its not worth to wait the time if you can just capture the city instantly.

[@nayrosnoflaalfonso1050]

@@thorstenfinke2751 or just play vampire counts and grab vargheists

[@marcusanddoom]

Good content as always. Accurate and helpful. Well edited.

[@78bt3y]

Great video, I've been waiting for a seige guide. I always use ladders! No longer...

[@Zerkovich]

You silly fackin' sausage

[@1Korlash]

78bt3y Same here.

[@mivapusa]

Remember the Attila sieges? Gratianus Pepperidge remembers.

[@mikestafford6900]

I appreciate you sharing your tactical genius with us, dude! Warhammer siege battles are entirely different from Rome 2/Attila siege battles. I used to just take 2 units of artillery with me and blow a hole where their walls were weakest and go street to street until their general and cheap garrison units were trapped in the citadel and shoot them to death with my missile units until they had no choice but to charge me at half strength and get slaughtered. This game's a little trickier. Thanks again!

[@fallenshaw5659]

5:52 Notice Zerkovich the position of your units flag there. This is an important thing when approaching to reduce damage. This is where enemy arrows generally aim at. A second later into your commentary look at the very next unit flag you get to see. The dwarven Slayers. Notice its position carefully. Now which of these units if there were no towers are more likely to get hit? Answer the 2nd one. Because more of its unit models are closer to the flag that the first group. Ideally on approach you want to have your like looking like ( ll ) instead of (= ) or a ( Square) Reasoning: In a duo colume formation the flag goes to the very front of a unit focused Which generally unless a very large size has only 2 on it. All other formations have atleast 4 or greater around it. Thus allowing the base in accuracy of arrow shots cone to hit the unit models and thus cause damage. Minor but a very viable tip for both campain and multiplayer even when not in seige battles if your up to the macro managment needed to adjust the formation before going in for the attack. In a normal battle your facing volleys of arrows generally of 4 to 6 or more archers. A duo ll formation on approach with generally make about 10 more arrows miss than usual as they actually target the Units Flag area instead of the units actual center. Its an abuse of the games built in systems but you used it in abusing skirmish mode as well. 2nd tip for defending seiges. commite only 2-4 units of expendable units to the wall. Let them take the wall. Walls present choke points. Top of the wall presents a choke that gives no advantage once units get on top. However the bottom on the other side has 2 choke points, that if you learn the walls always stay the same. Also these both give the defender the best advantage. Those are the gate entrance, and generally 4 rather small exits to the wall once the enemy takes the wall, his units will use. So you line your archers and siege engine up on your side in the court yard and limit the exit to the walls just as you would the gate entrance. Say put 2 dwarven miners top of the walls to simply hold them for say 10 to 15 seconds and keep their archers from rushing the wall. They approach taking constant tower fire. Climb the wall or otherwise get on the wall and engage the miners. Your siege and archers then engage the broken arrow tactic. And fire upon them and your own expendable unit, unleashing hell. Since they will have used 4 to 6 units to your 2 you gain a massive melee advantage in the court yard battle off the bat. 2ndly when they come down, they'll be confined to a small zone where again u can unleash hell. This effectively allows you to pretty much unleash all your archers arrows into the enemy melee units, while they were already weakened from miners and tower arrow fire. Now they are out of ammo and useless. or are they? tatically retreat to the final zone, they will be at half strength or yet and start setting up your lines. This time use your out of ammo archers in melee mode to counter all flanks attemped against you. Generally you'll have about 4 to 6 units of them. While your fresh, untainted valuable melee units push into their advance. The archers will die of course, but itll take them 15 seconds per archer group. and they will take light damage attacking them a further advantage . While also getting that much more tired. 4 of them will net your fresh melee troops 1 min of unflank ablility, 6 archers will net you about a 1:30 second window in which to not worry at all. Infact it should be a cake walk. In the event they can't flank due to the sieges set up put them in front of your melee troops and charge them in covering your armys safe advance and soon victory. Just matching 1 unit infront of your center line is = to it taking 50% reduced damage until the archers are killed while dealing 100% damage to the enemy troops plus whatever the archers do. And more bodys are more bodys twice as hard to charge threw.

[@thaichatham]

Love how you have almost 0 adds, and don't tell us every frikin video to subscribe and like oh and click the bells for spam on your cell phone. Can tell you make these out of the passion for the game - great job, and excellent guides. I played for years without realizing how much I was missing.. Anyway +1 happy subscriber, cheers bro!

[@Zerkovich]

Almost 0 adds? haha. Well I'm glad people notice. I'm not a saleman after all, just a nerd like everyone else on here. Appreciate the sub Sir.

[@skyspyke]

Your tutorials are excellent, man. Thanks for putting in the time to make them.

[@Zerkovich]

Thanks Bowse! Thanks for taking the time to watch them!

[@GeraltofRivia22]

Spreading out your forces along the entire wall is a pretty easy trap to fall into and is a bad idea, especially if you're outnumbered. What you want to do is defeat the enemy in detail. Concentrate your best forces on a small section of the wall and destroy the enemy units there as quickly as possible before rushing them over to other parts of the wall.

[@cacarey01]

Hey man, is this an online siege guide or something? As I can't see how this makes any sense in campaign. You can't seige a settlement for more than a few turns without another full stack turning up to gank you. Battering rams are useless too. Every time i've brought a battering ram the gate has been destoyed by my other units before the ram even reaches the gate. If you try to get your whole army through the gates they all get stuck at the bottleneck and most of them are doing nothing. So the only viable strategy is to attack immediately with no equipment, send everything you can over the walls and anything that can't climb through a gate.

[@treyalford5793]

cacarey01 maybe you and I are just really terrible at the game, but I thought this exact same thing.

[@jambondepays1969]

bring arty and just open the fuck out of the walls. the skaven warpstone grinders can also be really funny as part of a siege support army. who needs towers when you can drill holes through the whole fucking wall?

[@00daveyr]

I find piling all my units along one flank cuts the arrow towers dps down allot as they only have one tower to shoot me. I also find kroq-gar with two vets mop up entire armies on their down once they're all lvl 30+. It really doesn't matter what the ai has. Short of mass halbeards and cannons etc.

[@JokeeGA5]

@11:54 unless your hero is Vlad von Carstein and he can singlehandedly delete 16 dwarf infantry units like he just did to me.

[@deatheven13]

I'm glad this came up. You get sieged a lot more often in 2 due to the ritual shenanigans. I always feel like I'm just throwing stuff at the walls and hoping for the best. I get a little tired of micro but the way you do it makes it seem a lot simpler.

[@RobinTheBot]

Strongly disagree about ranged units! I use them constantly to extreme effect. If you can position well and get the towers firing at a low value unit instead of your archers, arrows can fly at high angles and hit unshielded/flanked enemies for extreme damage. Amy enemy heroes are toast, and anyone standing BEHIND the wall can be easily targeted and driven off. I find them less useful during phase 3 though, since speed is king and waiting for volleys is not.

[@RobinTheBot]

Additionally, the undead can safely use ladders. Protip!

[@LordOfGilneas]

Your Videos are so informative, thank you so much man for your informative and fun videos, As a warhammer fan I really appreciate it ^.^

[@TheFearsomeRat]

5:54 You can also destroy the Towers with artiller, which personally I'd prefer to do since if I have artillery like Hellcannons or Trebuchets that lob shots, it means they can sit outside the wall since all I need to do is destroy one or two towers in a spot to create a safe zone, since this will create a dilemma, since now my artillery has a safe point outside the walls, my troops have a point where they can advance mostly unharmed, and I can now strike units behind the walls before they even see any fighting. So now I'm forcing their artillery (if they have any) to use up ammo on mine when it might be better spent elsewhere like damaging a expensive unit, or force them to try and attack me outside the walls, which means at least one unit is going to have to try to go out and take them out, and either way I'm forcing a decision I want, since no matter what I only have to gain from it, since even if I lose that artillery taking out 1-2 towers + damage done before they got destroyed will have more then made up for their cost indirectly, since the attackers have no need for the towers anyway, since if the Defenders are all outside the wall then it's an easy win anyway since then the point is left (mostly unguarded), since even if you send a flying unit to deal with the artillery, your still taking that flying unit away from areas where it might be needed more.

[@bthy384]

My favourite Siege tactic on difficult Sieges in Campaign is to form 2 or 3 armies of throwaway units (HE Spearmen for example) throw them all of them at the settlement in question, auto resolve, and then send in the actual army

[@WarPigstheHun]

When I attack, I sync my archer units with infantry, and cav: Because I can spread out my archers they take less hits, while because the enemy is bunched up on the wall, they take the bulk of the volley. For my cav, I usually put them away from battle and then during the midst of battle I make them break down the gate furthest from the battle and use them to attempt flanking and forcing the enemy general into the fray/charge him down.

[@Sombody123]

=== Against the defending AI player, spellcaster style. == Step 1: Break the gate door. Step 2: Have a couple units engage in a huge bottleneck fight. Step 3: Overcast the Pit of Shades or something equally destructive on the enemy blob, maybe more than once. Step 4: Break through and send some fast units the punish the defensive units trying to flee to the center. Step 5: One more vortex spell on the city center and clean up the rest.

[@captainpoontah4888]

I have watched a lot of your guides and I really enjoy them! Thanks bro.

[@Zerkovich]

Thanks for your viewership Broski!

[@Napyism]

Great guide, didn't even think to use the towers as shields for my infantry. The only memorable siege battles I've had in Total Warhammer was attacking Karak Eight Peaks as the Crooked Moon. I really do wish units had wall climbing abilities like the Kisho Ninja in Shogun 2 though.

[@deni140492deni]

in campaign as a Vampire Lord or some army with strong flying units: send highly defensive units to pin the enemies on the walls an then shower them with vargheists/dragons/hippogryphs, works everytime as it's almost impossible that the A I would manage to pin them on the walls. Human players might be problematic

[@endrsgm]

on multi player this might be a way to do it but vs computer the secret is to focus your troops within the firing arc of only one tower and then to take that tower out with siege weapons. that creates a safe lane free of tower firing. next focus on clearing out their siege weapons which are usually further back due to the walls. if you have enough siege weapon ammo maybe take out a second tower to clear a larger lane to work in. then move towards the walls. charging huge chunks of wall with multiple towers shooting at you is a great way to lose a large portion of your army.

[@IceNinja18]

I just go inbetween the towers and don't even worry about them

[@EQOAnostalgia]

Hands down best channel for TWW. Thanks!

[@Zerkovich]

Very kind Sir **bows**

[@totoro5527]

You can also take large creatures (trolls, dragon-ogre...) along then: 1) aggro the fire with a sacrificial unit as the large creatures progress to the gate 2) smash the gate 3) win Or just canon/catapult the gate. No need to build siege equipment. No turn(s) lost. Works well with auto-resolve. With this simple trick, you can take large capitals on the same turn you get there. I have run over the game @ very hard//very hard with almost every faction and all in all I must've built a siege tower in my first game and a battering ram or two on a rare occasion.

[@Kaiodenic]

I'd argue there's a bunch of strategy you can get up to in sieges. Not nearly as much as in proper oldschool Total War games, but I've won many sieges (as Skaven against Lizardmen) only because I managed to split their forces, or get some ranges units + an assassin up stalking up to the far side of a wall, or the like. Pushing a clearly big army up to the front gates lets some sneaky units in the back, then they force a lot of units away from the gates and suddenly your main army gets to use its size advantage. Also... Ratling. Gunners. They're amazing against the AI - two units of ratling gunners and some defenders for them, breaking down a side gate somewhere, then mowing down defenders trying to protect the main gate.

[@GarmrKiDar]

The scale of these siege maps is so ridiculous and overblown, and I can't help but imagine how it would be for the common folk to live in these cities where streets are a hundred feet wide. Nosy grandmas at the windows shouting their lungs out just to share gossip with their neighbours across the street.

[@graveeking]

While I agree with all that's said here I do think you missed a key OPTIONAL phase which I call 'Bombardment' which I suppose would be phase 0. Defenders rarely have artillery - either they can't afford it or it's just impractical to use without smashing into the back of their own walls. So while arrow towers are a threat bringing just two/three cheaper artillery allows you to swiftly cost effectively burst down arrow towers while you hold back the army. Once they are down you have a massive advantage of : A no more bloody towers but more importantly, you can force your opponent off the wall - they either cede it or you bombard their units with severe losses - you can also choose to break down their gates from afar, allowing you to directly rush them in without needing to waste time battering the gates and forcing units to wait awkwardly outside until it's open - or choose to knock down multiple wall sections if you want and force them to cover multiple angles. If one does plan around this strategy you can actually bring some cheap missile units to trade with the ones on the wall - again defenders have less than you as it is and after being bombarded with artillery you can trade with a huge advantage, even if they abadon the walls a surprising number of units can fire over the walls (or through a hole your arty made) so you can outright clear the enemy back or again force them to take full ammo of your units - or make them come to you in which case enjoy getting the surround on them as they come out! This is more of a tactic VS the AI and it's very faction dependent both on who's attacking and who's defending but overall it's definitely something worth considering and in a high-funds battle it's certainly something worth considering doing so surprise your opponent if you think you can make it cost effective as most people prepare for a rush - not a long exchange.

[@Sinewmire]

graveeking I've always found that the wall defenses take out my artillery pretty easily. I buy more assault troops instead now. Clearly I'm doing it wrong. How do you use your artillery?

[@nayrosnoflaalfonso1050]

@@Sinewmire you've probably been using the incorrect atillery for destroying towers thing that are good at killing towers anti large equipment like cannons and organ guns also grudge throwers are pretty good since they're traditional artillery

[@August-k3d]

@@Sinewmire park a tanky unit such as a lord to soak up the tower fire. Then use artillery to kill the towers. I can often complete siege battles with 0 casualties

[@Trivity_]

Through all my campaigns I generally don't have any infantry and just rush the main gate and then the victory point. Works for me, but I can see how this is the optimal way to play :P

[@christopherhayes1369]

This was very useful! I am new to the game and almost lost a seige attack despite having 3 times more troops, lots of mistakes!

[@newagethought4970]

Best Total War Tuber By Far

[@rathenn6959]

Absolutely adoring the really well explained tactics guides you're doing, man. :) Really solid content. I think if you're running low on ideas you could do a campaign starter guide on harder difficulties for some of the truly challenging factions? Beasts, Crooked Moon, Angrund in particular. Could also consider a video where you try to make clear examples of how best to use terrain and the map itself to your advantage? Show some examples as you do.

[@Zerkovich]

Thank you man. I do try! I'll keep those in mind. Terrain could be a good tactic video actually, hmmm **strokes beard**. Thanks for your idea's dude.

[@rathenn6959]

Yeah I feel it's an interesting one, given the strategic importance of say, a ridge with a cliff-edge, for instance. Especially with the addition of Wood Elves, now would be the prime time for it! :)

[@cccpredarmy]

HE best siege tactic: -Half stack of lothern sea guard (better with shields but without will do too); half stack of archers -optional: 1-2 eagle claws (if enemy is "heavy" on heavy armor then you'll need them!); fire phoenix or dragon (only for great aoe attacks) if enough ressources -If the map has forests on the attacking site, position your eagle claws there to have a little protection from towrs and so that they can reach enemies on the 2nd line on the walls -position your archer line INFRONT of sea guards to protect them form incoming fire. you'll need sea guards later. -choose ONE side of the wall and position your foot army AT FURTHEST possible point. -battle starts, you QUICKLY rush all of your foot soldiers in (like mentioned above) in shooting range towards the walls -concentrate all of your shots at one enemy unit which stands the closest to your army at the walls - IF it runs away, let one of your sea guards climb the walls and take defensive position there. continue shooting any incoming enemies. by the time they reach your sea guard they will be so massively hit that they will not last long -when sea guard breaks send another one. repeat until enemy lost half of its army and only killed 2-4 units of yours at most -when you ran out of ammo - time to take the walls, sea guard goes first, archers go around and try to climb ONLY unguarded parts of the walls. Even if sea guard have trouble fighting the rest of the enemy, just rush as many archers as possible to take the center of the city. Send your lord with them if needed to fight any incoming threat. The shear mass of your troops is just to much to deal with ! -> GG

[@darthralin]

Damn, I remember that one battle where my ninjas went in while the entire enemy army was tied up fighting my forces on the outer walls. The enemy chopped away at my weaker army, but couldn't disentangle from the fight to engage my ninjas capturing their point. I miss ninjas too.

[@Zerkovich]

#Ninjastories yo

[@samuraizack5040]

Been out for a while but am 2 hours away from playing this game again. Had to stop by here for my refresher courses:) They are by far the Best!

[@Zerkovich]

Glad I can keep your Tactical game up to date :D

[@samuraizack5040]

Not just up to date. You like my Master Yoda ;P I was cannon fodder before I found your videos. Everything I know is thanks to you and your exceptional videos. Easy to understand and absolutely full of relevant and useful info. I hope thats not too much smoke but, I do appreciate your style

[@jchea1764]

My strategy is usually Step 1 : use artillery and siege attacker monsters to break down door Step 2 : rush everyone through the broken door Step 3 : cast vortex spells on the blob of defending army massed at the door Embarrassed to say I've never used any towers , or ladders , or rams in siege battles 😅😂

[@simoncodrington]

Always love your videos bro ❤️ cheers for the Warhammer advice :)

[@Zerkovich]

Thank you my friend!

[@kolli2580]

hey man, love your stuff. How do you jump super far up like that? on 12:11

[@Irbizz]

very nice list of guides. well done.

[@kubiz8812]

My man..:-) Great work! A very comprehensive breakdown. Will you make any more online battle videos in the future? They are just awesome!

[@cyclonenipple8176]

Kubiz completely agree, loved your past online battles :)

[@Zerkovich]

Of course my brothers! Online battles are a tough one to get decent footage for though. I have to rely on others to not play terribly and/or like a tit. So getting a decent battle is somewhat of a challenge.

[@totalgtv2396]

Appreciate the tutorial..even though the city fights in this game are sooo tiny for some reason

[@dsfsd50]

As a warhammer fantasy nerd, I hope the next campaign series of yours is based on the wood elves, and if you want I can explain what happened in the trailer

[@jamesvilcek8795]

These are awesome videos mate. Many thanks for putting in all the time and effort. I'm a fan of the content and the beard! Question though; does this siege guide only apply to multiplayer games or can it be used in campaigns against the AI too?

[@Zerkovich]

Thanks man! Appreciate your supportidge. Yeah it can work on or offline. It's all about trying to get those best match ups! Most of the clips/examples in the video are against AI.

[@aztecgoldmontizuma]

In warhammer 2 I've won sieges with armies of almost all Archers, which was funny when he said missile troops weren't that useful on the approach, which usually I would agree with. Unless however you can completely melt any unit they have up there solely with arrow fire.

[@brunomattos1130]

Clan Skryre made me kinda like offensive sieges. Poison wind mortars + plague claw catapults = total devastation. A lot of enemies are routed before the first melee engagement. Against the AI, I can easily take a settlement with full garrison + full army inside with my elite armies. And you can always use that doomrocket too

[@magua9563]

I love sieging with Bretonnia and having damn near six units sitting around on horses because the ability to dismount is now a complicated process to CA.

[@carterhowlet8175]

Pretty good idea to keep your infantry out of the walls to use as reinforcements. Never thought of doing that. This strategy relies pretty heavily on melee infantry though and I'm not sure that should be a one-stop solution. After all you only have so much of it and you'll need to improvise should they get too scraped. Especially in campaign. Great video though

[@Zerkovich]

Well Melee units are the only units that are useful throughout an entire siege. Missiles can only be effective once upon the walls and safe, Cavalry require you to open doors and make them a way in, and even then there's no saying they'll be able to do much, especially if it's a small map. Unfortunately CA made sieges in Warhammer all about the walls. I wish other unit types had more use, like previous Total War games. But if it's a choice between Greatswords or Empire Knights to bring... The Greatswords will usually get more kills and be more effective. And thanks! :D

[@sim.frischh9781]

I wish i had watched this vid before yesterday. Took me two attempts to sige a city with my Beastmen. First time i got wiped out, second time worked, but only just barely thanks to a higher level lord and having two herds. Still lost half my heards XD Due to low rage i did not have the time to build siege units.

[@jiado6893]

I think Siege Towers could be made valuable, and Magic Pocket Ladders less OP, if damage could be done to infantry climbing the ladders. Let missile units on the wall fire sideways at the ladders. Let melee units swing at infantry as they crest the ladder, and even have a chance of knocking them off. Give us spells or army abilities that can crush the ladders and anyone on them, like the ones already present that target the walls. Or just animate some rocks appearing on the top of the wall and falling down, doing some flat DPS to anyone climbing. Or make things even more exciting; let monstrous infantry stand on the walls, and siege towers are the only thing that lets them scale it on the offense. If animating any of that stuff would take too much time, let some factions have towers which give buff and debuffs. Perhaps Nurgle excretes an acid that lowers everyone's armor. Slaanesh could have a Maybe the Dawi, and Tomb Kings fight fight harder, because their towers have the faces of their ancestors carved into them. Perhaps Orc and TK towers fill up the WAAAGH and Realm of Souls bar fill up faster. At the very least, let the Daemon towers cause Terror. Because they look AWESOME. Also, every faction should have a technology or character trait that can eventually let you start a siege with at least one siege tower ready-to-go.

[@Lorgar64]

I find the best thing to do is use a few heroes that can destroy walls, then wait outside with artillery and missile troops killing everything they can, along with any wizards. After that, sending my melee troops through openings in the walls is more a formality than anything.

[@hartssquire9386]

A lot of the stuff here is pretty reductive. My favorite strategy for taking walls (if I have to do it with melee infantry) is to throw some cheap chaffe units up ONE ladder, let the first unit place the ladder and have the others follow it up the same area. Your chaffe gets massacred, but it leaves your damage dealers pressing into the top of the walls, you keep up the pressure and sweep across all without needing to build even one siege tower, if a unit gets focused down by archery before it can climb just send it through the gates to support the main push instead. There's also lots you can do to maximize archers damage against the enemy as they try to get in without ever exposing your units at the top of the walls.

[@kaiserschnitzel89]

Step one - send in a shitload of bats. Step 2: send your heroes up the ladders. Step 3: there is no need for step 3.

[@WarPigstheHun]

One cheesing tactic as a defender that I sometimes use is to put a pikemen facing the opening of the battlement crevices. I leave enough room so that a few enemies can run out of the doorways but little or no room to move further, and are immediately met with my pikes.

[@Zerkovich]

Lucky there's no Pikes in Warhammer eh!

[@WarPigstheHun]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[@WarPigstheHun]

Downvoting in the hopes that doing so will bring back the pikes adn make it not true!!!!

[@LukasKain]

What's on the top of that castle? The Univeral studios logo? Hey-ooooo

[@Eriko94]

I noticed the best thing to do while defending is to send cav to block siegetowers til your own towers shoot them down.

[@BrainBlatster]

Never realized how stupid those dawrf towers look xD great guide anyway, i´d say im a total war veteran since rome 1, but even i am learning a thing or two from your vids :) keep it up!

[@Zerkovich]

Well they're all small so they need a MASSIVE wooden Dwarf to feel big. Leave 'em alone! D: And thanks! :D

[@Craudiolia]

You make these fun!

[@RawkL0bster]

It seems so obvious now, but I didn't know ladders hurt a unit's vigor that much. I figured using ladders was just a slower option to towers.

[@snipermagoo]

My first siege battle was HE vs vampire pirates in campaign yesterday. The AI caught me out by using their rowdy militia to scale, but the basic archers at the top still won the ensuing melee for some reason despite their terrible stats. Do the defenders have some baked-in bonus on walls in campaign? Trying to beat 5 prometheans and 3 vampire characters with spearmen/archers was hard, but not getting pushed off the walls helped a lot. I don't understand why such decent melee troops failed to win a straight fight though.

[@deaddragon1]

very good pls keep it up like the army reviews

[@neonwidow2195]

Damn zerkovich. This is a really good guide!

[@Zerkovich]

You know how I do.

[@Neknesch]

In my opinion range units are really important, even in the approach. Most times the enemy on the wall got only half of his health left when my melee units reach them.

[@Ionweopon]

I've played over 40 hours of campaign and never used any of the siege resources. I mostly play Chaos and Vampires and just charge that front door with the heroes/monstrous units. I might charge through if there are few stopping me, or retreat and just let the armies smash and wait for a hero to come in to be focused down.

[@TheSunMoon]

I'm lazy to fight siege battles, but I remember the Medieval 1 sieges; multi walled! I didnt realize that, and had spent all my catapult ammo on the first wall and couldnt breach the castle keep 🤣

[@miltoncastro935]

What's that unit on 12:03 Jedi on horseback

[@Xarx42]

edit: sorry, forgot that the guide is focused on the multiplayer sieges and not on the campaign. so all the stuff I wrote is just about sieges in the campaign After now playing a little bit with the crone against the queen (and being forced to conquer Ghrond directly at the beginning) I would partly disagree. The problem with these siege stuff (towers&ram): its fucking slowly. So you have 2 almost equally strong armies and unfortunately a bunch of crossbows on the wall. In a result you will loose quite a part of your man power until you even get to the walls (+ all the time you have to wait to build so many siege towers which you actually dont want to spend for it at the beginning). So I think the most efficient way in this case was the following(remember: you have 2 entrances at ghrond): you squeeze every unit on the same spot. As a consequence the enemy will also focus just on one entrance. But when you just go with all units to the other one. The crossbows dont have so much range. Only the definding towers will hurt you a little(which arent so develeped at this point in the game). But the other entrance will be totally undefended. Without having any monsters or stronger units it will nonetheless take some time to open the door and of course the oponent is reacting to your movements too. So you just squeeze every unit as close to the door as possible. You would be surprised how many models are fitting on such a small area. You can also use some expandable units as a meat shield a little far away from the door, so the enemy range units can attack it easily. And then you finally break through you can send your lord (in this case hellebron) on the wall which is beating the crap out of this squishy crossbow dark elves. So yeah, not very elegant nor epic, but in this case it was working better than the other options (and more time efficient).

[@makispapa5867]

I just started TW Warhammer and I was wondering if sieges are meant to be so dull with so little opportunity to out-smart the AI. You basically have to send all your melee forces in combat before you can score some kills. Loving the game other than that.

[@manskki6930]

Great Guide 👍

[@lucubus8403]

5:00 that scenery is beautiful, what mods do you use?

[@Zerkovich]

I have none man =]

[@gunnerjensen5998]

I hate how in Warhammer sieges the attacker is constantly in range of the towers. You have to do the full army rush every time or you're just wasting troops. In previous titles you had some options. You could still do the full army rush if you wanted or you could send in the vanguard to try and clear the walls for the main body. You could also try and create a breach then send in troops. Artillery in Warhammer is almost useless in a siege which is crazy to me but you simply don't have time to use it.

[@RealSeekerOfTheTruth]

Hey guys, I need your tactical opinion... So a friend of mine and I started to attack Kislev with two separate armies (each with 20 units and at least two chaos troll units). I suggested two attack the two gates with each army. My friend said it was better if we throw our complete military against one gate. What do you guys think?

[@lexguttman]

How is Zerk doing the troops running behind the tower? Is he unloading them in deployment. Then Locking the tower to deploy at a wall section. Then once the battle starts then clicks the unit he wants to use that tower on the same wall section?

[@Xenotric]

the complete lack of any actual defence just makes sieges a drawn out match rather than anything like a seige

[@HornyDude83]

dwarf siege towers are epic looking XD

[@Tarentula12]

What is this black smoke thats foing on the nasty stalkers at 3:43 ?

[@Zerkovich]

May have been their Grenade ability thing. Reduces speed by like 40%.

[@Tarentula12]

Sorry, i meant white not black

[@Sotonsmr]

Pve I load up the walls single file with archers and have infantry in reserve Monsters and Calvary also pre assault u can actually fight them before they even ladder up the walls done right and they can't touch you.

[@rickysmyth]

You can just use the towers to destroy the artillery at the start so they aren't a problem. Makes things alot easier than that

[@PilgrimStanding]

Still have yet to buy the warhammer series for total war. On MYW2 I regularly charge the AI artillery with a lone or couple of cav to eliminate it. Then the battering ram if I can. Often the AI dropped the ram just used their siege towers and were slaughtered on the wall tops. Did Warhammer remove the ability to use art on the castle defences?

[@zerozerozero_0]

I just tried this for the first time without knowing what to do… just planting all my units through 1 gate. Didnt work out well 😂. Hope this will help.