Your Ideal Army, Enemy, etc.

**Cbvani** · 09-11-2008, 19:57

What I'm wondering is what style of army do people use most often? As I see it, there is the Celto-Germanic style of massed infantry, there is the successor states strategy with phalanxes and local troops, the dread horse archer army, heavy infantry armies, horse archer armies, and there are a few others.

My personal favorite has to be a late-game Romani army. I like to start off with Legions, because I have the most fun with them. The Legionary is of course the backbone of this army, with between 8 and 10 cohorts of them, not including special cohorts like First Cohorts or Praetorian ones (both of which which I use as a bodyguard for my General, morale boosters for my main line, or as a powerful reinforcement when my line is weakening). I can't remember what they're called properly, but the Post-Marian Elite Light Infantry I simply adore. I cannot express how much I love these guys, they are my special forces and I usually have 2-4 of them in any given army. I don't have great cavalry and I don't often have significant ranged units either, but I use them when they are needed. Artillery I ignore if I'm not taking civilized cities.

My strategy generally involves setting up an unbalanced line so that I can roll the enemies line up bit by bit starting on one side. It's a single envelopment, sure, but it is effective. Cavalry is used to start a rout or take out archers and slingers.

My main weakness are Horse Archer armies and similar Heavy Infantry armies. I don't have much trouble with the Celts or the Germans. I've also discovered that the Lusotann, if they can produce some of their higher-up units, are really, really nasty to fight. I mean I really HATE fighting these guys. I totally underestimated them three times, but not anymore. Successor armies aren't really a problem for me. Though they are fun to play as, very strategic. Don't like the Carthies very much, but they haven't hurt me as bad as the Lusos have (but they will)

So I guess my question is this: What style army do you use, ideally, and what enemies do you hate to face? Love to face (for the free Chevrons!)?

How about your second favorite? My second favorite style is the successor/hellenic states. I think my next campaign will be with the HK.

**MerlinusCDXX** · 09-11-2008, 20:57

My favorite army type as of right now is what I call a "Black Sea Helleno-Thraikian army". I use a core of Hoplitai/Celto-Hellenic hoplitai, Right flank of Kuarothoroi/Thraikioi Rhomphaiorai/Gala-Thraikes (soon to include Cordinau Orca), Left flank of Teceitos/Gala-Thraikes, foot archer support Skythian foot archers/ Bosphoran Heavy archers. Right cav. wing-FM+Thraikioi Prodromoi, left wing Thraikioi Hippeis/Skythian HA/Riders. Add to that Peltastai (both types) and 1 slinger unit (Celtic or Sphendonetai) when there are additional unit slots and extra cash. I'm using this set-up as Pontos and it's working a lot better than my factional troops.

**Apgad** · 09-11-2008, 23:44

I go through periods where I like heavy infantry armies from Rome or Carthage, and then for a change I go far east and go for steppe faction horse archer armies. I'm not too much of a fan of successor kingdom phalanx warfare.

I definitely like the sound of that Black Sea area army. Those ~~rombo~~ ~~rhombo~~ guys with big 2 handed swords kick arse! I think I'll head that way first with my new Romani campaign.

That's the beauty of EB - so many different ways of playing, you can never get sick of it!

**Grriffon** · 09-12-2008, 05:50

The core most armies I lead is heavy infantry. My favorite heavy infantry units are the Carthaginian axemen, the Seleukid elite spearmen, and the rhomparoi (sp?). I'll usually have at least 8 units of heavy infantry in a full stack army.

I will use at least 3-4 units of missile troops. Normally I prefer archers, because I love flame arrows, but if I can get good slingers in the area, I will.

In my opinion the most important part of any full stack army I lead will be the 200+ cavalry (the heavier the better) I bring along. I almost always use charges as my morale breakers, and if my cavalry has a bad day, my army often suffers.

I don't really like phalanxes. For defending a town, they are great, but I much prefer the maneuverability on non-phalanx units, even if I have to use a light infantry instead of a phalanx in any kind of open ground battle.

As far as who I like fighting against, the Eleutheroi often give good battles. I hate fighting in trees, but any faction, even nomadic archers are fun to fight, just to make you have to use differing strategies.

**tapanojum** · 09-12-2008, 07:41

I love using armies heavy on range vs lightly armored enemies. Something about watching hundreds of arrows fly over my ranks and tear down the enemy before they even make contact with me just makes me feel good on the inside.

I hate using phalanxes and fighting against them, although I have played the eastern and hellenic factions many times over.

Now I am stuck on what to play. My last KH as Massalia game was really fun.