I think ambushes work like this:

**Jambo** · 10-13-2004, 23:03

I think for an ambush to work, one has to actually move onto a square occupied by an army in the ambush position - they are not apparently activated by simply walking past the ambushing piece...

I just got ambushed today by the Egyptians and it happened when I tried to move my army piece on to the ambush square, which the Egyptian army were actually occupying. Needless to say, it was a painful experience.

**Turbo** · 10-13-2004, 23:52

Originally Posted by Jambo

I think for an ambush to work, one has to actually move onto a square occupied by an army in the ambush position - they are not apparently activated by simply walking past the ambushing piece...

I just got ambushed today by the Egyptians and it happened when I tried to move my army piece on to the ambush square, which the Egyptian army were actually occupying. Needless to say, it was a painful experience.

I haven't yet been able to *ever* ambush the AI. I am wondering if this is even possible.

**Basileus** · 10-13-2004, 23:59

Ive been trying so hard to ambush heh and it pisses me off that i cant make it work :D

**ChaosLord** · 10-14-2004, 00:28

I've attempted many ambushes but never been able to get it to happen, i'm not sure what i'm doing wrong. I think maybe your guy has to be facing the path the enemy will take on the campaign map. I'm gonna keep trying in my game as the Britons(theres tons of forest) and see if I can find a set way to do it besides just getting the "ready to ambush" bit.

**Jambo** · 10-14-2004, 00:50

Well, to me it looks like you have to get the enemy to actually stumble onto your ambushing tile. This would mean that roads don't help successful ambushing since they don't generally contain suitable terrain for performing ambushes and armies tend to move along roads as they are quicker. If you want to do ambushes then keep the terrain basic and then the AI will more likely stumble into your woodland tile. The same of course goes for the AI and your armies...

Nevertheless, I still think CA would do well to make ambushes happen more often. They're a cool aspect of the game and make a welcome change to repetitive battles. They just aren't very common... :(

**Red Harvest** · 10-14-2004, 02:57

Hundreds of battles here without ever experiencing an ambush from either side. Looks like they could increase the probability a bit.

**Colovion** · 10-14-2004, 03:13

Originally Posted by Red Harvest

Hundreds of battles here without ever experiencing an ambush from either side. .

same

**Noong** · 10-14-2004, 03:43

Maybe I just got lucky but the first and only time I tried to ambush, I got it to work.

I was playing as the Julii, at war with the Egyptians. We both had a town in neighbouring provinces and as I was marching my army towards their town, I pretty much walked into 2 of their armies. Greatly outnumbered I backed off and put my units in some woodland next to the road. During that turn one of those armies marched along the road towards my town and I had the option to ambush them.

From there I got to set up my units all around the enemy as they stood in single file. I could have placed my units anywhere on the battlemap but could put them really close to the enemy (within archer range) so I did that. The enemy units routed really easy, I don't know whether they get a morale penalty going into the ambush, or if it was because I was hitting them from the side.

Haven't tried it since though because it doesn't really suit my playstyle. More of a defensive tactic and I like just building up huge armies and sending them out to conquer.

So just to clarify, I was in woodland beside a road. The enemy was marching along the road, and did not march into my tile but was standing on the road next to my woodland, even on the battlemap they were arrange in single file on the road. I would not have been facing them on the campaign map since I was retreating the other way but your armies turn to face whatever gets in their range anyway. And my army had a general.

Never been ambushed though. I had one instance where maybe the AI had the option but decided not to because his 2 units would have been slaughtered by my 20. What happened was I was moving around the forests in Germany, moving through some woodland, when suddenly my unit was blocked and an enemy popped up where there was definately not one before, right in front of me. Maybe the ambush option was there for the AI but he chose to withdraw. Probably have to walk around in smaller armies if you want to be ambushed.

**The_Emperor** · 10-14-2004, 08:49

Indeed, armies do tend to travel along roads (given the increased movement allowance they grant), so I would say woodland that is right beside a road is perfect for ambushing, especially if its in the same tile.

But woodland near a mountain pass is perfect. (plenty of it in northern Italy where the Gauls are)