is it worth building arcani?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

They are at best quasi-historical, and were almost never fielded in the manner depicted. Of course, neither were druids or shreiking women so...


They can be fun to use, but against the AI you will have few opportunities.

In an open field battle, the RTW engine strongly preferences cavalry, so you're probably better off getting that. They aren't hidden when moving, so you either have to wait in your start spot (trying to predict the exact spot the enemy will hit is hard) or hope the computer ignores them moving to re-hide (which, being the AI, it sometimes does).

They have their uses in siege and in multiplayer (from what I've heard).

They are good ladder assault or siege tower troops, since they have 2hp and can absorb more damage going in without losing effectiveness PLUS it takes them less time to get up the ladders or tower. Their knives, armor, and high HP are excellent for wall fighting -- don' assault the square with them as they'll get mowed down by cavalry moving in the open.

In siege defense, you can use their hide ability to let them garrison a wall without getting shot at by the siege towers or archers below (at least until after the knife fight starts) OR you can set them up on the back side of a square through which the enemy will try to take the town main square and use them to sandwich a key enemy unit.

In MP, so I am told, some folks hide them in the middle of otherwise weak units to create a nasty surprise.

[Mattisius Carsonius]

Yeah, I usually put them inside peasant units, and throw them in front...the A.I. charges your seemingly weak front line with everything,a nd you swep your cav around the flanks to finish them off.

I only really use them with the brutii as wall stormers. For the scipii and julii, I prefer to use their gladiator units when taking walls with siege towers.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Yep, same concept, let the quantitatively smaller unit lead on the way up -- especially if their sole job is to run the circuit of the undefended walls. As long as you have 20 or so, they'll survive the odd flanking tower hits and win you the entire outer ring.

I love the Brutii glad's for elephant/chariot work, but they lag a little on wall assault, I agree.