What is your favorite unit?

**Quillan** · 05-18-2006, 14:29

My personal favorite is the legionary cohort, for all the reasons mentioned. Rome was historically infantry heavy anyway, and I usually play like that. My usual "field army" consists of 10 legionary cohorts, 4 archer auxilia, 2 roman cavalry and a general. I'll add more as needed depending on the foe I'm facing.

As to the engines, I've recently started using scorpions in certain battles, mainly because in my current campaign Armenia has become quite powerful (they took over the Parthian starting lands, the city of Seleucia, and two of the Pontic provinces.) So, now I'm up against a mix of crap infantry, decent infantry (heavy spearmen and armenian legionaires), crap missile troops, and gods on horses. My usual army wipes the field with all the infantry, but those cataphracts cause horrendous casualties whenever they get into combat. I hired a couple of units of merc hoplites, and had one of them run over by a unit of cataphracts (not generals bodyguards, just the normal cats). Scorpions have a longer range than either the ballista or repeating ballista, and does enough damage that if you manage to hit the unit, you'll kill 1-4 people with every bolt. It doesn't matter how armored they are, they die. Once the unit gets down to only 1-2 ranks deep it becomes much harder to hit, but until then you hit them regularly. I haven't had the chance to use repeating ballistae yet; I just finished building a couple of them but they haven't made it to the battle area yet.

**gardibolt** · 05-18-2006, 18:18

I love the Gallic Forester Warbands. Utterly deadly with the arrows, and more than once they've wiped out opposing armies fighting hand to hand for me. Gaul is a pretty worthless faction on the whole, but the Foresters make it all worthwhile. Four-five of those in a stack are quite dominating.

**professorspatula** · 05-19-2006, 01:31

Well with units' campaign merits taken into consideration, I'd go for either Hastati or Roman Cavalry. Hastati are a low level unit that's cheap and able to defeat most infantry units they come across. They're probably the most useful fodder unit in the game. Principes are a bit better, but you'll probably be able to train about 5 times more Hastati than these until the reforms take place.

My reason for mentioning Roman cavalry is that they're a cheap and easy to train cavalry unit that provides excellent support for the rest of the Roman army. Playing as the Romans I make sure the focus is on the heavy legionaries, so cavalry is a secondary concern. I don't even bother with legionary cavalry or Praetorians, just a couple units of these provides all the cavalry I require in most circumstances. To be honest they're a bit boring and I wouldn't say they're my amongst my favourite if it wasn't for the fact they're so useful in a Roman campaign.

**Somebody Else** · 05-19-2006, 10:30

Scorpions and Heavy Onagers - but then, I'm playing a mod which increases the number of engines per unit. Currently, I have armies where most of the work is being done by massed artillery and a strong heavy cavalry wing. The infantry, poor beggars, are just there to provide defense for the artillery (and occasionally get hit by stray fire-pots for their efforts).

Scorpions for their range and accuracy, but many are needed to make a significant impact. Heavy Onagers for the range and sheer chaos they can cause.

**Garvanko** · 05-19-2006, 22:07

Armoured Hoplites, Legionary Cohorts or Triarii. They never let you down.

**Severous** · 05-20-2006, 08:24

Hi

Equites were the cornerstone of my Roman campaigns. In vanilla RTW there are many who say the unit is overpowered and they mod the unit down in size and up in price. I dont mod it. It remains in vanilla form and these guys do well on all fronts except against the German Spears and Brit Chariots. Available early, cheap, fast moving, and retrainable. I had units with silver chevrons of experience by the end of the campaign (without temple upgrades)

Playing now as Egyptian I like the Generals. Chariot Archers with multiple hit points. These guys kill averything and are versitile. Only massed horse archers pose a big threat to them. Being so powerful a lone general can go up against small enemy stacks with less than 1to1 odds and earn heroic victory. Thus gaining more positive traits. Playing on vh/vh the rebels occur often and dont rout. They become target practice for the generals who by killing non routing enemy gain more experience. In 10 years of play I have a general with a gold chevron and 10 stars.

I too like the look of the Forrester warbands of the Gaul. Might try Gaul next campaign.