Pila vs Charge...

[El Diablo]

Playing as the Romans on the battlemap (or infact any faction with pila armed infantry - like spain)

Do you let the opposition come to you and get off a pila volley or if the are closing fast charge back and forgo the pila advantage?

For example the war cry then charge tactic of the barbarian factions can be devasting to you if you mistime the pila throw whereas the slow moving phalanx style of the greek factions means you would be foolish not to attempt to breakup the formation with a pila or two.

I usally let the pila throw take place with a "fire at will" that is turned off after the armies clash in hand to hand, but I was wondering if there is a better way to combant the barbarians in particlar.

Thoughts and tactics??

[Dafuge]

The barbs will usually charge you so put dont put on fire at will and pick pila fire for the strongest AI units then pause the game and manually pick a melee target for each infantry.

[El Diablo]

That makes sence - also selecting one unit for multiple salvos can weaken the centre and cause a route.

But what I was meaning was is it better to charge back at the Barbarians rather than use your pila?

I mean that the barbar's will get a huge charge bonus (particularly if they war cried or have druids etc) and you have to recive that charge when you troops maybe in the middle of the "pila throw" animation.

ED

[RLucid]

In the situation where Barbs will charge, then in general try and use terrain and cavalry to tire them, before the main clash, as well as have them softened up by missile units, who are very effective against poorly armoured Barbarian troops.

In general I've found using retreat of frontline velites skirmishers to time the pila volley an effective tactic, the infantry then engage opponents who may be chasing skirmishers, and therefore not receive charge bonuses. Sometimes, I'm able to get off 1st pila volley, and then order a counter-charge, as tired troops climb slowly.

Further javellin / pila fire from non-frontline forces can also quickly push Barbarian units into routing, especially when concentrated against victim units, who can be outflanked, and thus rapidly trigger a mass rout of enemy.

[Chloe]

I always try to time the pila throw to during the warcry, so that it does maximum damage. I killed 20 or so men in one pilum throw this way.