Playing Syle

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Playing STW my armies used to look more or less as follows:

4-6 archers (preferably with honour/weapon upgrades);

4 buddhist monks as assault troops;

6-8 (cheap) spears to hold the line and counter possible enemy cav charges;

2 spear cav to clean up the routers.

My technique was to concentrate all the archer fire at once on an elite enemy unit till it was thoroughly depleted, then move onto the next. Alternatively, just concentrate fire on the closest attacking enemy.

Once the enemy had been sufficiently worn down in numbers and morale, would then charge with my spearmen and monks, usually causing the enemy to quickly rout and then putting my cav to the chase.

I've found in RTW I've had to modify my strategy, due to the Romans' lack of either a decent spear or missile unit.

So my Roman RTW armies look like this:

Maybe 2-3 units of cretan archers or rhodian slingers at the front;

6 equites/generals cav units, evenly divided on the flanks;

The rest made up of Roman infantry, mercenary hoplites or merc inf.

Cav has now become the decisive arm, basically I try and use it either to ride down the enemy cav, or else to ride down the enemy missile units. By that time my infantry is usually engaged and the cav in position to deliver the decisive blow in the enemy's rear.