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I took out the Carthaginains in north Africa fairly quickly but now my expansion's been curtailed. I'm finding that Numidian armies with lots of javalin cavalry are causing a spot of bother for me, especially making mincemeat of my equites and decimating general's bodyguard units. All I seem to be able to do against them is stay organised and head for the high ground asap.
I'm tired of constantly heading back to Carthage or Thapsus for cavalry retraining. Any advice?
If you are in the Pre-Marian, use Cavalry Auxilia. They are quite the same as Numidian Cavalry(those with javelins). Also, use many Equites to catch them up.
But the best are the archers. I killed 3 generals only with archer fire!!! They are very effective against javelin-cav because they kill from greater distance than javelins.
Use equites and merc cav. Also lots of archers and velites. When they attack pepper them with javelins and arrows. Try to encircle them with your cav. Then kill them in close combat!
If you have enough money, use an all merc army. Let them fight and then delete them!
Don't have that much money. It's about two hundred and sixty something ish BC, I'm only making about 4-6k a turn net, spending it all ever turn and have about 17 provinces to look after. Currently at war with Numidia, Carthage, Gaul, Germany, Dacia, Macedon, Thrace and the Greek Cities with my forces spread a little thin.
Cavalry auxilia are at least a stable upgrade away too so it looks like I'll be using archers as much as possible for the time being.
Ummm.... you dont seem to be making alot of money :furious3: for the # of providences that you own. Well, If you are having Mulah problems ~:confused: there is always something called cheat codes.
Lack of money is partly because I'm automanaging settlements without governors. The other thing is early in the game I did a lot of enslaving, slaughtering and getting the plague. As a result tax revenue is down on what it might be in a lot of settlements. Don't fancy cheating. I like a challenge!
Javelin cavalry are most effective in wide open spaces. Don't fight in wide open spaces. Find a city to squat in, or a fort, or a bridge, or whatever.
I launched an invasion of Caralis and later Carthage quite early in my own Julii vh/vh campaign while I was fighting low-morale boring Gauls and Germans. After taking Carthage I retrained my troops and increased the size of my army there. Carthage had good barracks so I could even train some principes despite how early in the campaign it was. But I waited until I got 3 units of archers before going any further. The carthaginians in Thapsus weren't that much of a threat and could then be taken out easily. When that was complete, I went after Numidia. Thanks to my heavy expansions to the north (most of Gaul and Germania already conquered), I had money to afford to immediately train another half stack for defense of carthage and thapsus (there were carthaginians in Lepcis magna who were maybe interested in retaking their two lost settlements) while killing Numidians. If you only have a decent line of infantry (with at least some principes mixed with the hastati), and 2 roman archers or more, as well as 5-6 equites and perhaps, but not necessarily, a general, you won't have a problem with Numidia. Keep your cavalry hidden behind your line and use your archers until most of the enemy are dead or they decide to attack. When that happens, you simply wait for the infantry to pin them, then use the cavalry to kill them. If their javelin cavalry are pinned they can't do much. Also try to hire some numidian mercs and/or train cavalry auxilia but they maybe require too much technology if you want to get going fast. Besides, principes and a good line of footmen to protect your archers and make you not forced to use the cavalry is a higher priority against the AI numidia IMO.
i would suggest staying in carthage if you dont have enough money to beat numidia maybe take their two coast provinces as they have some trade but dont taek the rest unless you have extra money and troops better to build up and attack egypt