Consider a Hypothetical Engagement of...

[Aemilius Paulus]

I did my own intensive study. Toxotai clearly lose on Medium difficulty, Large unit size, 1unit vs 1unit, but achieve slightly more kills than Drapnai before routing. The range and most importantly, their low unit size is the winning factor for Drapnai. Even when the last delivered volley is fire arrows (to dent the morale of Drapnai), the archers lose.

On the other hand, Sphendonetai come fairly close to winning, having much higher kills than Drapanai before routing at about 20 men. In some battles, the numbers came down to 10 slingers vs 10-15 falxmen, before the former routed. Slinger range, superior to that of Toxotai, was the deciding factor.

Nevertheless, the two Hellenic, basic ranged units always lost, killing no more than 10 Drapnai in melee combat. However, when I went to EDU and changed the size of Toxotai or Sphendonetai to 80 men, they usually won. Size is the deciding factor for both, especially the slingers, whereas the archers could use range.



What is very interesting that I have found is that indeed, drawing up one's own ranged units in two or three lines/rows almost doubles their ranged losses inflicted, as opposed to having four or more lines/rows of men. So always line up your archers/slingers in no more than three lines!!! It is indeed true that this game mechanic remains unchanged from MTW.

However, I cannot say and doubt myself whether a similar bonus exists for deeper lines of spearmen. I believe it should, as historically, shallow spearmen lines would get annihilated. But in RTW, it makes more sense to extend your lines to facilitate flanking. So my pike phalanx lines, for example, are always either three or four rows in depth, to make flanking easier for my army. As for all other non-pike phalanx units, they are always three men deep in field battles.






I demand more balloons than antisocialmunky for a much closer, more detailed, and more useful explanation, as well as for doing exactly 20 trials