Should Carthage have archers?

**lars573** · 01-14-2005, 05:30

From what I have read the few archers that Carthage did have were recruited from Numidia. And that the troops drawn from north africa were though (by the Carthaginians anyway) to be superior to their iberian tribal levies.

**Kraxis** · 01-14-2005, 14:16

Originally Posted by lars573

And that the troops drawn from north africa were though (by the Carthaginians anyway) to be superior to their iberian tribal levies.

That was the Poeni-Lybian levies. You know Hannibal's african contingent of infantry. They were good, easily the match of Roman heavies, but in rather short supply. They had nothing to do with the Numidians.

**Barbarossa82** · 01-14-2005, 17:06

I appreciate that Carthage relied heavily on mercenaries for its armies and that's why they can't recruit archers or numidian cavalry directly. But shouldn't their heavy historical reliance on mercs (and their deep pockets) be cause enough for giving them easier access to mercs than other factions? Maybe they should get a bonus on the number of units popping up in other provinces, or should be able to train certain key mercenary types (archers, jav cav, scutarii) by themselves?

**Wrangel** · 01-14-2005, 18:47

Well as most other thing that seam a little out of order in this game they are fixed in the "Rome Total Realism" mod. For example Carthage is given archers among other things.

**Red Harvest** · 01-14-2005, 19:38

Originally Posted by Barbarossa82

I appreciate that Carthage relied heavily on mercenaries for its armies and that's why they can't recruit archers or numidian cavalry directly. But shouldn't their heavy historical reliance on mercs (and their deep pockets) be cause enough for giving them easier access to mercs than other factions? Maybe they should get a bonus on the number of units popping up in other provinces, or should be able to train certain key mercenary types (archers, jav cav, scutarii) by themselves?

If you go to the descr_mercenaries.txt file you can do much of what you have suggested. You can't give Carthage a higher probability in the various pools (relative to other factions), but you can increase the changes of recruiting some of the mercs they traditionally had. I've been planning to modify this file myself.

I've been thinking of adding Cretan archers to the "pool Sicily" Sicily already has access to Balearics, but Cretans were recruited during the Punic Wars as well by all three groups on Sicily...and are nowhere handy to be found. Another way that *might* work is to add a new pool for the province of Carthage itself. That way you could give access through the capital to merc scutarii and Cretan archers, etc. at a frequency you find appropriate. I admit I'm partial to the Sicily idea though, because it makes Siciliy more worth fighting for among the Romans/Greeks/Carthaginians. It was a real hot spot in the first two Punic Wars.

**Kraxis** · 01-15-2005, 01:22

Originally Posted by Red Harvest

I've been thinking of adding Cretan archers to the "pool Sicily" Sicily already has access to Balearics, but Cretans were recruited during the Punic Wars as well by all three groups on Sicily...and are nowhere handy to be found. Another way that *might* work is to add a new pool for the province of Carthage itself. That way you could give access through the capital to merc scutarii and Cretan archers, etc. at a frequency you find appropriate. I admit I'm partial to the Sicily idea though, because it makes Siciliy more worth fighting for among the Romans/Greeks/Carthaginians. It was a real hot spot in the first two Punic Wars.

Adding the Spanish Mercs at least to Carthage province would be fair enough. Carthage had a reputation for hiring mercs so naturally they flocked there. Even Barbarian Mercenaries could be added...

But the problem we face is that Carthage ends up using a lot more money on troops than everyone else, and Carthage is certainly not as rich as the real Carthage was.

**Mountaindew** · 01-15-2005, 09:08

i feel that archery is a powerful and decisive factor in this game, more than STW and MTW, and im a fan of archery...carthage should have access to archers...not just archers on elephants, but actual foot archers, but even better, horse archers.

but i guess that their lack of missile troops, is, as Maedhros, is compensated with their rather extensive range of melee foot and cavalry units...and remember that elephants, i feel, are crucial for any successful Carthaginian army...sheer power and speed against range and prudence...

hmm...shuld try the carthaginians sometime...currently computer is being fixed, so im using comps in internet cafes....