African Elephants

[The Errant]

And how do you do that? How do you rout a full stack with a unit of elephants and two charges?

The only reason elephants stand a chance, is because the AI isn't programmed to fight them properly.

rgds/EoE

Since you want to make sure your elephants get to see the action. That means keeping them alive during the battle. The AI tends to make your elephants priority target no. 1, sending both skirmishers and heavy troops, like the Galatians to hunt them. Always engage any unit going for you elephants with a unit of you own. Be especially wary of skirmishers and archers. And the Galatians.

Something else I've noticed when playing with elephants. Disable the fire at will button for any javelin equipped unit, like your skirmishers, Browncoats and King's Elites. I've taken more losses to elephant units from friendly fire, than any action by enemy troops. This is even more true once you've broken the enemy. Many times I have seen a perfectly good elephant unit rout some enemy infantry, only to be killed by the javelins of some overeager skirmishers of my own. They're there to break the enemy. Not to pursue. They tire easily and can't catch them anyhow. Used properly they're a war-winning force. They're expensive to hire and costly to maintain. DO NOT SQUANDER THEM!

I took this from my Sabaean strategy guide. It applies to elephant use in general.

Elephants are heavy cavalry. A shock force if you will. You can use them as a cavalry screen although I found they are better at breaking enemy infantry formations. Just remeber to flank your enemy and charge him in the back or from the side. Pick out the toughest most expensive enemy infantry. Line up your elephants and charge them in the back or side of their formation. Run your elephants trough that formation a small distance away. Turn. And charge again.
Once the enemy is broken pick out the next toughest enemy infantry and repeat the procedure. The combination of the fear they inspire, the massive charge and all those flying enemies will brake the hardest of the enemy units. And once that solid core of professionals is done with. You can be sure the levies aren't going to be too eager to stay and fight.
Keep you elephants from pursuing. Most casualties to their units comes from the pursuit. Light cavalry is better. Look out for archers with burning arrows and skirmishers with javelins. Don't worry too much about enemy slingers. For some reason they appear weaker against elephants than javelin skirmishers.

[Digby Tatham Warter]

I took this from my Sabaean strategy guide. It applies to elephant use in general.

Don't worry too much about enemy slingers. For some reason they appear weaker against elephants than javelin skirmishers.

Are you sure about the slingers? I remember my armoured, silver chevron Nellies being shot up nicely by them from max range, whilst I was distracted making a protective area for them, with my cav chasing down the enemy archers and javlineers.

[LennStar]

Are you sure about the slingers? I remember my armoured, silver chevron Nellies being shot up nicely by them from max range, whilst I was distracted making a protective area for them, with my cav chasing down the enemy archers and javlineers.

The Point here is weaker than javeliners. Don't get them under fire by anything, but if two units of javeliners get to shoot, you can forget your beasts. Slingers take at least a few shots to half your elphants. Three Hastati do at least the same damage in one volley. And units with a bonus against elaphants...