Bridge battles in RTW

[Petronius]

I wonder how/if bridge battles are going to be handled in RTW. Couldn't a Seluecid army of phalanx troops supported by archers in the background pretty much hold off anything that'd try and attack?

[Oaty]

Just remember the battle will be fought according to how the troops are arranged on the strategic map. So I've got a good feeling if you think you can hold that bridge forever think again as the comp will leave a small defensive force there while they march downriver to outflank you. Thus leaving you with the option attacking across the bridge while they are small, try to hold the position or vacate. Hopefully there will be no more suicide missions where the comp attacks across bridge.

[Beetlio]

If i'm not mistaken, troops will be able to swin or ford rivers at certain points, although this probably leaves them vulnerable to attack. I believe it was mentioned in the developer diary or somesuch. This will probably make for much more interesting battles than the meat grinder affairs we usually get in MTW. Hopefully they can also fix the AI's love of standing there like a lemon while you sneak your 1500 man army upstream http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[katank]

I think the fords and bridges in total is quite few and it's doable to guard all of them for a stretch, at least.

[Despot of the English]

Quote[/b] (oaty @ July 09 2004,07:32)]Just remember the battle will be fought according to how the troops are arranged on the strategic map. So I've got a good feeling if you think you can hold that bridge forever think again as the comp will leave a small defensive force there while they march downriver to outflank you. Thus leaving you with the option attacking across the bridge while they are small, try to hold the position or vacate. Hopefully there will be no more suicide missions where the comp attacks across bridge.
At least hopefully then that we won't get situations in MTW where there are two bridges and the AI persists with attacking just the one http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-stunned.gif .

[ShadesPanther]

In Time Commanders there was a fording point. It was the Armenians(I think) against the Ai Romans. The Contestants used archers near the crossing point to great effect killing quite a few slow moving troops.

It wasnt a massacre but a few more troops died than they normally would have if it was on a plain for example

[Spartiate]

I saw one battle in time commanders were the Eygptians were fighting some other gentlemen who didnt like them too much,lets say the Syrians just for the sake of the arguement.The Syrians were guarding 2 fords against the attacking Eygptian force which was marching in column to the river like they would in real life i suppose if they knew you were in the area but werent sure where.Any way the Syrians were doing okay and pushing across the river but only half-heartedly when the Eggys got through the other ford.Still it wasnt too big of a problem until an even bigger Eggy army arrived from BEHIND the Syrians and trapped them at the ford with half their army on one bank and half on the other.Slaughter was not the word for it but it was fun to watch.
Armies in this game will enter the fight from whatever direction they were coming on the strategy map.Cant wait http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[ShadesPanther]

I remember that one. The battle of Qadesh was the Egyptians and the Hittites. It was a good one.

The ebst moment was when the adviser said that Horses were not strong enough to ride and had to draw chariots and then the next graphic of the General and his guards on horses http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Spartiate]

My other fav in that series was the battle where the contestents had the Gauls all nice and neat on a hill top.They had them lined up like Romans and they wouldnt even allow any units forward to attack the Roman velites which were just standing off and showering them with pila.Eventually they got surrounded on that stupid hill and annihilated between 2 Roman armies.

[Duke of Gloucester]

Of course as far as holding up an entire army on a bridge, the romans are legendary all about this:

Polybius' Account of Horatio at the Bridge

... Horatius Cocles was engaged in combat with two of the enemy at the far end of the bridge over the Tiber which gives entrance to city on the west, he saw a large body of reinforcements approaching. Fearing that they would succeed in forcing the passage and entering the city, he turned round and shouted to those behind him to retire at once and make haste to break down the bridge. His comrades obeyed, and all the time that they were demolishing it Horatius stood his ground. He suffered many wounds, but he held back the enemy's attack and astounded them not so much by his physical strength as by his endurance and courage. Once the bridge was cut the enemy's advance was halted, whereupon Cocles threw himself into the river still wearing his armour and weapons. He deliberately sacrificed himself because he valued the safety of his country and the glory which would later attach itself to his name more than his present existence and the years of life that remained to him. ...

Maybe it should be very easy to hold a bridge in RTW, just for historical accuracy