Gaesatae way too overpowered

**Fondor_Yards** · 04-03-2007, 16:29

Heh if you don't like them now, your lucky you weren't planning .72, when they were a lot stronger.

But even so, they aren't that strong. In a battle yesterday *me romans, they aedui*, they had 2 units of gaesatae, which is pretty average. The first unit lost about 10-18 men from pilum and a lot lost 2nd HP. My marian legionaries then brutally crushed them in meele. And what surpised me the most was they were the first enemy unit to rout. They had send 4 total to attack way before the rest of their army got there *1 gaesatae, 1 Batacorii, 1 Gaelaiche, and something else*, and the gaesatae went first, and the Gaelaiche held out the longest.

And for the other unit, that was their front line of this massive inf push fight. My marians were slowly eating them up in meele, when the cav hit their giant inf mass from behind and routed it all.

**Bonny** · 04-03-2007, 16:50

Just for a test, i have fought a custom battle on hard"

Maybe the problem is right here...

In costum battle the bonusses are being granted for both the ai and the player, so it makes no difference...

**Domitius Ulpianus** · 04-03-2007, 17:03

Originally Posted by Bonny

In costum battle the bonusses are being granted for both the ai and the player, so it makes no difference...

Ohhh did not know that...I never play custom battles...sorry my bad.

Anyway, as other have said...I use the same tactic to defeat "The crazy mob of sausage swinging warriors"

the same tactic I use for any other infantry unit. Soften with missiles (Even if you don't see them dying it doesn't mean it is not effective...it will at least remove 1 hp.), Engage, Flank, Rout and Pursuit. I swear it is as simple as it sounds.

**Pelopidas** · 04-03-2007, 17:42

The problem is also the use of a FULL STACK of Gaesatae, no ?
Use a full stack of Spartans Hoplitais / Thorakitai Agyraspidai / Parthan Cataphracts / etc... and you'll get same results.

Personnaly, I never use more than a few ultra-elite units, except for ropleplay reasons ( my Spartan army field more than two unit of Spartans, and my Athenian army had no Spartan but a certain number of elite hoplitais, and U never place more than 2 Gaesatae in my Pontics and Gauls armies )

Now, when the Gaesatae received no arrows, no slings, and charge on hand-to-hand fighting without a single loss, yes, they could be nasty...if the player doesn't flank them.

**O'ETAIPOS** · 04-03-2007, 18:21

Mind you Gaestae are on drugs. I do not know what they were using, but heard that Zulu wariors (obviously only some) were using some kind of poison, that made them almost super human - not feeling pain, not feeling fear, only what they want was to kill as much enemy as possible. At a cost obviously - they died after the battle in 1-3 days.

Info about them fighting with arm crushed by bullet for example, or big pieces of flesh missing are strangely simillar to those about Celts charging with sarissa through the stomach.

On the other hand do not underestimate skill in weapon handling. If you have seen japaneese martial arts (don't know name of the katana fighting one) this is how very skilled warrior of every era would fight.
If you reach enough high level, you need no armour, or more precisely there is bigger danger that armour will block some crucial moves than a chance that someone will be able to reach you with a sword.

For Seleucid Bodyguards there is one cure in pontic army - chariots. They are not too good for anyting else, but they cut heavy cavalry like no other unit. after while, or if they are loosing they should be reinforced by some cav and that's all.

**Ower** · 04-03-2007, 18:56

I read somewhere on this pforum, tahat the problem whit the generals, is in RTW 1.5, wich gives them more hitpoints, (unknow amout) wich makes them harder to kill, thats why you often see the on against all, situation.
Although they are hadr to kill, its posibble, and many times the first thing i do in battles.