How do I beat the Romans?

[Nero Varus]

I was playing as the Brits and it was going real well until the romans attacked. The Julii were the first to come. Their armies are small but powerful. Why? What should I do next?

[Ciaran]

Yes, the Romans are a tough nut to crack, especially for the Barbarian factions, I suppose (I never actually did a Barbarian campaign so far), their troops have good morale, they are disciplined and able to act independently, so breaking up their formation isn´t as effective as it is with other, namely the phalanx-based armies.

As Britons, however, I´d say chariots are the way to go, along with the best infantry available (Chosen Swords), who are superior to the pre-Marian army, and can hold their ground against the post-Marian one. If all else fails - mob them. Quantity has a quality of it´s own, as the saying goes, and that´s true for the european Barbarians in RTW (Scythians are a different matter).

On the strategic side there´s one important thing to consider: Time plays for Rome. In due time, the Romans get their Marius reform, giving them an even stronger army, so you´ll want to finish the Romans off before they can bring that new army fully to bear (it´ll take some time till all the pre-Marian units have vanished). Additionally, the Romans have the Mediterrean to their disposition, giving them rich and short trade routes all over the place, and a good income, while you as a Briton have to content with what few ports and little resources the Northern Sea has to offer.

[Goalie]

Dont forget to use head hurlers. They are devestating, especially against the heavily armoured romans. Also light chariots are a good unit to use against them, they can harass with their arrows and put up a good fight against cavalry or even infantry.

[antisocialmunky]

If you're feeling crazy, you can clump all your family into one giant stack and invade Italy. Chariots are like the elephants of the North IMHO.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

For the Vanilla Britons:

Use your light chariots as harassers AND as standard behind-the-line archers.

Use your heavy chariots to attack their cavalry. Scythes wax horses quickly and you don't get stuck as easily. A stuck chariot unit dies quickly -- even Generals.

Use your swordsmen in h-t-h with some hurler support. Have at least one druid chanting away with the charchers and get them all war-crying as the romans close to pila range. Just before the romans reach pila range, send your infantry out to get them. The fewer throws they make, the better you'll do.

If at all possible, let your infantry chase a routing roman. They only keep running if you keep hacking at them. If they return to discipline with about half strength, they're still capable of hurting you.

Expect casualties. Mixing it with Romans usually means lots of bodies -- the Romans were not dancing-master types.

Quality mercs can help. Warbands are little use against the Romans save to pad numbers quickly if you're short. But sending someone into Spain to get some Scut's or Balearics can add some nice punch to your swords. A sail along the Baltic could get you some useful HA's to pepper at the Romaoi, and if you slip into the med, DO pick up a couple of merc hoplites. Nothing like a Phalanx to stop up a Bridge and pile romans on it. Same for the Balkans, the Illyrians are a nice combo unit to mix with your sworders.

[Severous]

Ive not played Briton, but Ive played Egypt (Chariots) and Gaul (Similar infantry).

I suggest you hide your infantry in a forest, preferably uphill and in a corner. Use your chariots and generals to attack the weaker Roman units. Chariots in particular against their cavalry. As their troops cant see your hidden infantry they will follow your chariots around. They will tire.

You lead the tired/exhausted Roman infantry to your hidden infantry.

You attack. Fresh troops, hill advantage, forest advantage, surprise attack, against exhausted Romans who have already lost all their weaker troops.....should be OK.

Toughest decision....do you warcry or not? Warcry will give you bonus...but you loose the surprise bonus. I try to mix it..one attacks without warcry..and the others warcry then charge.