Quietus' Rome: Total War Guide

[Quietus]

IV. Battle Map

1. General
2. Sieges
3. Open field
4. Bridge Battles
5. Sea Battles
6. Cheap Exploits

A. General Battle Features:

Grouping Units– Always group your units during deployment (ctrl+left-click units then press g). A great basic grouping is Group I (left flank), Group II (center), Group III (right flank).

Groupings should reflect the physical arrangement of your troops in the field. This way, you won’t be confused during battles and your attack or defense will be better organized.

Just remember, flanks are generally for offense, while the center is generally defensive. Ultimately, it depends on your troop composition (which varies per faction) or even your own style (that you are most comfortably using). Lastly, Grouping doesn’t mean you have to order them together. You still have order them individually for a more effective battle.

Charge Bonus – A double-right click attack is a charge (barring units that cannot charge, i.e. Hoplites). Your unit will receive a charge bonus to their normal attack. Right-click on the unit card to see the value.

Shaken Units– these units are about to rout. Strike them once again to break them. Your own units should be blinking (in red numbers) if they are wavering or shaken. You need to pay close attention to them since they can rout at any moment. The faster the blinking the closer the unit is to its threshold.

Put a unit on “hold” or Guard Mode when wavering, especially during melee to make them last a little longer.

Grouped Archers– They do not fire on the correct units when ordered as a group. (Thx to hoom for noticing this first). You must order them individually.

B. Sieges:

Assaulting:

Pre-assault: Before assaulting, always have a spy enter the settlement. Clicking the settlement with the spy shows you the probability of him opening the gates. During the siege, there is an Icon to show you if the gates are open and the assault button is enabled.

Siege Weapon Units can also be used instantly, so you can assault city immediately without waiting for a turn to construct the Siege Engines.

Siege Points: Siege points are your army’s ability to construct siege weapons. It is proportional to the number of units in your armies. The more units you have, the more siege weapons you can construct.(see Strategic Map>Siege Points).

No Enclosure: A player is able to attack immediately when a city has no enclosure whatsoever.

Wooden Gates/Palisades: Use battering ram. Position your skirmishing units (on hold formation) in shooting range to drive the blocking enemy.

Wooden Walls:

Use battering rams. They also provide a second entrance to facilitate flanking. Make sure to breach close enough to the gate to avoid the archer towers. This is useful when the city have many defenders. Repair the wall after a successful siege.

Here’s a sample use of one battering ram.

Keep missile units close by to drive out defenders parking in front of the entrance (especially the phalanx and spear units)(diagram 3.1). Be wary of enemy Heavy Cavalry, for they easily rout units in a single charge. Once the enemy leaves the gate, run your high defensive units opposite the direction where defenders are retreating (diagram 3.2). This way, when the retreating defender comes back (diagram 3.3) - and attacks those defensive units you put inside - you can flank from the gate entrance with your other units(diagram 3.4). Note that the Hastati in the illustration should be on fire-at-will mode so they shoot the passing enemy. The archers and Velites you can order to shoot but once melee starts, halt them. Make sure that no enemy can flank your defensive units from behind as well (in this case, the Triarii1).

Diagram 3.1

Diagram 3.2

Diagram 3.3

Diagram 3.4

Stone Walls: Arrow Towers: There are two types: wooden and stone wall towers. The wooden towers cannot be turned off but they won’t shoot at your troops once they are inside. The stone wall towers can be turned off by running your troops through after climbing via ladder, a siege tower or through the wall itself.

Turning off these towers is crucial whenever facing a heavy opposition. They decimate troops at a tremendous rate.

Large Stone Walls: Ladders cannot be used on Large and Epic Stone Walls. Thus, do not bother building one as the build option is available. The ladder(s) will not appear in the battlefield (even if you construct them).

Epic Stone Walls:

Siege Engines: Be sure to study enemy composition and wall type before storming a city. (see Siege Factors). Generally, the smallest of units can operate any siege engines.

1. Battering Rams– Useless on any stone walls or gates. They are easily burned by fire arrows and never get close to the gates. (see Wooden Walls).
   
2. Ladders – Ladders are fast and useful when climbing lightly or un-defended walls. Troops climbing ladders are vulnerable to enemy fire, thus move them quickly. Use them to climb undefended walls section close but not beside the wall entrance.
   
   Make sure every single soldier have climbed off the ladder before ordering them to move again or the soldiers still at the ladder will climb down. Once on top, troops can fight hand-to-hand against any enemy defenders. There are three goals:
   
   1) Troops can turn off the arrow towers by simply walking through them.
   2) Remove any enemy skirmishers on top (they are deadly and can cause mass rout).
   3) Flank enemy defenders at the gates by climbing down any of the towers.
   
   You can help your troops by using Achers against the soldiers on the battlements. Make sure you position them out range of Arrow towers that are still active. All of these enable your main forces to enter the city gates. However, NEVER drop the ladder during deployment. There is a bug that prevents some units from picking it up again.
   
   Lastly, when approaching the walls, try to be perpendicular so the units won’t spend much time with the animations and ladders getting stuck to each other.
   
3. Siege Towers –They are far less combustible than the battering ram. Use them to reach skirmishers at the battlements and to turn off arrow towers. They are only useful when you have to force your way into the battlements. If there are many open sections, ladders are more than sufficient. In addition, ladders cost much less siege points.
   
   (Note that ladders are can only be used on small stone walls.(see Large Stone Walls)
   
   If you use a skirmisher unit (on fire-at-will) to push the siege tower, their projectiles will automatically shoot units within range!
   (see Arrow Towers).
   
4. Sapping Points – These are tunneling points constructed by your engineers. By far, the most useful when taking down stone walls.

Siege factors:

1. General’s rating – It determines whether you’re free to divide your troops and attack on numerous sides. Since only generals can rally troops and they give extra morale when they are close.
   
2. Troop composition – A balanced army means an effective siege.
   
3. Enemy Enclosures – The stronger the fortification, the harder it is to use battering ram. They burn easily. Archers on the battlements need to be taken out as well. Thus, scan your enemy troops with a spy before you attack.
   
4. Unit width –When storming a city, it is best to reduce your units’ width during deployment. It will reduce their tendency to clip walls and walk slowly since they try to reform all the time. The wider your formation, the harder the troops tend to navigate in tight corridors.
   
   Instead of this formation,
   
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   use
   
   WWWWWW
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Siege Tips:

• Opened Gates –When the gates are opened by spies, spread your troops. Put one unit to at least one of the gate (just as a ruse, but they aren’t meant to attack). The enemy will automatically spread their troops whenever the gates are opened. But concentrate on the main gate. This is especially useful in diverting enemy cavalry or phalanx units that
  
• Check the Timer – Always check the time whenever your battle timer option is enabled. Remember, you need to hold the city square for at least 3 minutes or kill every defender to win.
  
• Arrow Towers – Arrow towers that have been captured will automatically shoot at enemy units that are within range. You must pass your unit through of the towers in able to capture it.
  When doing melee on the wall, stay close to the arrow towers you have captured, and let them come to you so it will shoot at the enemy at the same time.
  
• Wall Collapse Trap – Enemies would invariable put their soldiers on stone walls. Try to force them to go atop the sapping point. You can position your soldiers near the sapping point thereby inducing the enemy to close-in. As the walls collapse, the enemy is taken down with it.
  
• Specific Path – Cities have specific pathways or walkways (units will avoid open spaces and limit themselves to narrow road). The units will always use this when you use the Right-click move function. To skirt this pathfinding limitation, use Right-click (hold) and drag mouse function (see Unit width). Therefore, you can specify where your troops are going.
  
  Especially in barbarian towns, Units will go around buildings when there are no specific roads. You can right-click drag and place them on a tight space (i.e. in-between houses). Once in position, they will move forward and not go back and use a runaround.

C. Open Field –

General Army Formation – It is a advisable to have a cohesive formation before battles to ensure a higher probabability of winning as well as lower casualty rate.

Here is a sample Roman Army Formation:


Note that the three archers should be layered and stretched into long thin lines enough to cover the 3 Principe. Due to limitation of the format, I have to write them separately. The Triaarii functions as the secondary blocker (see Blocker), that will serve to reinforce the Principe frontline when they waver.

You can also group them: Left flank as Group I, Center as Group II, Right flank as Group III. This way it is easier to manage battles (see Grouping Units). Of course, you can personalize your own formation and grouping depending on your style and army compostion. The message here is to combine Grouping with army formation to ease your micromanagement of troops in battle.

Note that this is not meant to be a historically accurate formation, but one that I’m using and that I find very effective. The basic idea here is to flank the enemy from both or either side. The center MUST hold at all cost for flanking to work and you can make that happen by using the blocker and pressing “guard mode” for the center units so the hold longer. This pincer movement is very important in TW games.

Double Envelopment:

A typical Roman engagement:


Rout and swallow the enemy. Note that the Velite is not to melee but to harass the enemy. In this case the Velite will shoot at Enemy1 and Enemy 7 while the Hastati and the Equites do the flanking.

Triarii’s role is to reinforce units that is wavering Your General can also do this if needed. If possible you can also use the General to help do the flanking. However, do this when the enemy has already commited to melee. You do not want your general’s life in a long arduous fight.

Special Formations –

• Wedge – Unit turns into a wedge-shape. While this is a good formation chasing down troops, it is not at all helpful in actually melee. Unlike STW and MTW, wedge isn’t ideal for flanking, since they do not penetrate through units ( and thus have very little impact if any).
• Cantabrian Circle –
• Warcry –
• Phalanx Formation –
• Testudo Formation –

Skirmishers –

• Long range –(Archers, Slingers, Ballista). These units excel behind defensive troops as well as troops have a secondary pila weapon. The strategy behind long range archers is to let the enemy come to you. They are also useful in targeting the enemy general from afar. In addition, concentrating long range firepower on a singe unit can significantly cause it to rout.
  
  Always have a defensive blocker for which the Archers to hide on. They must have a fairly good defensive ability so they can withstand enemy charges.
  
  Layer your archers from overlapping to prevent their own friendly fire (shooting each other). If you have different archers or slingers: The shorter range archers should be upfront, the long range at its back and the cavalry archers (if you wish to use them stationary) should be at the very back.
  
• Medium range – (ex. Velites, Peltasts). These skirmishers excel in small city assaults with wooden walls. They also very effective working behind powerful defensive units, like the phalanx. They work even better against phalanx units.
  
  “skirmish mode” OFF: Against other Medium range units (eg. Velites vs. Peltasts) or else they would not be able to shoot but only move away every time they are in enemy range.
  “skirmish mode” ON: In an open field periphery where they evade melee units on their own. Use them to lure enemy shock troops to your own shock troops on the wings. It is ideal to charge them from their back. Once engaged, charge them once again (preferably with Cavalry). Time your charges so they rout quickly.
  
• Short range – To properly use the pilum, do not right-click attack. Instead, enable Fire-At-Will and disable Guard Mode, then right-click drag to position them within striking range of the enemy. They will automatically fire.Although, you still need to micromanage them since they tend to charge on their own after two volleys.

Melee Tips –

• Clipping – Avoid clipping enemies by adjusting unit width. Clipping and enemy will usually drag that unit into battle and when you try to pull away, the unit makes some unnecessary maneuvers in and around the clipped enemy unit, resulting in their rout.
  
• Chase the Routers – Only cavalry has enough speed to chase down routers. Right-click (drag) and spread their width to cover enough ground. When routers are close to the red boundary line, overtake them, they will change direction 180 degrees from your current position. You can re-charge and again to clean up completely.
  
  Enemy units that rout will follow the general direction of the flag bearer. Usually, it is confusing to follow where a routing unit is headed under a mess of tangled units.
  
  Much like you own troops, routers will not rally (and reform) when there are enemy units close by. Especially on major battles, don’t lose sight of routing units (most importantly when the units are scattered all over the field. However, the more decimated they are the less likely they will rally.

Skirmishing Tips –

• Grouping Archers – whenever you group archers, click on them individually, and then order them to fire. There is a bug preventing them from firing at the correct unit whenever ordered in group.
  
• Right-click drag/movement – whenever you right-click-drag archers, make sure the fire-at-will mode is off, or else they will start firing whenever an enemy is within range and your move is cancelled.
  
• Retreating Enemies – Whenever the AI feels that it cannot win, it will withdraw its troops. Cautiously attack them at this phase. Charging at those retreating troops indiscriminately will force them to fight.
  
  For example, do it if it is Cavalry vs. Archers. But don’t just drive cavalry at the back of a full-strength Spear unit for it will fight back. The AI can also even decide to cancel its retreat and your troops will be caught out of a cohesive formation and it will cost you a lot of soldiers and even worse the battle.
  
  Always think of a scenario of what-if-the-AI doesn’t-completely-retreat? This way, you will be always prepared and successfully counter any of their abrupt maneuvers.
  
• Blockers – I would use this term for units that protect your foot archers/slingers and skirmishers. They must have high defense to be able to withstand enemy charges.
  
  To protect a long line of archers (see Skirmishers), you need about three blockers in deep rows, lined side by side to cover the archer’s width. The blockers and archers along with the generals would make up your army center.
  
  A secondary blocker should be positioned behind the archers to reinforce any blocker that is wavering or shaken. Your general can also be a secondary blocker. But do not use him early on, unless you are sure you can protect him or he is far from danger of quick death. Think of him as the last resort blocker since his primary melee role is to flank not to block.
  
  Blockers can also be used to protect cavalry. Since cavalry has an excellent charge bonus, they are best for flanking (for an instant rout and minimum casualty). Have a blocker close by your cavalry. Move your cavalry away for the charging enemy unit and then block. Then quickly drive your cavalry at the enemy’s back.
  
  Lastly, in all cases above, and barring phalanx units, ALWAYS charge back. Don’t let the enemy charge at your units while holding still (except for phalanx units). Meet their charge with your own charge, and then put your unit on “hold” or “Guard Mode” as soon as the charge bonus wears off.

D. Bridge Battles:

Attacking Bridges – The AI is easy to exploit during bridge battles. They will always chase your unit towards your side if you bait them.

Defending Bridges –

1. Line up your best defensive troops parallel to the mouth of the bridge. Use your shock troops, preferably with high charge value perpendicular to the mouth created by your parallel line of troops. Face the archers to the bridge mouth on “hold” and disabled “fire-at-will”.Line up your Velites behind the defensive wall parallel to the bridge. The length of your bottleneck/corridor depends on how many units you have.
   
   The idea is to create a box and constrict the enemy at the right time. In this variation, your troops parallel to the bridge are the defensive walls. While the troops perpendicular to the bridgemouth are your counter-attackers.
   
   
   
2. Alternatively, if you have a powerful, defensive unit – such as hoplites – then place them perpendicular to the mouth, instead, and your shock troops parallel. Hoplites serve as the bottle cap. Doing this without a highly defensive unit increases the risk of the unit breaking and routing. Hitting the enemy on both sides is more powerful than capping a single opening.
   
   
   
3. In addition, you may use ballista, onager or other similar contraptions to harass incoming troops and bathe them in fear. Be wary of friendly fire once melee begins and aim them at enemy troops that are farther detached from yours (preferably those still crossing the bridge.
   
   In the end really boils down to what troop types you have. Be creative in making the most out of your army.
   
   
4. Be wary of the presence of a second crossing point (river fords). The enemy can cross these points thereby endangering your army of being flanked if not noticed early on. (Thx to Oaty for first finding this).However, whenever the AI uses this, it recognizes when you they will be ganged up on the other side and will withdraw from crossing.

E. Sea Battles – The Sea battles section is in the Strategic Map.

F. Cheap Exploits: That are needed to be fixed in

• Siege Baiting The enemy will move out of the city when they are greater in numbers.
• Bridge Baiting The enemy will chase your units to your side of the bridge.

V.Miscellany

Miscellaneous Info

• A) Units – RTW>Data>Export_desc_unit.
• Temples – Sinner’s Temple Guide
• Buildings – RTW>Data>Export_desc_buildings
• Retinues – RTW>Data>Export_desc_ancillary.
• Traits – RTW>Data>Export_desc_characters_traits.
• Agent Retinue – RTW>Data>desc_agent_ancillary.

A. Bugs: Bugs that needed to be fixed in patch 1.3 or in the expansion pack (to date yet-unannounced)

Major:

• Castle Siege Cancel – Whenever loading a game, any castle siege by the AI is cancelled.(find credit at .COM forum).
• Movement Cancel – Movement is automatically cancelled whenever your armies or agents halts on the red-zone at the Strategic Map. Army pieces cannot move backwards.

Minor:

• AI Bridge routing – The AI always rout to the player’s side during bridge battles, making the battles less challenging.
• Port blockade bug – Units cannot be blockaded inside a port unless surrounded. (Thx to hoom for noticing this first).