Basic Tactics

[Kagemusha]

My reacent tactics for Seleucids.Works with both on offence and defence.Form up a pike wall.hit enemy to the both flanks with your elephants.Simultaneously move your Cavalry behind the enemy.Its beutifull to watch but make sure not to deploy your infantry too close to the enemy.Just let your Elephants do the work.those units that try to move forvards,destroy them with concentrated missile fire.And those who try to retreat or run,kill them with your cavalry.

[pezhetairoi]

Basic: Charge. :-D

But seriously, as a phalanx faction. Use phalanxes to hold the enemy in place either by staying in front of him and waiting for him to attack or simply attacking him, while cavalry works its way around the rear, simultaneously overwhelming any piecemeal cavalry units, and strike in enemy's rear. Tactics can't get much simpler in there unless you adopt the first line. :)

[Franconicus]

Holding the line, flank, hit them with your cav. in the rear - it is as simple as that and usually it works.

Didn't anybody tried a more complex tactic. Sometimes I try to seperate my army in two divisions and attack from the two flanks. Or I send a small protion to the side trying to make the enemy chase them and open its frontline.

[pezhetairoi]

I've done the deep battle method that Tuchachevsky came up with--spread out my units into a big random checkerboard, force the enemy to break up his force to engage all of them, then solidify my defence in all sorts of places, break into outflanking units or form lines as the situation allows, while all the while my cavalry is darting through they spread-out formations whacking them all shades of hell. Requires a lot of flexibility, a non-lagging graphics card, very fast scrollspeed and eyesight, but very rewarding to know that the enemy cannot divine my intent through my formation for the very good reason that I myself don't know (I develop the situation as it develops itself). That's the most advanced though. Other methods include Alexander's Gaugamela Echelon-refused flank attack, the all-out charge (I kid you not), the battle of manoeuvre that splits the enemy up, the tantalising withdrawal after initial contact that also breaks the enemy up. Also, one of the more rewarding ones includes Alexander's strategy against horsearchers that I have detailed on the Macedon thread in the guides.

[Franconicus]

Sometimes I tried to take troops back, just some yards to get the enemy in the position I want him to.
Problem is that the soldiers will not go backwards without turning. And they tend to panic.

[Lancome]

This is for the Egyptian players. Take your camel archers go around the enemy and shot them, while your main army Moves foward to attack them. Its very risky when the enemy has Cavalry but the camels have the ability to frighten horses . so i guess its ok.

[Gaius Magnus]

Here are a few tactics that I have found to be very effective:

I always form one main battle line, unless the enemy have elephants.

If the enemy has elephants I hold back 2 pockets of spearmen about 3 or more unit lengths behind the main flanks. Once the elephants start ravaging your main line, charge them with these reserve spearmen, surrounding them. This will usually take out the enemy elephants or cause them to run away.

Archers are one of the most effective units that you can have against most foes. I generally try to have at least 2 archer units, but as many as 4, depending on the situation. I put them in one line BEHIND the main battle line. They can keep firing as the enemy assaults the battle line and do not have to run away.

I always turn Hastati, Principes, and Cohorts to Gaurd Position AND Fire At Will. I have especially found Fire At Will to be very useful. Many times the enemy will try to bluff your main line into charging at them and your pila can make many kills on the enemy.

I also put all of my Cavalry, including the General on Gaurd Position, even when I am the attacker. In case these units are attacked simultaneously and you do not have time to adequately respond (or later in the battle when things get hectic) they are ready to take on an attack.

Always try to flank the enemy. Never let a prolonged head-to-head melee go on without you flanking the enemy, if at all possible. Always plan to have some of your units haul azz behind the enemy and charge then from the rear. If you are using hoplites or phalanxes for this purpose, take them out of phalanx mode, run as fast as possible behind the enemy, then turn phalanx mode back on and charge them from behind without mercy!

Onagers are very useful for attacking enemy troop formations. Of course, I focus on the enemy's best units. I almost never turn Onagers to "Fire At Will" except under certain circumstances when beseiging cities after I have already taken out all important defesive structures.

I have found that with archers the "Use Fire" setting does not work as well against some heavy troops as normal arrows. Especially against the heavier Phalanxes and Cavalry.

If I am attacking a well garrisonned city, and I feel that I might just lose, I use flaming ammo. This will catch buildings on fire and injure any troops that are standing next to the buildings when they collapse.

I never use siege towers or ladders against stone walls. I also never use rams to try and break into the gates of a stone-walled city. I have found these to be highly ineffective for my purposes. I always sap the walls, and generally I can take out some enemy units when the walls collapse beneath them.

While beseiging stone-walled cities, bring with you Onagers. I bring at least 2, but 3 or 4 is better. Attack all towers in the area you are assaulting. Then focus all of them on the gate house if one is in the area you are assaulting. Only move your sappers forward after the towers and gatehouse have fallen. This will avoid many casualties.

After you have taken out the towers and gatehouse, try to take down a section of wall with troops standing on top of it.

I also bring with me 2 or 3 archer units. These are useful for picking off any archers standing on the stone walls.

I almost always train the best units I am allowed. I do not mess with lesser units unless I can't afford stronger units. I have found this to be a good strategy.

A line of skirmishers ahead of your main battle line can often be useful. These skirmishers really seem to piss off the enemy cavalry. They always seem to want to charge the skirmishers. This is useful because it allows you to destroy the enemy cavalry right off the bat.

I always try to have a good set of cav on both flanks. At least 2 cav units on each flank, but preferrably 3. I don't even mess with missile cav.

If you have a reasonable amount of artillery or archers and you have a good chance at taking out the nemy General, do it. However, if you find that your archers are not having much effect against the enemy general, switch to their best infantry. Again, try to see if you have a better kill ratio without fire.

I generally use flaming arrows unless I am not making enough kills with them on each barrage.

I almost always use my archers en masse. It is amazing how fast 3 archer units can whitle a unit of infantry into a routing handful of screaming ninnies!