Arcani

[patish]

I need help using this unit, playing the brutii i declared war on egypt and sent an army with 6 of these units along with legonary cohort and some cavalry the egyptians kicked my with those underweight skinny axemen !
what's the use of these Arcani, maybe i'm not using them right - they sure cost alot and take alot of time to build.
please
i need to restore my Dignity. ROMA VICTOR !

[hrvojej]

I'm not too experienced with them either, but a few suggestions that might help:
- they can hide anywhere; during deployment you can put them somewhere from where they will have a good flanking position later when the enemy engages your frontline
- they have 2 HP; very useful in charges with all the quick-routing going on; might even be useful vs. chariots?
- you can try hiding them and taking out the enemy general... if he doesn't suicide himself first, that is
- since they have few men in a unit, they're not very good as main battle line troops, rather use them in some or other auxillary role

[Productivity]

I need help using this unit, playing the brutii i declared war on egypt and sent an army with 6 of these units along with legonary cohort and some cavalry the egyptians kicked my with those underweight skinny axemen !
what's the use of these Arcani, maybe i'm not using them right - they sure cost alot and take alot of time to build.
please
i need to restore my Dignity. ROMA VICTOR !

They aren't frontline troops. They will never and can never replace legions.

[patish]

They aren't frontline troops. They will never and can never replace legions.

i used them to flank the axemen but they were faster and manged to face my troops, in frontal they are useless.
besides why should i pay more and wait for their construction when every unit (including twon militia) are good in rear attack.

[LegolasII]

they are mainly a defensive force i think.... not much for offensive unless u can get the army to charge u which then u have them hiding in a flank position then wen the army reaches ur main army i usually just surprise em from behind.

[Zorn]

A question coincerning their hiding ability: Does the AI see hidden troops, or can you really fool it? In many games, the AI has a super vision, and can see everything.
I have laid very few ambushes (on tactical map, that is) so far, but none of them worked really well. That doesn`t nessecarily mean the AI cheats, but I am wondering.

[hrvojej]

A question coincerning their hiding ability: Does the AI see hidden troops, or can you really fool it? In many games, the AI has a super vision, and can see everything.
I have laid very few ambushes (on tactical map, that is) so far, but none of them worked really well. That doesn`t nessecarily mean the AI cheats, but I am wondering.

As far as I can remember from MTW: the AI doesn't see your hidden units, and springing an ambush (units that were hidden suddenly charging forth) gave a temporary bonus in fighting the "surprised" enemy. With RTW I don't know any more.

[The_Emperor]

actually I had an ambush laid in MTW once and the Ai charged at that and not at my visible army...

The AI did see your hidden units in MTW.

[Productivity]

why should i pay more and wait for their construction when every unit (including twon militia) are good in rear attack.

Then don't, however don't blame the unit if you take too many of them and can't be bothered to experiment and find out how to use them.

[HarunTaiwan]

Yes, I always wanted to use arcani in city streets...specifically hide them in an alley and watch the enemy units pass on the way to the square, then the arcani close and kill from behind.

It hasn't worked yet.

[The Stranger]

duh if just put sime hoplites in a street and two cavalry in another the hoplites keep the main army busy and you attack them in the rear with your cavalry