Effective use of chariots? (and a few other unit tips needed)

[SwissBarbar]

Chariots:

As it has been said already, don't send them into melee, but let them just ride trough the enemy formation, by klicking behind the hostile army. They will run through and break off the enemy formation, making their morale lower at the same time. Before the enemy can regroup his formation, go in with heavy cavalry and make them rout. That's how to use these chariots effectivly. If they are enganged....retreat.


Peltastai:

Peltasts are actually quite useful. They can hold their line agaist most light and medium infantrymen, you only have to avoid cavalry. They are best used for flanking the enemy, pelting him from behind (or the flank) and then engange his rear, while heavier melee infantry is holding your first battle line.

Peltasts can hold a city wall even against heavier infantry or at least make the enemy suffer from many losses.


Skirmisher Cav:

Hippakontistai and similar skrikmisher cavalry are not as useless as they are often said to be. Of course you should not use them in melee. But they are fast. Let them irritate the enemy by riding around his flanks, pelting him with javelins. Doing that from the rear can cause many casualties among the enemy's troops, even among heavier ones. Especially if your cav. is somewhat experienced .

In melee you only use them against other troops for attacks in the rear, while the enemy is bound by your frontline, or to engange other cavalry, combined with one or two units of heavy cavalry of yours. Let the heavy cavalry engange the enemy and at the same time, let the light cavalry attack the flanks. If they arrive at the same time, the enemy cavalry unit will be crushed instantly.


An important part of any battle is hunting down the enemy. You couldn't have a more effective unit to do that job, than your light and fast cavalry. The enemy general is routing with the rest of his bodyguard? If someone can still reach him, it's your light skirmisher cav. Not sure, but Hippakontistai may be faster than Hetairoi Aspidophoroi. And even more effective than Hippakontistai, are - IIRC - the eastern and arabian equivalents.