Gretai Threat

**white_star** · 08-13-2008, 12:45

Hi!
I am playing as the romani. My war against Swezboi is going extremley well. I hold the bridges in the helveti and Rhaetia provinces. And completley annihiaiated the army of Swezboi. Leaving their provinces more or less defensless. So now I have started the mopp up.

But to my suprise the Gretai attacked me. With decoys I managed to lure the invasion army away. And I scrambled a full army to counter attack/invade them. But to my suprice I was defeated. Leaving north of Italy open.

Even though If I interrupt my Swezboi invasion. I am still my army with get beated from the Gretai army. They simply won't rout. And even my extaordinary had problem fighting them. I am also in my Marian reform. So no more Extaordinari or elite cavalry

What is your tip how should you takle this crizis. Or is west rome fallen. And Byzantium rising? A bit eariler 210BC?

**Strategos Alexandros** · 08-13-2008, 12:58

How have you got the Marian reforms in 210BC? They aren't available until 172BC. What battle difficulty are you playing on?

**Tartaros** · 08-13-2008, 13:01

probably some elefants could help (if you own north africa).
as roman i always take some of this wood-elefants to send fear and chaos in the lines. worked really good

and also bow´s and stones.

**Maion Maroneios** · 08-13-2008, 18:08

Originally Posted by white_star

Hi!
I am playing as the romani. My war against Swezboi is going extremley well. I hold the bridges in the helveti and Rhaetia provinces. And completley annihiaiated the army of Swezboi. Leaving their provinces more or less defensless. So now I have started the mopp up.

But to my suprise the Gretai attacked me. With decoys I managed to lure the invasion army away. And I scrambled a full army to counter attack/invade them. But to my suprice I was defeated. Leaving north of Italy open.

Even though If I interrupt my Swezboi invasion. I am still my army with get beated from the Gretai army. They simply won't rout. And even my extaordinary had problem fighting them. I am also in my Marian reform. So no more Extaordinari or elite cavalry

What is your tip how should you takle this crizis. Or is west rome fallen. And Byzantium rising? A bit eariler 210BC?

Just to make some things clear, it's Sweboz and Getai. Not trying to play it smart or anything, but after playing EB for quite a long time you do have the tendency to get a little touchy when someone makes even such minor mistakes.

Anyway you seems to be in a position I have found myself quite afew times, with the difference of me being Makedonia. My tactics was to lure them to an open terrain, pin them with my phalanxes, rain death upon them with missile troops and hammer them with heavy and medium cavalry. In your case, I suggest you try and hire/recruit as many missile troops as you can. They simply can't stand up against intense missile fire (most of them have little to no armour, you see). Try and lure them to uneven terrain, deploy on a hilltop or any elevated terrain and wait for them. As soon as they approach, rain death upon them. When they engage your troops, fire some flaming missiles to demoralise them and they will drop like flies as well as rout easily. The rest is mopping!

Hope this proved helpful,
Maion

**Megas Methuselah** · 08-14-2008, 05:17

Most of the Getai troops are very much vulnerable to missile troops. So, like these good guys recommended, ankor (how do you spell anker?!) their troops with heavy infantry of your own, and send ranged troops to the flanks to shoot them down.

Keep in mind that most Getai troops are excellent anti-armour troops, as they all have those wicked falxes and such. Good luck...

**Rilder** · 08-14-2008, 05:34

Originally Posted by Methuselah

(how do you spell anker?!)

Anchor.

**duncan.gill** · 08-14-2008, 07:59

There is a reason that the standard Roman armies will struggle against the Getai - they have a whole heap of cheap falxmen with armour chopping swords that will dice up your expensive heavy infantry (which are typically the backbone of the Roman armies).

Get more slingers (celtic ones will do nicely) and take out all the falxmen before they reach your lines. Your heavy infantry then should have not problems taking down their other units.

**Chris1959** · 08-14-2008, 09:17

I too have just fallen foul of the Getai in the most beautiful battle I've fought in EB. The Getai attacked and I smashed a couple of small forces then their main army hit my Consular army outside Segestica.
I drew my mixed legions up in a nice Darth formation and waited! It was like the scene in Gladiator I could hear them coming and suddenly there they were bursting from the forest and smashing into my line! It was a close battle and I thought I had got them when I flanked their left but the cunning devils had held a reserve of naked spearmen and smashed into my flanking manouvre and that was the beginning of the end. Best battle ever in EB a full toe to toe for 30mins.
Strangely their army was mostly Boii swordsmen and Celtic axemen.
For me personally I've always felt that the Getai and Lusotanian are the hardest foes for Roman forces to beat especially if your armies are somewhat historical, I don't like fighting them!
Also the toughest unit in the above battle were the classical hoplites from Taras as part of the allied legions.