How do you use Arcani/Praeventores?

**Mangudai** · 11-17-2005, 07:21

Arcani can hide almost anywhere and are strong melee fighters. However I have a hard time using their abilities in a meaninful way.

The only decent tactic I have come up with is to hide them a short distance from one of my flanks. Then hammer into the main melee and hopefully start a rout. Hiding them far out has never worked for me because enemies either won't come close, or will come close in too great numbers for the arcani to handle. I've used them in city sieges where 1 on 1 battles are common, but arcani are less good for this than regular heavy infantry.

I suppose you could lure the enemy into a nice ambush, but it never happens in my campaigns. By the time arcani are available most of the action consists of me sending heavy stacks to besiege cities. So I stick to recruiting Legionary Cohorts/Plumbatarii instead.

**Dutch_guy** · 11-17-2005, 15:30

well, I tend to use them on the walls ( siege battle ) and in the city streets - hiding and ambushing lone units.

Don't use them a lot, and if I use them its only in siege battles.

**Lord Winter** · 11-20-2005, 03:20

In MP batles many players us them as assains to kill the enemy general.

The player will advance them past one flank of their ememy pausing whenever an other unit starts to move towards it and then takes the general from behind. works the best in woodland areas were opponets cant use their calvery as well

**Upxl** · 11-20-2005, 13:45

Speaking of ambushing.
Does anyone use it on single player?

I've given up on arcani.
I used them when I was outnumbered.
Letting the larger part of my army battle for a while,...
When the enemy was getting low on morale/stamina I rushed them to their flanks.
Hoping the enemy would rout.

Sometimes worked, sometimes didn't

**Kralizec** · 11-20-2005, 16:05

Any time I try to hide something in woods or in grass (never used Arcanii, but I think the same applies), I've noticed different behaviour from the AI.

When I'm the defender, the AI usually rushes forward and attacks pretty much immediately. Incredibly stupid of course as the enemies will be tired before they reach my battle line.
However, say if you put 2 units of slingers in a forest left of your battle line ( so that they can fire at the non-shielded side of the enemy once they close) the AI's forces won't move, except for a single unit of cavalry wich will move to the forest where you hid your slingers, uncover them, prompting the whole AI force to do what it would normally do- rush towards your battle line.

So what do we have here? Before a battle starts you have the option of reviewing your opponents forces- ridiculous IMO because it ruins the surprise element- and at first it may seem to you that because the AI can't see all of the units you're supposed to have, it sends a unit of cavalry ahead to scout the place and find them.
Except for that it sends the cavalry straight to the place where you've hidden your units. Well blow me, how'd the AI know that

Seems like a half-assed attempt of CA to add intelligent behaviour to the game. The consequence is that it makes hiding your units completely useless in SP.