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View Full Version : Chariot melee more effective against cav than infantry



andrewt
11-02-2004, 00:19
I'm using chariots using Pontus and I have trouble killing infantry with them. The archers kill fine but the melee of both the scythed chariots and the chariot archers suck against infantry. Whenever I attack infantry, the chariots do cause a good morale penalty but the chariots have trouble killing any of the infantry, especially while they are routing. I did a few experiments and the chariots just knock infantry down again and again, killing only very few of them. You need other troops to kill the knocked down infantry.

OTOH, they are very, very effective against cavalry. They basically act like a meat grinder, killing tons of them as they pass through.

From the description of chariots in game, they are supposed to be charged headlong against infantry. They do kill quite a bit in the initial charge but can't kill anything after that, even against routing infantry. Also, historically, cavalry made chariots obsolete and chariots are very effective against cavalry.

Dorkus
11-02-2004, 02:01
think it has something to do with tighter formation of infantry. chariots do in fact perform much better against cav. But tight cav such as cataphs do quite well against them. on the other hand, praetorians (with a looser base formation) lose handily to egyptian chariots.

Doug-Thompson
11-02-2004, 02:42
think it has something to do with tighter formation of infantry. chariots do in fact perform much better against cav. But tight cav such as cataphs do quite well against them. on the other hand, praetorians (with a looser base formation) lose handily to egyptian chariots.

That's more in line with my observations. Cataphracts have no problem with chariots, but then cataphracts don't have a problem with most units.

Red Harvest
11-02-2004, 02:50
From what little I've read on the subject, improved infantry tactics made chariots obsolete rather than cavalry. Cavalry provided a replacement for the obsolete chariots as a mobile force.

andrewt
11-02-2004, 04:59
If the tight formation is the cause, why am I having trouble killing routing infantry?

I had a fight with Egyptian chariots again and I think the cavalry AI might have something to do with it. They seem to run around in circles too much and not fight enough. I think it's the running besides the chariots that make them so lethal to loose formation cavalry. Cavalry in tigher formation seem to circle around less and fight more.