scythed chariots

[Rodion Romanovich]

Reply regarding roman chariots: I read that romans used scythed chariots against Pyrrhus's elephants, which is slightly before the time of the mod, but it would have been theoretically possible for romans to continue the making of such chariots after that because they had the technology. The reason why they didn't was due to the weaknesses of chariots, weaknesses that aren't illustrated in the vanilla R:TW engine. I'd like it very much if EB could make the player realize why chariots became obsolete. First of all, they are useless in terrain that's only slightly more complicated than a field, secondly it costs more with 2 horses than 1, and finally their manouverability is restricted. Thirdly, they are harder to bring to the battlefield, and four: there were many very effective counters for chariots that made them less useful - for example letting the chariots through your lines by stepping aside etc. (an exploit of their lack of manouverability), but that function does not exist in R:TW. Oddly, neither does vanilla R:TW seem to add any penalty for chariots or cavalry when they are on steep hills, where they in real life would be less effective than on moderately steep hills. Chariots are more sensitive to steepness of hills than cavalry though.

In R:TW, chariots are sometimes MORE useful than cavalry, so if romans would get the realistical ABILITY to build chariots that would be an improvement for them, which is strange. It must be admitted though that a heads-on charge chariots to cavs would probably be won by the chariots or at least be suicide for the cavalry. A chariot charge to the rear of a pinned enemy formation would also do more damage than a cavalry charge to the rear of an enemy formation - during the IMPACT phase. During the coming meleé, the lack of manouverability would mean the chariots would get into trouble if the enemy formation didn't rout after the impact phase of that charge. So - it should be mentioned that chariots still had abilities and strengths cavs DIDN'T have. However in a cavs vs chariot battle the cavs would of course scatter and get out of the way of the chariots, then attack the flanks or rear of them (thus once again exploiting lack of manouverability), and easily win. Once again, this ability is not included in R:TW, if chariots charge your cavs you can't get out of the way. Oddly enough chariots are faster than cavs, IMO that seems unrealistic but for that particular idea I have no proofs/sources.

IMO the most realistic implementation would be to add ability for romans to build chariots, but on the battlefields it should be clear WHY the real romans, despite the ability, didn't produce chariots after some time between 300 BC and 270 BC. So the abilities to scatter formations and let chariots through them should IMO be included, maybe as a toggle button like "skirmish mode".

What do you think of that, and is it possible to implement?