help fighting suromatai?

[Andy1984]

So you think heavy casualties no matter what? Will heavy phalanxes out last their arrow volleys?

I wouldn't count too much on that. Even if your phalanx isn't anihilated by arrow fire, their bodyguards are likely to charge when they run out of ammunition. A depleted phalanx unit can be broken quite easily by heavy cavalry, even if the charge is a clear frontal one.

I believe assaulting their cities is one of your few decent options. Use spies, and storm their cities once you can. There your AP-weapons and spears can do what your arrows can't: killing their heavy cavalry. About fighting them in the open: I'm afraid you'll have to rely on missiles (scythian foot archers, various horse archers, slingers,...) to counter them. Just sitting there and getting shot at isn't going to bring victory. I know, because I'm experiencing a quite similar situation right now...

As a sidenote: if it is only a rare unit that is giving you particular headaches, you might try to find out where the sauromatae train that unit and send some assassins to sabotage said infrastructure. The Sauromatae will repair it, so you'll have to damage it every turn, but at least each succesfull sabotage attempt means one heavy cavalry or horse archer unit less to fight.

good luck,

Andy

[m046720]

I wouldn't count too much on that. Even if your phalanx isn't anihilated by arrow fire, their bodyguards are likely to charge when they run out of ammunition. A depleted phalanx unit can be broken quite easily by heavy cavalry, even if the charge is a clear frontal one.

I believe assaulting their cities is one of your few decent options. Use spies, and storm their cities once you can. There your AP-weapons and spears can do what your arrows can't: killing their heavy cavalry. About fighting them in the open: I'm afraid you'll have to rely on missiles (scythian foot archers, various horse archers, slingers,...) to counter them. Just sitting there and getting shot at isn't going to bring victory. I know, because I'm experiencing a quite similar situation right now...

As a sidenote: if it is only a rare unit that is giving you particular headaches, you might try to find out where the sauromatae train that unit and send some assassins to sabotage said infrastructure. The Sauromatae will repair it, so you'll have to damage it every turn, but at least each succesfull sabotage attempt means one heavy cavalry or horse archer unit less to fight.

good luck,

Andy

I am definitely going to try the sabotage. They are so frustrating. Thanks. It is tough going from mopping the floor with romani to being annihilated by sauromatae.

[athanaric]

I am definitely going to try the sabotage. They are so frustrating. Thanks. It is tough going from mopping the floor with romani to being annihilated by sauromatae.

Units that might be particularly useful to you are:

Medjinikos (Baltic Frontiersmen) - best Archer-Spearmen in the game (Range: 184 m).
Skuda Baexdzhyntae (Skythian Riders) - decent HAs with spears and shields to boot (Range: 190.4 m).
Skuda Fistaeg Fat Aexsdzhytae (Skythian Foot Archers) - light archers with long range (198 m IIRC).
Thureopherontes Toxotai !!! (Bosphoran Archers) - heavily armoured and decent in melee (Range: 180 m).

and of course, as melee-only troops: Speudogordoz, your factional cavalry shredders.


Compare the Sarmatian units:

Usual HAs:
Range: 187 m

Elite HAs incl. Aeldary Aembaltae (Bodyguard of Doom):
190.4 m


It is worthwhile to note that Sauromatae vs. Swêboz is an "instagib match": In the open, the Suebi will lose horribly; in close combat, the roles are reversed as the Sauromatae have no decent factional melee units.
Which means you should always, even on the strategy map, look for the cover of woods/trees to evade or ambush their armies.