Flaming Pigs, Wardogs and Gladiators

[m4rt14n]

I knew there was much commotion against these units in the beginning of the RTW release. 2 months down the line, has ppl been using them?

I knew wardogs has generally been accepted in an extent as route chasers or unit pinners, but how about pigs and gladiators?

I personally never use these two units, and doubt if the AI ever builds them. Full sized legionaries and Auxillia are way better in holding against Elephants (the unit that the pigs and gladiators were supposed to be used against).

Ive had some MP games in which my opponent fielded a full pig army with hillarious results (both in game and in my frame rate). But do they really serve any purpose other than marketing scheme? I mean I can see some RTS fan be totally excited to buy Rome just for pigs and gladiators and completely forgot about them totally after a single run of the game.

[KiOwA]

Pigs are not for holding elephants, but rather, scaring them into running amok. This they do pretty well, if they manage to run into the elephants, but they are simply not worth it against other units. Too specialist, if you will.

Gladiators are useful as shock troops, excellent at flanking. But I prefer Arcani myself, since they have additional ability to cloak anywhere. Perhaps they could add an 'enrage' ability, like berserk, which would last for a couple of minutes. Increased attack and attack rate, but lowered defence.

[LordKhaine]

The AI has used flaming pigs against my war elephants before to great effect. I was attacking in a siege, and used war elephants to lead the charge. Only downside was that the enemy had both flaming pigs and onagers throwing firepots at my elephants. An onager hit straight into the unit, and three elephants instantly burst into flames much to my amusement. Then the flaming pigs ran past them and they had had enough, and proceeded to run amok through my cavalry.

And people say the AI never uses onagers and incendary pigs? They do at least use them sometimes ;)

[Silver Rusher]

The gladiators should definately be used as rebel units though. In the Spartocus revolt, the gladiators couldn't find any better equipment than the gladium and the equipment they wore in the colosseum. They should not be available to the Romans though, definately.

Pigs... pigs... I don't know about them. They are a hilarious addition to the game but are probably not historically accurate. Oh wait, now that I think about it, they ARE accurate. The Romans did use pigs when dealing with carthaginians and other elephant using people. But that's about it. Pigs are however very useless in battle. They are costy, you can only use them once, and they often miss which means that the pigs are often completely useless. Actually wait: Are the people in a pig unit the trainers or the pigs themselves? If they are the trainers, do the units replenish after every battle? I don't use them so I don't know.

I never even knew the Romans used wardogs. I think the barbarians may have (in very rare cases) but I don't think the Romans did.

The one thing this thread should really be talking about is Amazons. Come on, they're a myth, and obviously just there to improve sales. However... they add an interesting twist to the campaign.

[m4rt14n]

It takes like 10 turns or somethin to get to the amazons from the outskirt of their province. And after that u get a useless province, that would never ever serve anything other than a gold mine... Maybe if that province can make u Amazonians, then I would bother getting it.

I thought pigs had trainers. I have horrible frame rates when I used flaming anything, so I didnt bother using them. Tried them once in Custom battle, but was annoyed with them running around all over the place. Also its very hard to retain gladiators in order to become any viable use.

Hmm.. only Julii have arcani right? Maybe if they had bows like the Hashishin in MTW I would try them. In that case, I never used Hashishin in MTW anyways, so lol.

[LordKhaine]

All the roman factions can get Arcani. And the pigs are realistic, since they were used against elephants. A waste of time against any other unit obviously. Wardogs on the other hand aren't realistic, and neither are gladiators fighting in the battlefield! I don't really mind the gladiators though, and I don't really use them. I'd much rather the archers get toned down, and cavalry made far more expensive. The unhistorical units don't really bother me. On the other hand the skewed balance of cavalry/archers vs infantry does bother me a bit.

And yes the Amazons are obviously a mythic unit. But they are just rebels, and they are tucked away in the north. I personally am glad they're ingame. They add something interesting to an otherwise boring and usually ignored area of the map. And it's not as if they have a major effect on the game.

[Unseen Potato]

Actually wait: Are the people in a pig unit the trainers or the pigs themselves? If they are the trainers, do the units replenish after every battle? I don't use them so I don't know.

The thing about flaming pigs, is that when they are ignited they run amok. And for some strange unknown reason the keepers also run amok together with the pigs. So when the enemy cavalry charges in and massacre the pigs , they massacre the keepers as well.

Actually the pigs do replenish themselves, but if you use them in a battle you will only have around 3 left of the keepers which means that ca. 9 pigs will replenish.

And yes the Amazons are obviously a mythic unit. But they are just rebels, and they are tucked away in the north. I personally am glad they're ingame. They add something interesting to an otherwise boring and usually ignored area of the map. And it's not as if they have a major effect on the game.

WOOT!!!! amazones!!??? in Rome total war!!!???
Why havent I heard of this!??? Where can I find them?????????

[m4rt14n]

Hyperboria province. Check ur map. Its the northen most city in russian steppes. only one access to the province. Will take u like 8 turns to get in and another 8 to get out. Completely utterly useless but fun nevertheless. :D