How To Build Your ARMY - Army Composition Guide - Total War: Shogun 2

Hello everyone! This is the longest scripted video on this channel yet, but it didn't feel right to split it up into multiple parts or to make the video shorter. To help a bit with the longetivity, these are the chapters:

Intro 00:00
Standard composition 00:27
Nuance: 01:15
Playstyles: 01:46
Missile units: 02:34
Cavalry units: 03:37
Melee infantry: 04:33
Clan variance: 06:30
Outro & announcement: 07:13

In this video we'll take a look at how to fill in an army. While it might seem simple at first, we'll quickly learn that there are a lot of different factors involved when trying to decide on an army composition. Please keep in mind that all given numbers aren't set in stone. Circumstances can always change and this video is meant to give a deeper understanding on why certain army compositions work well. It is meant to serve as a template, not as a final answer.

Oh, and be sure to tell your friends and that weird person you met 2 weeks ago about these videos.

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Thank you so much for watching! :)

[totalmadnesman]

I prefer a 19 unit yari-ashigaru lead by a lvl 1 general
EZ GG

[staz]

I just got into the game. Watching this 2 years later really shows how timeless a great game and a great guide can be

[Wabbradford]

My man's a 2k sub channel producing better content than 1mil sub channels.

Your stuff is amazing man. You've got me playing Shogun 2 again.

[dmitryfalkovich]

hehe otomo army composition goes dakadakadaka with some "ho ho, you're approaching me instead of running away" meme portuguese tercos

[metamorphis]

I stopped using archers all together because I find my self just firing a volley and then just throwing them in the corner, so now I use 5 cavalry, and the rest is 50 50 naginata and katana, works like magic

[TheGiacomo]

Great work, the graph was amazing to explain play styles. For me, I prefer a thematic army depending on which clan I play.

[lucksfools]

I enjoy a defensive-very defensive style. Here is my standard army composition:
- 1 General
- 4 Yari Cavalry
- 6 Bow warrior monks
- 5 Naginata Samurai
- 4 Katana Samurai.

I also have a “Siege” army (These can be used to reinforce the “standard army, ” or this army can initiate the battle and the “standard army” can reinforce them)

- 1 General
- 4 Fire projecting Mangonel
- 3 Fire Rockets
- 6 Bow warrior monks
- 6 Naginata Samurai

[kaijuslayer]

I like changing playstyle based on the clan’s strength and for thematics. Examples being like, I played the Mori with usage of gunpowder units, Wako Raiders, and cavalry to make a offensive army that is keen at flanking. Played the Chosokabe with a defensive setup with a large amount of archers and naginata samurai. And with the Date, I did a balanced setup that was meant to draw the enemy to charge at my line, before crushing them with a counter Nodachi charge occupied by the warcry of Warrior Monks to cause a mass rout. It adds some variety to gameplay.

[saulescolar]

Wow. I propose this video yesterday and he made it for today. Unbelivible.
I think many of us needed this fantastic explanation. Thank you for this content

[VaNDaIUKR]

I prefer defensive play style - bait enemy archers, kill them with cav, then ai usually run towards my lines and crashes against the yari wall, cav in the rear and the battle is won.

[musAKulture]

i watched them all.

you have, by far, the best, and most concise guide to all the basic units and compositions.

[diegodlv]

Best army comp imo is
General: 1
Yari ashigaru: 5
Yari cav: 3
Naginata samurai: 4
Bow warrior monks / samurai: 5
The last 2 units can be whatever you want really. Some ashigaru guns can really destroy enemy flanks but i like getting more bow monks for the range.

Defense is OP in this game on higher difficulty, and having an ashigaru core means the enemy will tire on your lesser value units before you even bring your samurai in to the fight. Cavs job is to kill enemy cav that try to flank, and then to disrupt missile units, then cycle charge the rear of their engsged front line. Naginata samurai reinforce the flanks but hold a couple in reserve to plug any weak spots in your front line.

[anastasiolabropoulos]

As someone that still has not finished an Oda Legendary campaign but still love them, I do have to say that the answer to most of my problems is always "MOAR ASHIGARU". I normally end up losing when I forget this maxim completely.

[HungTran-gzem]

Great video! I understand a lot more now. I used to spam bow warrior monks covered by naginata samurai to tank, but find battles that the AI stand on a hill or in a forest hard to win. Now, from you I learned to charge the naginatas in, followed by katana samurai. Hope you cover some niche clans and styles like Fire cav spam Takeda or Donderbuss cav-heavy Otomo. Love your stuff, keep it up!

[Antidragon-nlby]

I was taking too few bow units and too much cavalry, with not enough melee infantry. Thank you for improving my game.

[Byenie]

I hate defending a siege against an army using 10x bow samurai

[ceero]

Amazing video! Also love the longer video format. Finally would love to see a guide on how to build economy in the campaign. Keep up the great videos!

[sukitron]

One time in a defensive siege my Yari Cavalry was super useful because i managed to take out their general before their archers even got in range because the AI decided to isolate it's general and charge it at the wall

[rpk]

Love how the Oda clan just flip the table on everything you talked about before them.

[alexmurphy]

Maybe the best Shogun 2 channel? So helpful considering that I have always sucked at strategy games. Hopefully I will beat this one day haha