Cbvani
10-15-2008, 03:05
Only recently have I discovered the usefulness of guard mode for demolishing phalanxes. Maybe this is old news to some of you, but I didn't know it. Sorry for no pictures, but I didn't consider it that great until I saw the results.
I am playing a campaign as the Romans (insane economic potential ftw, I am making over 30k a turn, and supporting a very large military capable of that is kicking so much sarissa in Makedonian Unified Greece, and holding off hordes of Gallic barbarians), and have discovered that the huge armor of my Pedites Extrodinarii makes them extraordinarily effective at holding all phlananxes in place while my other heavy infantry circle around and tackle them from the back. I recently had a huge battle versus 2 stacks of elite and reformed phalangites, along with some light infantry, hoplites (levy and classical), a royal guard unit, and a royal peltastoi unit, and a unit of hellenic skirmisher cavalry. I had a general, a unit of equites extrodinarii, 6 units of pedites extrodinarii, 6 units of principes, 4 units of triarii, and 2 units of mercenary Kretian archers. I roleplayed it as the biggest threat to Rome was not Carthage, but the might of Makedonia, which was pretty much true, so my armies were very, very heavy armies.
I placed my army in a maniple formation where the PEs formed the frontline, with the principes occupying layer 2. The triarii guarded my flanks and my cavalry and my archers roamed behind at will. I decided that a new military era called for new military tactics - so I put my main line in guard mode, and let the enemy approach me.
My archers and my pila destroyed the light infantry, which helped a lot. My triarii engaged the heavy infantry, which tried to flank me. The enemy phalanxes engaged my PEs, which thanks to their wonderfully high defense and guard mode took very few casualties - like 5 or so each. My principes and unengaged triarii circled around back and demolished them.
In the end? Casualties were 30-to-1 in a battle that on auto-calc slightly favored the AI. Heroic victory, and famous battle.
The back of the Makedonian war machine is broken, and their land is mine to take. All that worries me is one large garison up north on the Illyrian coast. Everything else is easy pickings.
I may turn this into a full campaign AAR, based on an alternate history where Makedon was the big threat to Rome and Carthage was a good trading partner, if an early rival. Would anyone read it?
I am playing a campaign as the Romans (insane economic potential ftw, I am making over 30k a turn, and supporting a very large military capable of that is kicking so much sarissa in Makedonian Unified Greece, and holding off hordes of Gallic barbarians), and have discovered that the huge armor of my Pedites Extrodinarii makes them extraordinarily effective at holding all phlananxes in place while my other heavy infantry circle around and tackle them from the back. I recently had a huge battle versus 2 stacks of elite and reformed phalangites, along with some light infantry, hoplites (levy and classical), a royal guard unit, and a royal peltastoi unit, and a unit of hellenic skirmisher cavalry. I had a general, a unit of equites extrodinarii, 6 units of pedites extrodinarii, 6 units of principes, 4 units of triarii, and 2 units of mercenary Kretian archers. I roleplayed it as the biggest threat to Rome was not Carthage, but the might of Makedonia, which was pretty much true, so my armies were very, very heavy armies.
I placed my army in a maniple formation where the PEs formed the frontline, with the principes occupying layer 2. The triarii guarded my flanks and my cavalry and my archers roamed behind at will. I decided that a new military era called for new military tactics - so I put my main line in guard mode, and let the enemy approach me.
My archers and my pila destroyed the light infantry, which helped a lot. My triarii engaged the heavy infantry, which tried to flank me. The enemy phalanxes engaged my PEs, which thanks to their wonderfully high defense and guard mode took very few casualties - like 5 or so each. My principes and unengaged triarii circled around back and demolished them.
In the end? Casualties were 30-to-1 in a battle that on auto-calc slightly favored the AI. Heroic victory, and famous battle.
The back of the Makedonian war machine is broken, and their land is mine to take. All that worries me is one large garison up north on the Illyrian coast. Everything else is easy pickings.
I may turn this into a full campaign AAR, based on an alternate history where Makedon was the big threat to Rome and Carthage was a good trading partner, if an early rival. Would anyone read it?