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I have searched 'elephants' through the forum but haven't found a good strategy concerning how the Romans may acquire elephant troops. I want to unleash them against the Gauls and Germans.
I assume they are available in Carthage. Must I capture a Carthaginian city and set up a IV Allied State Government? Or by placing a general on Carthaginian soil, will I be able to recruit a mercenary?
Any advice will be much appreciated.
OBarbas :2thumbsup:
You can get the African Bush Elephants through a regional, level five MIC in certain parts of North Africa. Such as Utica for instance. Just check your recruitment viewer. There are no elephants mercenaries in EB. So yes, you must build the Type IV Government and then the MIC. No general required.
The elephants are ungodly expensive though, and aside from the "awesomeness" factor, they are largely useless. Be careful as javelins will kill them faster than the Roman pila thrown at the backs of Pantadapoi.
The African forest elephants aren't even much good either, since they are small and rely on trampling to kill. So...........
I dunno. Roman cavalry tends to suck. Even their elephants suck. In any case, by the time you can train elephants, you should be on your way to the Marians, so forget it. Instead, spam your god-infantry until everybody else dies.
Well I thank you guys immensely. Looks like you've saved me a lot of effort that would have ended in disappointment. Too bad though. I was looking forward to seeing the Gauls freak out. Who knows, I may still do it for the heck of it HAHA :yes:
Cheers!
OB
I have read the lengthy analyses of the governance and MIC system in the forum. The Types of governance are clear to me, but the MICs ... ???
I just conquered Utica. I want elephants. I have provisional government in place, nailing down law and order. Now, to get elephants, I will select governance Type IV, per Aemilius Paulus. But where do the MICs come into it? What exactly are they?
:wall:
I would tell to read the FAQ in an snooty manner, but I like your grasp of grammar and etiquette. :D
MICs are generic recruitment buildings, morphing the barracks, stables, and archery range into one. There are two types of MICs, regional and factional. The units they can produce do not overlap, otherwise it would be pointless to have two.
Anyways.
The MICs have five levels to them, each one allowing more advanced units to train. However, different government types limit you to certain levels.
Homeland
Level 5 Factional MIC
Level 2 Regional MIC
Second government
Level 4 factional MIC
Level 3 regional MIC
Third government
Level 3 factional MIC
Level 4 regional MIC
Allied government
Level 2 factional MIC
Level 5 regional MIC
Factional MIC units are near-universal in your empire. However, keep in mind that your starting territory(s) will be able to train more units than far-off ones. As a rule, just say that territories with "Homeland" in them will be able to recruit more than the other ones. Check the recruitment viewer for more info
Regional MIC units vary by the region you make them in. There is no real rule to them, since even homeland regions can have a fair amount.
Now, most importantly, remember that there are recruitment areas. Just because it is a regional MIC, doesn't mean there is a definite ability for you to recruit there. Each faction will have units they simply cannot recruit at all. Recruitment areas also limit your factional units.
For the Romani, Marian Legionaries are recruitable in every single victory condition territory of yours. However, ballistae, are not.
Any questions?
True for the Romans and most other factions, but wrong in general. Hayasdan and Pahlava have units which can be recruited from a factional as well as from a regional MIC (in the same settlement).Quote:
Originally Posted by A Very Super Market
Bah, the steppe factions get kinda crazy with their recruitment.
What units are they?
Imperator Super Market, I am in your debt. You have explained the situation with utter precision. Now it is up to me to apply what you have showed me, and my understanding of it all will increase. Yes, you are correct about the FAQs, but mate, I'm 58 years old and have few hours to enjoy my games (work duties and negotiating for gaming hours with my lovely wife), and you've saved me a lot of time in general reading.
Cheers to you my good sir! :2thumbsup:
OBarbas
I would like to add, MIC = Military Industrial Complex (and had to rewrite that from Capslock as my Ferret had been on the keyboard, LOL).
OB, no worries, if you are 58 you can retire soon and spend time doing only what you want, wife, gaming, fishing, hunting, travelling :-D
The best way to get elephants is to raid a circus. Though a big problem with that is they don't fight well, they just tend to dance around in thier chain mail too-toos. Plus I never liked clowns anyway:clown:
As was previously said, Elephants are largely useless. If you're fighting them, just use skirmisher infantry and cavalry. If you're thinking of using them, forget it. For their upkeep, you might as well just get some decent cavalry.
Well, yes they are sort of, but if you combine them with flaming arrows, naked troops, and even scythed chariots or artillery (if you have access to the two and you can afford them), then the enemy will rout almost immediately. I have tried this "scare brigade" tactic, and it was so effective, that I abandoned it due to the concern that the battles became so easy to win.Quote:
Originally Posted by heldelance
While they certainly aren't useless (as in "I'd rather have Lugoae then eles) they certainly aren't worth their money.Quote:
Originally Posted by heldelance
They are a devastating weapon if you keep them away from everything that can throw javelins. But as that's hardly possible (At least not over multiple battles) you should only use them to show the power of your empire, e.g. in my Pahlava game I just brought 4 units Elephantes Indikoi from Bactra to Lepki to fight the Quartadastim.
In the Scare Brigade before the battle, what does the Elephant ask of the Gaesetai?
"How do you pick up anything with that?"
rofl...funniest comment I've read in a long time!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Macilrille
seconded :2thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by delablake
Yeah, I had quite some laugh after reading that as well. Still deciding on whether a balloon should be dispensed...
Thanks, glad to please, but not really worthy of a balloon it is but an old Danish joke tweaked a bit that I thought of when seeing the scare brigade suggestion. I will rather have one when I write something informative and insightful about history.
But then of course, who am I to tell you how to act.
Well, elephants arent usually worth the bother - but at least they are better value for mone than artillery, but I reckon the Romans would be better advised to find some decent regional cavalry
If you're playing Baktria, the armoured Elephants are definitely worth it.
Of course with the Eastern factions, elephants are worth the money. Reason is that they're huge, generally have a ranged attack, and they're nigh on impossible to kill with anything but skirmishers, even then it takes a while.
I was just saying that elephants are pretty useless if you're Rome, Gaesatae and the Tindanotae are much better options. One thing the Gallic enemies seemed to have in abundance are skirmisher class infantry and spear throwing linesmen. To an African Elephant, being unarmored, those javelins are death.
What have I done wrong?
Obsessed with my desire to unleash elephants against the Gauls, I captured Kart-Hadast which, unless I am gravely mistaken, is in the region of Zeugitana (in the Recruitment Viewer). I've established a IV Political Regime and upgraded to an Auxilia Exercitu Officiale Amicorum (Support of Professional Client State Army). But my highest available unit is a Hellenistic Mercenary General - no further upgrades of the MIC is available - where are my elephants? AARRGGHH :wall:
actual I think I read somewhere that recruitment for elephents in africa was disabled, so unless I am wrong then its pretty impossible to get elephents as rome, sad I know.
AARRGGH CULTURED SAY IT ISN'T SO!!!!
:dizzy2::furious3::embarassed:
You can't train elephants in Kart-Hadast or Atiqua. You can train them in Numidia or Mauretania, and most of the other North African provinces.Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
you can train them for example in Kirtan. I've trained them there as Romans
Thank you gentlemen for your assistance. I have mapped the new coordinates for the elephant training grounds and am approaching them with armies intent on conquest.
As for Tribune Turgidis Orifis, my local official in Kart-Hadast who assured me he could produce elephants, a Censorial Delegation has visited him, examined his books, and it emerges that he has fradulently misappropriated all the funds earmarked for elephant fodder to his harlot of a wife.
She has been sold into slavery, and he has slit his wrists.
I - THE SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS - HAVE SO SPOKEN. SO NOW SHALL IT BE WRITTEN, AND SO IT SHALL BE DONE.
:whip:
Hmm, well ive always had great success with elephants.Quote:
Originally Posted by heldelance
@OBarbas, dude, When i play as the romani that is one of my dreams as well, so please when you get to that, do take some screenies and post them on the forums. Its always fun to see "barbaric factions fight elephants"
It shall come to be, O VASILIYI MAGNUS! My scribes shall record in words the ebb and flow of every moment, and I shall command my artists vividly to portray the might of the pachyderms landing squarely on the crushed bodies of infernal Gauls! :yes:
Looking forward to it.
If you want historical roleplay you need elephants. ROmans used them quite a few times untill the empire. For example against the makedones.
And they mighty!! Esspecially with a faction like the Romans. Strong infantry plus elephants scares the shit out of heavy cavallery factions.
I HAVE ELEPHANTS. Well, I'm about to recruit them. Taxes have been raised throughout the land to pay for them.
The Carthaginians made a last-ditch effort to recapture their cities to deny me - THE SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS - the elephants I have obsessed about for 75 years.
On my deathbed, I bequeath my elephant troops to my son and successor - THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING THAT IS OBARBAS!
More soon, when I finally employ my pachyderms to battle!
:furious3:
another elephant addict, :laugh4:
I have added armored elephants for pahlava in edu.But I only use them to breach the gates at the moment, because they do not like pointy sarissas :yes:
There better be screenshots coming.
I'm looking forward to using African elephants in my current Romani game, just as soon as I've pushed back the annoying Seleucids from what is now northern Iraq.
Forgive me for asking what may be an obvious question, but I know that the Bactrians have access to some elephants in their homeland regions. Can Romani get any Indian elephants? I'm quite a way from India at the moment, but would like to recruit some with level 5 MIC's if possible when I get there.
Plus don't forget, elephants can knock down wooden walls. This enables you to attack the same turn you siege (w/cities that don't have stone walls). :2thumbsup:
In India with Romani you can't get the armored Indian elephants but you can get regular elephants in some areas.
Thanks for the info. Looks like I will be training my elephants in the Gibraltar area and shipping them a VERY long way :)
Why don't any mercenary elephant lurking in EB lands?
I PROUDLY ANNOUNCE SCREENSHOTS AND A VIDEO OF MY PACHYDERMS AT THE VANGUARD OF THE CONQUEST OF VIENNOS FROM THE GAULS!!!
Yes, my gallant comrades. 24 bull elephants transported by sea from North Africa to Sicily, where they participated in crushing rebels and earned their battle stripes. Then by boat to Rome, where they paraded before astonished and jubilant masses. Then again by sea north, a hard climb over the Alps. Finally they joined our legions in Gaul, to the amazement of our troops.
VIENNOS. Re-captured from us by the Gauls nearly 30 years ago, impregnable because of the quality of the defending troops and the river crossings. Many a patrician has died there.
BUT NOW - LIBERATED AND RESTORED TO THE ROMAN DOMAIN under the fearless, gifted, Mars-loved and Jupiter-adoring THUNDER AND LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS.
THE VICTORY - consecrated by sacrifices to the man who first conceived of the dream of releasing elephants against the Gauls - THE SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS, my father.
Screenshots: http://www.galexander.com.au/The%20F...%20Viennos.htm
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK7MUHTnolw
P.S, I have more videos, will try to merge them all and upload to YouTube shortly
I think you might just be the biggest BAMF general I have ever seen.Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
I, MEGAPHALLUS, aide de camp to THE THUNDER AND LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS, testify to the following -
That on the night following the victory at Viennos, an epistle was received from A COMPLETELY INOFFENSIVE NAME (and thus said OBarbas himself, having examined the seal impressed on the red wax which secured the confidentiality of the communication.
OBARBAS read it. And I, MEGAPHALLUS, can testify that for the first time I saw this great man break down in tears. He - THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING himself - turned to me with eyes glistening and said -
My father, THE SHINING LIGHT THAT WAS OBARBAS, pushed me very hard in my youth. INOFFENSIVE's tribute makes it all worthwhile.
SO SAYETH MEGAPHALLUS.
THE COMPLETE, UNABRIDGED VIDEO OF THE CONQUEST OF VIENNOS IS NOW AVAILABLE AT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEQ0CmHMbOA
CAUTION - NOT TO BE VIEWED BY MINORS. EXTREMELY DISTURBING.
actually, I think the best way for Romaioi to acquire elephants is bribe them from Karthadast army...
Elephants are actually pretty useful if they are deployed right. As unexpected flankers or against Phalangites they are unmatched. I've had my elephant unit (as Epiros) be responsible for hundreds of kills in various battles. They do tend to die badly during city assaults, but even then nearly every every beast is resurrected at the end of the battle (12 elephants killed, all twelve and their crews are magically healed afterward).Quote:
Originally Posted by heldelance
As a side note, a level five MIC in India will get you the much sought after Indian elephants, although Greek factions can get them in Antioch and Alexandria, and Epiros (uniquely) gets them in Greece...
hell yes, if you want elephantes then go get then and use then, whats the fun of dont use then , and only spawn legionaries comon the easy way its not always more fun, nor more historical..... i mean when i play i do so for my on rules, for instance i limit myself the number of phalanxes per army the number of cav, wich i think is more historical etc and if you use your elephantes right they will not die, only use then in the last monents of a battle, when the skirmishers are depleted, and also they are cavalry killers, no cav stand up to a elephante charge. its sounds great pick elephants and africa and bring then on your gaul and britania conquest, see some chariots crushed by elephantes... beutyfull
BREAKING NEWS - THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING THAT IS OBARBAS flees enraged, pitchfork-bearing peasants intent upon punishing him for the collapse of the Roman Empire
OBarbas is rumoured to be in northern Italy racing towards the Alps.
BANKRUPTCY Perversely obsessed with elephants, OBarbas squandered tens of thousands of gold coins recruiting pachyderm troops in Carthage. At the same time, he was compelled to engage in endless defensive warfare against strong Carthaginian forces intent on expelling him from Carthage. Meanwhile in Gaul, he recruited too many mercenary generals without noting their expensive upkeep or realizing that they can not be disbanded.
The upkeep of elephants and generals combined with the cost of recruiting and sustaining elephants and armies in Carthage and Gaul eventually sent the Empire's finances spiraling out of control. Debt rose from 1,000 to 42,000 gold coins in 4 turns with no end in sight. Efforts to plunder cities to balance the budget came to naught because OBarbas ran out of money to recruit new troops or reinforce existing injured troops. Riots began breaking out in cities and towns throughout the Empire.
TOTAL COLLAPSE The long retreat began. Carthage was abandoned and OBarbas' decimated legions returned to Sicily. The Lusotani kicked OBarbas out of Gaul. Worst of all, the Arveni, faithful allies of the Romans for over one hundred years, now seeing the Empire collapsing, betrayed and attacked us.
130 years after his father THE SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS first set out to conquer the world, his son THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING THAT IS OBARBAS found himself confined to the territory first held by his father – and 72,000 in debt. At this point OBarbas dissolved his elephant units in a pique of rage, quit the campaign and deleted all incriminating saves on the hard drive.
AAAARRRRGGGGHHH :furious3: :oops: :wall: :laugh4:
It's VASILY MEGAS for you, boy.Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
It happens. Time to start over?Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
I wouldn't dare take that title away from Megas Satalextos, our Glorious Basileus. Im simply known as Basileios (my hellenic name granted by Megas Maion), Strategos Autokrator, Polemarchos Romaioktonon, and in the independent and ceremonial order of Somatophylakes, the Bodyguards of our One true Basileus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skullheadhq
Hope that clears things up. :clown:
You can get Gaesatae as the Romans?Quote:
Originally Posted by heldelance
Edit:Oh and for the thread starter whatever guy
Here's a thread that shows some of the units Romans can get
Don't click on it if you want to be suprised
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=93896
I dunno I can never find out how to use the Recruitment Viewer so I use this thread instead :sweatdrop::laugh4:
Usually (actually almost always), such dramatic healing happens only to the unit which were the first to sustain casualties, which is quite frustrating, since for me, those first casualties are a few dirt-cheap slingers, while the rest of the losses are good, expensive, and limited-recruitment elites.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irishmafia2020
Wow, I had always wished that would happen to me, but especially once I am out of the early game, the campaign is ridiculously, outrageously easy. Just a constant advance of my armies, trouncing the AI. I never get much of a challenge from the computer.Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
No, you cannot. Only the Galatian "Wild Men" mercenaries. Speaking of them, why did the Gaesatae not make it to the merc list? To make the game more difficult for us, not having all the elites to spam the AI with?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin
Huh, where can you get them at? I've had armies all over Gaul and have never found them as an option.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus
You may want to look in Greece instead of Gaul...Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin
Btw., if you ever make it to the eastern or northern Germanic provinces, you can get some funny dudes, too...
They must have changed the water in Sydney since the last time I visited.Quote:
Originally Posted by OBarbas
I just noticed from looking at the screenshots that the elephants have gold-upgraded weapons... How'd that happen?
Just do like him and build lots of horrendously expensive units- filling out all slots in your major cities in one turn, then you can have your collapse. It might be fun to try actually.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus
Multiple-hitpoints units also heal dramatically well. Check out the Ludus Magna tread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus
Originally the Gaesatae were mercs as well as factional units, but the team's Celtic FC's argued that the Gaesatae were fairly picky about their employers. So making them hireable for every faction was considered unrealistic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus
Yeah, I read that thread, and it is true what they say, but my starting Epriote unit of Elephants never healed well, and most of the time did not heal at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ludens
My Galatian "Wild Men" heal in a somewhat mediocre manner, but nothing significant, despite their multiple hitpoints. I guess I am simply unlucky :no:
It is not the same :sad:. That is a handicap, just like playing VH Battle Difficulty. I want the campaign AI to be ridiculously strong, but even playing on VH campaign difficulty seems to make little difference, save for the AI merc hiring. I want the AI to send endless stacks at me, and even though at any given moment I am at war with about 4-7 factions, I still do not get the pressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macilrille
To make the game more difficult, I am beginning to roleplay, and hire historical armies, but even with that, it is still easy to win. Although I loathe M2TW engine, I am overjoyed at the prospect of the limited recruitment for all units.