Really need help in the game!!!

[ReluctantSamurai]

I'd have to disagree with you, Myth, about not tangling with the Eggies until after Uncle Marius shows up. Principes are nearly as rugged as Cohort I's, and you can recruit "Creeshan's" to take out the Chariot Archers. In the Brutii campaign I posted screens for above, the only addition to my pre-Marian raised armies in the Middle East was Archer Auxilia and Roman Cavalry. My line infantry were still Principes. I had no problems whatsoever with full Eggie stacks (on h/h) with 6-8 chariots in many of them. Having Cretan's and Equites would have made little difference in the outcomes...

Also, I assume you were referring to the use of glads and auxilia against the scythed chariots?!? The Chariot Archers will skirmish infantry to death because the infantry units are too slow to catch them. In any case, it's been my experience that Egypt rarely builds the scythed variety....only piles and piles of the archer kind

There is a very good discussion in the Ludus about the effects of roads. It's not that I disagree with building them ASAP (which should be done), but that until you get all the roads in a certain vicinity upgraded to the same level, you get no increased trade movement...only better movement for your troops.

@ !@#$%^&*

Urbans and Praetorian's are over-rated, IMHO, and not historically correct for the time period of RTW. The Lorica Segmentata did not appear until around 100AD (some accounts place it's use a bit earlier), and this was the standard armor for Cohort II's, Praetorian, etc.

My own personal preference is to not use them, and I've gone as far as modding them, as well as Cohort II's out of the game, for all Roman factions. Makes the game more balanced, IMHO. The Roman factions already get a ton of perks and advantages over other factions, so removing these units makes things a bit more interesting.

Also, the AI uses Armored hoplites very poorly (as it does for many things) because it brings them into phalanx formation far sooner than it should. They move considerably slower in phalanx, and should become your primary archer target once enemy archers are disposed of. Make them turn sideways by positioning your infantry just off either flank. Charge them with a third unit in the flank, or from the rear with cav.....finis.