Elephants

[Mouzafphaerre]

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Re: Elephant tactics? (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=19;t=18081;hl=elephant+tactics) thread at the Colloseum

What do you historian/history lover patrons have to offer about this, not restricted to the ancient times?

I know that the Sasanis used them against the muslims in the 7th C. AD and they countered cutting off their trunks.

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[The Wizard]

The Sassanids used them to great effect (at times) attacking Roman armies.

One of the last non-South East Asian powers to use the elephant as a battle weapon was the Turkic Ghaznavid dynasty in Pakistan, eastern Persia and India. Mahmud of Ghazni used them to good effect, especially in battles against Indian adversaries. Even though I'm not very sure what their main weapon was. I'm thinking their heavy cavalry.



~Wiz

[Mouzafphaerre]

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I sort of remember Tamerline using them against the Ottomans and probably others as well, but need to check that up.

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[The Wizard]

Well, the Byzantines countered Sassanid elephants by attacking them with light infantry, as usual... peltasts, slingers, javelineers, etc.

Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, and when the latter ocurred, the Romans were probably in for a bad asskicking. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

[Suppiluliumas]

If the defenders had sufficient time to prepare the battlefield, they could make effective use of caltrops. The bottoms of an elephant's feet are tender, relative to the rest of their bodies. Also, their high mass only makes their feet more susceptible to punctures.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

SET LOOSE THE MICE
J/K.

I think Xbows would be effective, no?
-Capo

[The Wizard]

No. Crossbows were not available where elephants were used and their formations were too slow and clunky to get out of the way. Added to that is their slow speed of fire.

Light units such as Gaulish warbands hired by the Ptolemic Egyptians at the battle of Raphia could get in close and disrupt the formation of the elephants, and stick their spears in the bellies of the elephants. Added to that was their almost natural bravery.



~Wiz

[Auxilia]

Quote[/b] (Suppiluliumas @ May 15 2004,16:05)]If the defenders had sufficient time to prepare the battlefield, they could make effective use of caltrops. The bottoms of an elephant's feet are tender, relative to the rest of their bodies. Also, their high mass only makes their feet more susceptible to punctures.
Yes, Scipio used them at Zama I believe, along with, if I'm not much mistaken, loud trumpets to confuse and frighten them. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[meravelha]

Here is an extended description of elephant and anti-elephant tactics from the multi-day battle of Qadisiyya.

www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/18_umar_bin_al_khattab.htm#The Battle of Qadisiyya

[Mouzafphaerre]

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[Sjakihata]

I think Indians (people from India) used them quite often in combat. To secure the flanks.