Numidian Campaign: those pesky Egyptians!!

[weejonnie]

Played some simulations on a Nile bridge defence. Have won with 8 archers against 2 X Heavy Chariots, 2 X chariot archers, 2 X hillmen and 2 X pikemen (not bronze). You do need the archers close to the banks of the river and close to the bridge to fire accross - and it helps having your infantry facing the bridge to avoid being halved by the chariot archers. A few bursts of fire-arrows usually does the trick for the chariots. Slingers aren't as good (or rather not needed - since you usually have sufficient arrows left)

The good news, for me, is that the other side will be attacking - and so have to cross the bridge.

[Vincent Butler]

Played some simulations on a Nile bridge defence. Have won with 8 archers against 2 X Heavy Chariots, 2 X chariot archers, 2 X hillmen and 2 X pikemen (not bronze). You do need the archers close to the banks of the river and close to the bridge to fire accross - and it helps having your infantry facing the bridge to avoid being halved by the chariot archers. A few bursts of fire-arrows usually does the trick for the chariots. Slingers aren't as good (or rather not needed - since you usually have sufficient arrows left)

The good news, for me, is that the other side will be attacking - and so have to cross the bridge.

Slingers will not always have the range to reach across the river, unless they are Rhodian or Balearic. I usually have slingers hit missile troops across the bridge, if I can, and the archers fire into the masses crossing the bridge. The roles can be reversed. Archers are just as good as slingers for demolishing chariots, but I prefer to save the archer fire for armoured units, as slingers are less effective against them; my slingers hit the light units.

I almost never attack across a bridge, but rather let the enemy attack me. I always like to have an Onager in case the enemy has one; one flaming projectile hit can wipe out twenty men or better, so I use the Onager to provide counter-artillery fire. Also support, but then the Onager is flush against the rear of my troops, as I have had my Onager on flaming projectiles hit my own troops on a particularly bad shot and wipe out a lot of men. I use flame against infantry because if you do land a hit, you will wipe out as many or more than combined hits without flame, even though you may get more hits without flame.

Enemy missile units in general will line up on the opposite banks to fire at you. Slingers will not always be able to fire back because of range, as I said earlier. That is really nice.

[ReluctantSamurai]

cannot build more than ports, although I can use shipwrights/ dockyards when build before I arrived

You should check your "export_descr_buildings" directory. In the "building port_buildings" section under shipwrights/dockyards, there is a list of factions that can build them. IIRC, Numidia's capabilities in this respect, are lumped in with Carthage. Every faction has the capability for Shipwrights, no exceptions. Only Carthage, Eastern, Parthia, Greek, and Roman, are listed for Dockyards. I've played a Numidian campaign several times, and I can tell you I could construct dockyards and recruit quinqueremes

there is no law and order temple

The Temple of Baal is as good as it gets for the Numidians...20%/20% Law/Happiness. Not as good as some Roman or Greek temples, but better than a lot of barbarian cultures

Where is your capital? A screenshot of the extent of your current empire would be helpful in determining the best place to put it

You do need the archers close to the banks of the river and close to the bridge to fire accross

I would highly recommend that you keep your archers away from the river bank. Since Shogun I, the best arrangement for bridge defense is a wide semi-circle where the infantry is far enough from the river to not incur arrow fire from the opposite bank. Position your archers on the outside edges of the semi-circle facing inwards towards the bridge (and behind the infantry). If you are facing multiple stacks, try and keep at least two archer units in reserve for when the initial defenders run out of arrows. Remove the fire-at-will, and have them tactically grouped into two units. The reason for this is that when troops exit the bridge on your side, they typically turn right or left trying to flank you (which they can't). Arrow fire from the rear (or side) is twice as decimating as frontal fire...so activate the group that hits them in the rear when they turn.

Keep your cavalry to the outside & rear of the semi-circle to "escort" routers off of the battlefield

Using this method, on occasion, I've managed to kill every single attacking soldier, even with multiple attacking stacks.

All that practice in Shoggie I served me well in RTW

Also, (sorry, RS), don't scorn to use slingers against light infantry, and they also will help against chariots.

No need to apologize Just a matter of preference...

[weejonnie]

You should check your "export_descr_buildings" directory. In the "building port_buildings" section under shipwrights/dockyards, there is a list of factions that can build them. IIRC, Numidia's capabilities in this respect, are lumped in with Carthage. Every faction has the capability for Shipwrights, no exceptions. Only Carthage, Eastern, Parthia, Greek, and Roman, are listed for Dockyards. I've played a Numidian campaign several times, and I can tell you I could construct dockyards and recruit quinqueremes



The Temple of Baal is as good as it gets for the Numidians...20%/20% Law/Happiness. Not as good as some Roman or Greek temples, but better than a lot of barbarian cultures

Where is your capital? A screenshot of the extent of your current empire would be helpful in determining the best place to put it



I would highly recommend that you keep your archers away from the river bank. Since Shogun I, the best arrangement for bridge defense is a wide semi-circle where the infantry is far enough from the river to not incur arrow fire from the opposite bank. Position your archers on the outside edges of the semi-circle facing inwards towards the bridge (and behind the infantry). If you are facing multiple stacks, try and keep at least two archer units in reserve for when the initial defenders run out of arrows. Remove the fire-at-will, and have them tactically grouped into two units. The reason for this is that when troops exit the bridge on your side, they typically turn right or left trying to flank you (which they can't). Arrow fire from the rear (or side) is twice as decimating as frontal fire...so activate the group that hits them in the rear when they turn.

Keep your cavalry to the outside & rear of the semi-circle to "escort" routers off of the battlefield

Using this method, on occasion, I've managed to kill every single attacking soldier, even with multiple attacking stacks.

All that practice in Shoggie I served me well in RTW



No need to apologize Just a matter of preference...

My capital is in Africa - the town to the South-East of Thaspus - I suppose I should move it to Croton/ Syracuse. That way it won't be too far from Carthage but Italian towns will benefit.

THink I will split the game:

1) Carry on as now (try and save Jerusalem/ Sidon)
2) Try and set up Nile Bridge Defence
3) Abandon Sidon and use forces to attack Tarsus/ Helicarnassus - keep on the Greek Campaign
4) As 3 - but transport forces going down Greece over to Turkey as well - Use Patavium as backstop.

My aim in Turkey is probably to destroy the towns as Military Bases and then move on to the next - not to worry if they revert to rebels, as rebels can't co-ordinate. My advantage will be that I can destroy towns in Turkey faster than Pontus can build them up in the Nile Valley/ Judea. Win Seige, Exterminate Town, Retrain 7 and recruit 1 unit. Next turn: destroy infrastructure and move on.

[ReluctantSamurai]

the town to the South-East of Thaspus

Lepcis Magna. A city on Sicily, or Croton might be more centrally located. If you own all of Greece, Athens makes an excellent capital, though your Spanish conquests won't like that too much

I believe in the "Distance-to-Capital" thread above, there is a link with an interactive map that shows you the penalties to every city on the map based on the city you choose for your capital. After awhile it just becomes intuitive as to where to place it, but it's good to know what the actual numbers are

[weejonnie]

Lepcis Magna. A city on Sicily, or Croton might be more centrally located. If you own all of Greece, Athens makes an excellent capital, though your Spanish conquests won't like that too much

I believe in the "Distance-to-Capital" thread above, there is a link with an interactive map that shows you the penalties to every city on the map based on the city you choose for your capital. After awhile it just becomes intuitive as to where to place it, but it's good to know what the actual numbers are

Thanks for that - also corruption with Numidia is horrendous. (Read the profile about corruption - now going to build law and order buildings and forget about acadamies)

Addenda

Changing Capital really worked - thanks - now 10K a turn instead of 4K = more growth + recruits

Re: corruption.

Although the maximum level of corruption tapers off, it would appear that the algorithm is:

workout out level of corruption based on distance.
Subtract/ add law facilities/ traits.
If result > 60% then result = 60%

Meaning that for towns a long way away, increasing law and order may not actually (at least initially) result in any reduction in corruption.

Re: Pontus

Fortunately the AI is pretty stupid - I was stuck in Jerusalem with a few archers/ legionaries/ desert infantry and missile cavalry and 'sallied forth' - to discover that I had not one, but two stacks of enemy to handle. Including Onagers (why they never used them the turn before I don't know).

The main enemy lined itself up in front of one gate - within reach of archer fire, so after getting rid of the chariots/ onagers and using all my arrows, I basically let the natural city defences kill the enemy. The same happened with the other army - so the final score was something like 1900 troops killed (I had a platoon of archers outside the city by mistake - they routed 3 or 4 groups before being routed themselves.

Basically, until the cavalry sallied forth at the end to wipe out the remnants, my 'sallying forth, consisted of opening the gates by 'attacking' with one unit so the enemy moved (making them more vulnerable to archers), and then closing them again by retreating back to the city.

I now have 7 or 8 small groups of Pontus troops dotted around the Middle East, who don't seem to be doing anything.

Update.

Things are moving on - I now just let Pontus seige Sidon/ Jerusalem knowing I can defeat them. In the meantime I have captured Rhodes (from the Scipii) and am beseiging Helicarnassus (Pontus). Hope to grab at least another city before Pontus can bring their forces back (In which case I will squeeze them in the South by taking Damascus and Antioch). The Greek position is interesting - the Brutii have two (Athens/ Larissa) and the Scipii Corinth (big stack) and Sparta (wide open). this reduces the forces the Brutii can send against Thermon Thrace is the major Greek culture survivor (5 provinces) and has kept the Brutii from the Black Sea. In Africa Memphis is still a pain (large rebel stack), but am about to kick the Scipii from their sole bastion.

Update

Captains Log: Startdate 199BC - going West to East

The alliance with Spain has lasted 60 years. Spain is fighting Brittania. This has been a Godsend as I have not had to worry about Tingi.

Brittania has won the battle of the Barbarians and now occupies all of Britain and Transalpine Gaul (other than the province in the South east which the Julii still occupy on my sufferenace as a 'buffer state') and the town to the North of Patavium.
.
The Brutii have expanded in central Europe. Germania and Dacia no longer exist. However their southernmost town is Bylazora! So presume they are really hurting finanically with no access to the mediterranean.

Greece is now entirely Numidian. As Larissa, Athens,Sparta denuded themselves of garrisons in turn, quick surgical strikes removed them. (Appolonia I starved out). Thrace is being bellicose but after Pontus seems quite manageable. With no threats in Southern Greece, I can concentrate on building armies to move northwards.

As may be surmised, the Scipii are now dead. A large garrison in Corinth moved out towards Athens leaving the city relatively undefended. A couple of onagers and that was that.

The forces accross the Mediterranean acted rather strangely - there were about 5 stacks of troops but all they seemed to want to do was to go home - instead of recapturing the town. I very kindly let them board ships - and then sank them. I still have a couple of very large rebel forces left - but my experience is that they don't beseige towns.

Moving accross the Adriatic into Turkey, Three Pontus cities have been taken and basically this has cut down the threat - I now am beseiged by weaker forces numerically.

In Egypt Memphis has now been recaptured - took a couple of blows to do it and I just let the AI sort it out. This obviously has knock-on effect for Jerusalem/ Sidon which are now easier to control.

The faction Egypt is no more - the faction leader seems to have set out with suicide in mind - anyway he arrived alone with his bodyguard chariots and 4 sets of archers dispatched him. Of the last two towns (both rebel now of course) I took one and, despite Pontus besiging the other, it was actually Parthia that took it. First time I have seen any action from that faction. If I do go to war with Parthia then it will defintely be missile-based armies I send.

Current plans - set up armies to face Britannia - probably with desert infantry to combat the warbands. Keep the Brutii/ Thracians at arms length (possibly take Byzantium). Continue to take Pontus coastal towns and Antioch/ Damascus. (Damascus is still a town). If I hold Antioch (will be able to move forces from Sidon/ Jerusalem to buffer it) then Pontus will have lost half its major cities - it has already lost all its Mediterranean trade.

Overall - 7 cities to take. 4 are on my shopping list (Antioch/ Damascus/ Byzantium/ - and the city opposite it.) The fifth will probably be the last Julii holdout - and will starve them provided Britannia don't interfere. The last two will be as circumstances provide.

Thoughts on performance etc

1) with forces that aren't the best in the world, the best way to take cities is naval strikes and use Onagers to prevent battles with reinforcements. I haven't used onagers previously, preferring sapping, since they are slow to move - the extra turn needed for sapping is usually the extra turn (or more) to get an army with onagers to the town.

2) Numidian archers aren't the best in the world either- but they are very cheap, can be recruited virtually anywhere. Numidian Legionaires have been of limited use so far since they take two turns to recruit and aren't as useful against Roman forces as cavalry. They should be useful against Brittannia though. (No phalanxes/ archers).

3) You have to tailor your armies to meet your opponents - against the Romans (no spears) cavalry is marvellous. Against Pontus you need archers and infantry, with only a little cavalry, as they have more missile troops and spears/ phalanxes

4) The inability to construct more than ports certainly held me back - but at least you can build triremes/ quinquiremes in the places that do have shipwrights/ dockyards - don't know if this is by design or a bug in the data sheets.

Captain's log - 183BC

Spain are still allies - although it was galling losing a 10* command Spanish general in a fight with Britannia before my forces (appearing as reinforcements) could get there to support him on the battlefield.

Britannia has lost their sole port on the Mediterranean sea. Otherwise no movements - other than a few stacks being destroyed.

Carthage is no more. Palma (their last holdout) was invaded by both Spain and myself - but I attacked first. Similarly the Julii have gone the way of Nimevah and Tyre.

The Brutii have been kicked out of Bylazora and now are presumably shivering in the wastelands of central/ eastern Europe. (I have seen no post-Marius troops, presumably the conditions were never met).

Thrace is down to three territories (all inland) - well defended.

Pontus (despite Tarsus rebelling back to them) is down to one small town (I have it on my list). Scythia, Armenia and Parthia are small and the distance between the cities slows down any expansion.

Basically I am like Alexander, crying because there are no more places to conquer.

Captain's Log 162BC

Pontus is no more - I destroyed their last town.

Spain broke the Alliance - and are now history (took Corduba from Tingi and poured in from Southern Gaul) - Those Bull Warriors can be nasty - about the only thing to deal with them cheaply is to send several units of cavalry into them so their brown trousers become even browner.

Brittanica is wiped out - I sent a massive fleet round Spain/ France to take out Londinium and without the Channel trade they couldn't finance the war - then it was a case of just fighting 2-stacks V 1 stack. I don't like close battles, I prefer heavy odds in my favour.

Thrace is wiped out - I besieged their remaining Cities and wiped them out with archers when they sallied forth.

Scythia is no more - two territories were wiped out without trouble.

I chased the Brutii out of Germanica and finally took their last town of Themiskyra - that mythical place at the top. (In fact I killed the faction leader in a fight just before reaching it - so it had rebelled - with British Chariots) - it was amusing getting rid of 15 fleets of ex-Brutii ships.

Memphis rebelled (again) but my army of 2400 peasants recaptured it.

If you're paying attention (short quiz next period) you will know that I am down to Parthia and Armenia. Am just playing for fun (autoresolve). Both are down to 3 cities so the game will be over in time for Christmas.

TBH I am not garrisoning cities effectively, leaving too many crack troops in them instead of using them to spread the gospel. I have about 10 stacks of troops pouring into Parthia which, IMHO is overkill (Using Patavium as a staging post as it is a huge city with a foundry) I have one city with a huge temple of hercules (+3 experience) but as it is always close to rebelling I can't really use it.#

Captain's Log 145BC

From sunrise to sunset the world is Numidian. (Stopping recruiting really boosted income - was running at 64K a turn) - Neither Armenia, Nor Parthia offered much resistance - I just autoresolved every battle (lost a couple but I always had a few armies up the sleeve) and waited for the enemy to starve on seiges (which is why it took so long). One city rode out against me, but about 10 troops of archers wiped them off the map (they ran out of arrows).

Next Faction: Pontus - Looks as if I should head West to take the Bosphorus. That should give sufficient income to get started.

[Vincent Butler]

I have a Julii campaign, and Greece took out Egypt, all Egypt had left was Salamis, before the Scipii then took out Greece. Not liking this; Scipii and Brutii both powerful, I am not doing great financially, so if one of them starts the civil war, I am not ready for this. But anyway, I have only seen one other non-Roman faction take out Egypt, and that was Pontus, who made it all the way to Carthage. By the way, with only Salamis left (I don't think in that turn they had any other cities), Egypt was the most advanced faction. Go figure.

[weejonnie]

I have a Julii campaign, and Greece took out Egypt, all Egypt had left was Salamis, before the Scipii then took out Greece. Not liking this; Scipii and Brutii both powerful, I am not doing great financially, so if one of them starts the civil war, I am not ready for this. But anyway, I have only seen one other non-Roman faction take out Egypt, and that was Pontus, who made it all the way to Carthage. By the way, with only Salamis left (I don't think in that turn they had any other cities), Egypt was the most advanced faction. Go figure.

I never really bother with 'most advanced faction' - presumably it just works out the average development of all the cities that a faction has. This may mean, for instance, that if you capture a 'large town' then another faction becomes the 'most advanced'.

With regards to the civil war - when I played the Julii and realised I was getting too popular/ unpopular, I surreptitiously moved my forces into Greece and then Blitzkrieged the Brutii before the civil war officially started. The Scipii in that game had a lot of forces in Africa, which I just blockaded. Take out Greece and you get all the money and leave the Brutii with scraps.

(In my current Numidia Game, I took out the Brutii in Italy, which left them Greece, took them out in Greece, forcing them northwards and am now continuing pushing them North - they have a lot of towns, but basically small small ones in what was Germanica. It is 183 bc and it looks as if the Marius reforms never took place - I took out Italy very quickly (basically as soon as Carthage fell))

(Spain declared war on me - the traitors. SO I have taken out Cordoba (besieged but will hold), besieging Carthago Nova and just thrashed 6 armies in 3 battles in the Pyrennees. I decided to release my trained forces from garrison duty by recruiting pheasants and have something like 10 full stacks rushing around - Thrace's two remaining cities are besieged by 1 1/2 stacks. However the game is basically over.)