What is the best way for Romans to acquire elephants?

[Aemilius Paulus]

Multiple-hitpoints units also heal dramatically well. Check out the Ludus Magna tread.

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.

My Galatian "Wild Men" heal in a somewhat mediocre manner, but nothing significant, despite their multiple hitpoints. I guess I am simply unlucky

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.

It is not the same . 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.

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.