The Perfect Army

[R3dD0g]

If you had all the military buildings and unlimited funds with a kickass general - what units would comprise:

Your perfect field army?

Your perfect siege army?

[sapi]

1 general
19 urban cohort

COME GET ME!

Same in seige, as they rock on walls.

[Lord_Winter]

I will come get you

1 Barbarian Warlord
15 Scythian Noble Archers
4 Scythian Nobles

[The Hun]

I will come get you

1 Barbarian Warlord
15 Scythian Noble Archers
4 Scythian Nobles

Same as Lord Winter, or maybe even just 20 Scythian Noble Archers

[Bigwig]

As I was building up for my attack on Rome (and the subsequent civil war), I made about 5 of these "prepackaged" armies that consisted of 4 heavy onagers, 4 archer auxilia, 2 praetorian cavalry, 6 legionary cohorts, 3 urban cohorts, and the general. These armies have been proven time and again to be uber flexible in both the field and in siege situations.

[Red Harvest]

Probably something like:

1 General Body Guard
2 Cretan Archers
4 heavy infantry of whatever faction (for siege sapping--none, if not sieging replace with cav)
12 units of heavy cav
1 elephant for knocking down the gates of wooden walled cities or breaking the center of infantry armies so the cav can destroy them.

[Amon_Zeth]

I usually go

1 Roman General
3 Archer Auxilia
4 Praetorian Cavalry
4 Auxilia
8 Urban Cohorts

[Oaty]

20 auxilia archers....... at least until the next patch

[AngryGerbil]

As I was building up for my attack on Rome (and the subsequent civil war), I made about 5 of these "prepackaged" armies that consisted of 4 heavy onagers, 4 archer auxilia, 2 praetorian cavalry, 6 legionary cohorts, 3 urban cohorts, and the general. These armies have been proven time and again to be uber flexible in both the field and in siege situations.

I did the same thing, I found a formula that worked and just kept cranking out cookie cutter armies, mine were similar. Question: why 4 onagers? And why 6 Legionary Cohorts and 3 Urbans instead of just 9 Urbans? Maybe I missed something in the stats? Anyway, here was mine:

1 General
2 Roman Cavalry
2 Praetorian Cavalry
2 Heavy Onagers
4 Archer Auxilia
4 Auxilia
5 Urban Cohort

I find fewer Onagers gives me a bit more flexiblity when attacking. I'm a bit weaker on sieges but 2 Onagers can destroy both the gatehouse and the door on Epic Walls. 4 would be nice, to make multiple holes, but all you need is 2.

[DisruptorX]

The perfect army would be nothing but Cataphract archers. Not only are they some of the best archers in the game, but they are all but immune to missles and can beat most infantry in hand to hand.

[The_678]

The perfect army would be nothing but Cataphract archers. Not only are they some of the best archers in the game, but they are all but immune to missles and can beat most infantry in hand to hand.

^^^^^
That is so sad but true

[footman]

haha1

5 royal spike man and 15 macedonian heavy calary

or 20 spartons

[AngryGerbil]

The perfect army would be nothing but Cataphract archers. Not only are they some of the best archers in the game, but they are all but immune to missles and can beat most infantry in hand to hand.

I've only played as Julii and Gauls on campaign mode so far and as such, have only really fought signifigantly against Germania, Brittania, Spain, Thrace, Daicia, Carthage, Greece, Macedon and Rome....

Who gets these Cataphracts? Seludcids? Pontians?

[sakuraoni]

how do you get cataphract archers? im playing as the parthians but i dont see the unit in the tech tree?

[DisruptorX]

To answer your questions, the Armenians get them. I don't know about others.

[footman]

how do you get cataphract archers? im playing as the parthians but i dont see the unit in the tech tree?

it's armenia 's army

[R3dD0g]

I thank you all for you input.

But, since I just got Post Marius tonight and I haven't played any factions beyond Julii, I was really asking about the Roman troops.

[DisruptorX]

it's armenia 's army

yea....I don't know why I said scythia. It is indeed Armenia.

[Sinner]

If it's a 'wishlist' Roman army, then it'd have to be...

- General... with the traits/ancilliaries and time spent in a city with an Imperial Palace to give him max bodyguard of 54.
- Another 3 non-commanding Generals... these have the same stats as the main general, so can replace him if he dies, lead detachments, garrison captured cities, etc plus their bodyguard is the equivilant of Praetorian Cavalry, but with 2 hitpoints.
- 8 Urban Cohorts
- 8 Archer Auxilia
- Assassin
- Diplomat
- Spy

And since it's wishlist, all troops have been produced in cities, then retrained and even bribed away from their original owner if necessary to give the best possible starting experience, morale, attack and armour bonuses.

For a 'realistic' army...

- General
- 2 Praetorian Cavalry
- 2 Mercenary Scythian Horse Archers
- 8 Urban Cohorts
- 7 Archer Auxilia
- Assassin
- Diplomat
- Spy

I wouldn't bother with artillery, prefering the greater mobility. If I find a wooden walled city I'll try bribery and if the cost is too much or my diplomat fails, then I'll either build a ram & attack or starve the defenders out. For stone walled cities, it's bribery or starvation.

If I really had to have an assault army, probably the following...

General
4 Heavy Onagers
3 Urban Cohorts
2 Mercenary Peltasts
2 Spanish Mercenaries
2 Cretan Archers
4 Mercenary Hoplites
2 Mercenary War Elephants

The mercs would be used to roll back the enemy defences allowing my Urban Cohorts to casually stroll through the ruins telling each other massive lies about how they won the battle. Then I'd dock the surviving mercs a week's pay for having untidy uniforms.

[R3dD0g]

... And since it's wishlist, all troops have been produced in cities, then retrained and even bribed away from their original owner if necessary to give the best possible starting experience, morale, attack and armour bonuses.

For a 'realistic' army...

- General
- 2 Praetorian Cavalry
- 2 Mercenary Scythian Horse Archers
-...

I haven't bought any mercs yet. Are they still untrainable?

[Red Harvest]

I haven't bought any mercs yet. Are they still untrainable?

They are much improved:
1. You can't replenish the units...but you can upgrade their weapons and such.
2. You can merge mercs of the same type so partial units are worth hanging onto since you can bring units back to full strength by merging.
3. Mercs are regional, you will find certain types in certain areas.
4. Some of the merc units are nearly indispensible to some factions. And the missile merc units are probably a bit overpowered--they are much more powerful in their categories than what most factions can build.

[R3dD0g]

They are much improved:
.
.
.
4. Some of the merc units are nearly indispensible to some factions. And the missile merc units are probably a bit overpowered--they are much more powerful in their categories than what most factions can build.

I never much messed with 'em in MTW. They seemed like a one shot deal to me in that game. I would buy 'em for a battle then let 'em go.

But, if I can do the things you're talking about, then I will have to try 'em out.

[Oleander Ardens]

Buy them: my Armygroup "Asia Minor" only consists of mercs (Creshian Archers , Slingers from Rhodos, Heavy Peletasts, Barb. Cavalry, Thracian Merc) and some Phalangites, Milita Cav and Scythed Chariots. I play as the Seleucids vh/vh and have the money to buy and rule the world - a small change from the Numidian game

Silver Creshians and Rhod. Slingers are nice indeed...

OA

[praetorians cavalry]

In my previous campaign as the Julii,my best army is:
General unit
4 archer aux
12 Urban Cohort
3 Praetorian Cavalry
In siege,pick out cavalry and add heavy onager.
In my current campaign as the Carthage,my best choice is:
General unit
3 Sacred cavalry
3 Sacred infantry
13 Armoured elephant
In siege,pick out elephant for onager.

[R3dD0g]

Buy them: my Armygroup "Asia Minor" only consists of mercs (Creshian Archers , Slingers from Rhodos, Heavy Peletasts, Barb. Cavalry, Thracian Merc) and some Phalangites, Milita Cav and Scythed Chariots. I play as the Seleucids vh/vh and have the money to buy and rule the world - a small change from the Numidian game

Silver Creshians and Rhod. Slingers are nice indeed...

OA

Based on this advice I've started filling out my rapid response cavalry unit with mounted mercs of any stripe. I really like that I can take them to the armourer and get them retrained. That was my chief complaint about mercs in MTW. I would have armies with all gold armor and the attached mercs were still wearing paper maiche.

[cstuart]

Seleucid Army

1- General
2- Armored Elephants
4- Cataphracts
3- Archers
4- Silver Phalanx
4- Silver Legion
2- Ongars

Especially good against Romans!!!!!!!

Seige Army is the same. Crush the gate and sap one part of the wall. let your Cataphracts cut through after the Ongars soften up the defenders with a little fire.

Seleucid Empire is the most adaptable army in my opinion. Infantry, Cavalry, and Money!!!!!