Fighting at forests

[xzGAB]

So...is it impossible?

[Atraphoenix]

battling in forests needs even more micromanaging than horse archer armies. if you are the ambushers it is good news just encircle the enemy and decimate them but if you are ambushed just order your important general run away. I learned why it is so important to have one unit of scout army after I ordered one of my consular army to siege a celtic town, and ambushed, my consule KIA..

other than ambushes normal forest battles gives you advantage on lots of things , archers and cavalry sucks in forests that is why no nomads managed to rule germany with the exception of Attila.

and if you are defender in fact less probable.... let the enemy tire their soldiers.
use and prefer javeliners who are better than archers in forests.

if you are attacker the most common scenario, if you have archers just use them to reveal hidden units as they have no use other than it.

if the situation getting worse use emergency orders : defending triangle / square, cavalry charge at enemy's back... and pray of course....

[NikosMaximilian]

Hire Germanic/Celtic regionals and local mercenaries, forget about battle formations and chaaaarge! chaaaaaarge! chaaaaarge!!!. Maybe leave in reserve the FM, another cavalry unit and some skirmishers to flank the enemy and shower the ones with no armour with javelins (if possible in the ensuing mayhem).

[Power2the1]

I do not mind, when playing as the Celts or Germans, fighting in forests. It's the 'barbarian way' and historically they are excellent hit-and-run ambusher types with large pitched battles as a secondary fighting preference.

Still the huge trees are somewhat of a nuisance.

[antisocialmunky]

What about chariot + auto calc?

[eo9o]

To fight in forrests was dificult yesterday and now a days too! Take a look on Vietinã war to remember that...
My advice is:
Put your infantry in loose formation and attack them like animals! try to flank them with your cavalary or round the enemy lines and attack them behind.
Use this formation to enter in a forrest:
10 heavy infantry, prefer swordman units to spearman;
5 light infantry or spearmans;
4 heavy cavalary;
1 General.

In a jungle, fight like animal, defensive formations or organized attack don't work like in open fields.

[Kromulan]

This is one of my pet peaves with this game... No ancient commander fought in forest... They used the forests to define the battlefield.
Did Boadicea's army march through the forest to flank the Romans? No! The Romans used the forest to cover their flanks and force the Britons to attack their narrow front. Forests should be impassible on the tactical map, like they were to armies historically.
Anything other than ambush in a forest is totally ahistorical and I do not participate in this BS.
I march to my Greek enemy and attack him. He sets up his phalanxes in a.... forest??? Reload, march 1 depleted skirmisher to contact, auto-win, move on...
This is the reason I don't play Celts or Germans in this game anymore.