posted 02-18-07 07:09 AM CT (US)
ATTACKERS
PART 1
SIEGE WEAPONS
Battering Rams: Battering rams have poor defence against cavalry and infantry, so keep some knights and pikemen around them while they do their dirty work. It will take several normal towers to even scratch a ram, so most of the time, all you have to worry vabout is enemy counter- attacks. However, if the opposition's city is defended by bombard towers, rams will take large amounts of cannon fire, but can handle the worst of it, drawing fire away from your shock troops.
Scorpians: Due to range similar to towers, these are of little use in a full on attack. They are however, quite good at defending trebuchets, and are pretty cheap to make. Scorpians do have an excellent use against AI though, as until the AI army reaches its target, it will not do anything else. A couple of of scorpian bolts in the back will soften up any unit, and works wonders of knights. There's nothing more satifing than turn an enemy regiment into a armoured kebab.
Onagers: Siege Onagers are beautiful in a siege. 90% of the time, part of the besieged player's walls wil have have a hole filled up with wood. Siege onagers can cut through the wood, often expose a blind spot were the enemy has just some villagers or a lumber camp. If you are trying the resource drain tactic (see later) siege onagers are excellent for taking down forests near the enemy base. All onagers are fantastic at taking down normal towers, but one hit from a bombard towers will destroy an onager.
Trebuchets: Trebuchets are the pick of the siege weapons able to attack from far out of enemy range. Trebuchet's awesome attack however in nullified by the time it take to pack one up, and there surcepibility to attacks. The remedeys are many: build a paliside (or stone) wall around the trebuchets. This will give them cheap, decent protection against enemy infantry and cavalry, though you will still need some knights and scorpians to fend of archers or formidable counter-attackers. You can also build a couple of bombard towers next to the trebuchets to crush hopeful onagers.
Bombard Cannons: A relatively fast moving, wonderfully long-ranged unit with a high attack. This works very much like a walking bombard tower, or cannon galleon, and is as good on the attack as it is at defending. It takes a bit of time between shots, so choose your targets wisely. Bombard cannon have a minumum range, and are very vunreble to enemy cavalry, so keep them protected by pikemen and archers. Using a box formation is also a good tactic.
A final warning with siege weapons: The mongols are an absolute terror to siege weapons. The mangudai have an attack bonus against them, and will hit and run destroy your precious trebuchets before they've even unpacked. To stop this: 1) Use the resource drain (see later)so the enemy cannot creat any more or 2) surround the trebuchets with skirmishers, to fend off pesky cavalry.
ONCE YOU GET INSIDE
Ah, the ancient skill of razing when you get inside an enemy city, it's every man for himself: you will have to pick your fights and stick with them, fight of they enemy survivors (and his allies probrably) and secure foothold after foothold: and who is the best at fighting this crazy battle? Villagers. burst though the enemy troops with knight and champions, then build towers to secure areas. In a city with no owner, and bombard cannon can pay far over its price, taking out buildings and troops.
ADVANCED TACTICS
Resourse Drain: In AOE II, resourses are of utmost importance. Without wood, the enemy cannot rebuild military buildings or houses. Without wood, they cannot plug gaps in their walls or replace towers. Without food or gold, they will be unable to creat army and mount a tactical defence.
Stopping the flow of wood: Use siege onagers to crush woods near the enemmy's base. Build towers near to their lumber camps, and kill their villagers.
Stopping the flow of food: Use your soldiers to kill boar and deer and bring sheep back to your city. Normally the enemy will rely a lot on farms, so cutting off the wood flow will stop him rebuilding these farms.
Stopping the gold flow: Build towers next to gold mines, kill trade cogs, carts and markets. Steal relics from monastries.
Stopping the flow of stone: Mine it all yourself and kill villlagers to stone the enemy from using theirs!
COMING SOON: DEFENDER GUIDE!
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS AND DO NOT FLAME. iF YOU HAVE TACTICAL ADVICE PLEASE POST IT AND IF IT IS GOOD I WILL PUT IT UP. PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT ADVICE FOR ATTACKERS UNTIL DEFENCE IS FINISHED.
'Mercy is for the weak.'-Lord Louis I
[This message has been edited by Lord Louis II (edited 02-19-2007 @ 03:08 PM).]
I don't think the bomb shelter is necessary. Just a flame-proof suit will be sufficient.
Which was a bomb may I add 
