Using Infantry Effectively

[Gaius Caligula]

This is one of the things i struggle with it think. As i mentionedin myother post my tactic with infantry is to mainly distract or rather hold the enemy infantry in place until i can get a strong cavalry charge on their flanks. Part of the problem i think is that they are so slow i can't maneuver (sp?) them. Anyway any and all advice is great. Include each type of infantry

[Charge]

You mean against AI?
Main tactic is to hold enemy with heavy infantry, yes (legioners, phalanx), with bombarding it with skirmishers from behind. Weak opponent will flee at this point. And if you have cavalry, than when enemy's main part already engaged, use cavalry to sweep his skirmishers and charge them into back. But this is very easy...

[Noir]

Hi, Welcome to the org.

Infantry fights effectively (for prolonged periods) if its not outperformed by enemy infantry (getting killed too fast) and if their flanks are covered.

Make sure that your weaker units are having high morale units adcjacent to them so that they'll think twice about leaving and also fight with aid from the stronger unit.

Flank protection is done with reserves and/or cavalry depending what you have.

A typical decision you need to make is how long your infantry line needs to be; you'll notice that the AI attacks one end of the line with the main mass of his force - if it is very long you risk to be swept away gradually from there like a domino since hefights one of your units at the time with 3 or 4 of his. If say you have 10 units i'd make a front made of 6 or 7 of them and keep two in reserve in each flank. You can maneuver the infantry line to meet the enemy attack at its center but again if long this will take time.

Phalanx units are great in that they can give you a very long front without troubles juststretch wide 5 of them and guard the flanks - you can rest assure that as long as the flanks rear are not threatened they'll hold.

Some infantry like the Roman legions have throwing weapons; this means that a shootout of the melee lines will take place before melee is joined.

Try to make that shootout as effective as possible by controlling the fire at will button feature - don't let all your units fire at the first approaching unit all their ammo. Conserve it and make sure it does the damage potential it has in absolute terms.

Conversely try to absorb enemy fire with junk units such as skirmishers - its better they get it than your melee infantry line. Doing so with light cavalry is not effective i mean you are losing a unit that's needed after the melee is over (to chase routers).

Mixing a few spears in your line or keeping them as reserves in the flanks to help your cavalry fight the enemy cavalry is always a good idea.

Place your missiles (archers/buchelarii) at the flanks to be protected by cavalry - and move them behind the enemy line if there is space and time to do so. This will give more morale penalties to the enemy and increase their killing potential as well.

All these tips are useful against an army that is infantry based - missile heavy armies, especially those containing mobile missiles in large quantities need to be deprived of their missiles that is you need to play a long shootout phase.

Just make sure that you are aware of enemy army composition and you do not suffer another Carrhe!

Enjoy

Noir

[ShaiHulud]

My method is to make the main line composed of the toughest troops and the lighter troops are on the flanks, echeloned, or, refused. That makes AI flanking movements take longer and, if the troops are not thus engaged, I use them to flank the enemy. The historic Roman checkerboard formation is not really viable because you can't withdraw tired troops while the fresher, 2nd, line moves up.

Maybe it's that I use the Darth Mod, but, I find that putting the line troops on Guard Position keeps them from tiring as quickly. Less tired means longer maintenance of morale. I don't remember the last time a unit in my line routed without significant losses. Holding the line until the flankers can get behind is the trick.

Like the initial poster, I use cavalry, when I have them, to flank and rear the enemy's line. But, with Darth Mod, first you have to let the enemy commit HIS
cavalry or else you'll find yours tied up while his, usually superior numbers of, infantry chew up your line.