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  1. #1
    Festering ruler of Insectica Member Slug For A Butt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Thanks for the information Chuckle, but that is one of the oldest, cheesiest exploits in the game.
    It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work it out, and it kills the battlefield game stone cold dead. No fun in it mate, you may as well just use cheats too.
    Hey, if you want another idea, why not play MP and create a box of phalangites with archers inside? You'll be a really popular guy then in MP.

    .
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  2. #2
    Member Member El Diablo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Come on mate thats a bit harsh. It may be the oldest exploit in the book but there are some very very new readers here on this site. They may want to use that strategy to win an important battle so they can get underway in a campaign.

    Once people get a bit better at the stratigies then the probably wont use it.
    I don't - you obviously don't.

    The OP asked for tactics not a discussion of honourable ones v non-honourable.

    Anyway in Single player why not use it? You are playing to enjoy yourself, not someone on a discussion board.
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  3. #3
    sucks Member Punicus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    I suppose I will share my strategy for Parthia, as no one has shared theirs yet. Firstly, I barely use any infantry, ever. The only reason I might have a unit of them in there is because I need to get a ram to take down an enemy wall. If the wall is stone, I don't even bother sieging. I'd rather let them sally out (the fact that the units come out one at a time seems to be advantegous to a faction who relies on archery such as the Parthians).

    Now obviously the whole point of the Parthians is to use mounted archery tactics. So what I usually do is I will focus all of my fire on one unit. I demoralize them by doing this and when you have 10+ units of Horse Archers firing on one unit, the enemy unit will be gone in a few volleys - especially so if you are using experienced units. So unless the case of a full stack attacking you, you should be able to rout the entire army. Now, this is the AI I'm talking about - the AI is stupid, and any real player probably wouldn't wait around to get shot as if it's something fun. So honestly my massed HA technique is nothing to be amazed at. But in this way I've barely lost any battles.

    If your men run out of ammo, you could just head for the hills and end the battle with most of your men. But if the army is experienced enough, I will sometimes just do a mass-charge at each individual unit to make them rout.

    I'm not sure if this strategy is slightly different or exactly the same as everyone else's, but either way I figured I'd post it.
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    Deranged rock ape Member Quirinus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    I have a question about your phalanx box tactic-- what if the army decides not to attack at all? Even in battles with about even odds, I've seen enemies abstain from attacking superior positions such as higher ground, and just wait for you in another part of the battlefield. Wouldn't this pretty much screw up the strat?
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  5. #5
    The Scourge of Rome Member Spartan198's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Glad to see this thread hasn't died yet.

    Your corner-grouping manouver is very successful,Chuckle,and I did use it at first because I was a horrible commander,but didn't wanna auto-win my way through either. But it is also good when you're literally with your back to the wall and those cursed Romans are beating at the borders of your last settlement. It's definitely in my battle book (I'm creating printouts of all these formations putting them in a binder entitled "the Ancient Art of Warfare").
    Last edited by Spartan198; 02-06-2008 at 12:56.
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  6. #6
    Best Laugh on the Seven Seas Member Good Ship Chuckle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Quote Originally Posted by Quirinus
    I have a question about your phalanx box tactic-- what if the army decides not to attack at all? Even in battles with about even odds, I've seen enemies abstain from attacking superior positions such as higher ground, and just wait for you in another part of the battlefield. Wouldn't this pretty much screw up the strat?
    There are two options to this scenario:
    1) Make your battles have a time limit. If the enemy attacks you on the campaign map and then doesn't attack you on the field, then you've won after 45 minutes.

    2) If time limit is not an option, they you must cajole the enemy into attacking you. If you're a hellenic faction, send out your militia cav and throw a couple spears into him. See if that makes him attack. Or move your archers into postion, and fire a couple volleys into him, to rustle up some movement. And as a last resort, take your general and dance him around in front of the enemy. Nothing looks quite as tasty to the AI than your general all by himself.

    Almost always one of those will work.
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  7. #7

    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Yep, I still use the golden oldies. You know the ones, hammer and anvil types. very reliable. Plus the AI don't learn so you can keep doing it.

  8. #8
    Deranged rock ape Member Quirinus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Quote Originally Posted by Good Ship Chuckle
    There are two options to this scenario:
    1) Make your battles have a time limit. If the enemy attacks you on the campaign map and then doesn't attack you on the field, then you've won after 45 minutes.
    Haha, I usually uncheck that, because sometimes, my cavalry tactics against a superior force depends on tiring out the enemy, which takes a hell lot of time. I haven't actually tried the battle timer though, so I don't know if it matters or not.

    2) If time limit is not an option, they you must cajole the enemy into attacking you. If you're a hellenic faction, send out your militia cav and throw a couple spears into him. See if that makes him attack. Or move your archers into postion, and fire a couple volleys into him, to rustle up some movement. And as a last resort, take your general and dance him around in front of the enemy. Nothing looks quite as tasty to the AI than your general all by himself.

    Almost always one of those will work.
    Haha, yes, I remember that. The Gallic army wouldn't move from their wooded position, so I sent my general to play tag. They wouldn't move, and I was taking casualties from their archers, so I charged them repeatedly from the flanks, hoping to lure them out. The result? My general got speared by a javelin. My demoralised troops then proceeded to die in large numbers, rout, and generally make a huge disgrace of themselves. =(


    But I tried the phalanx box tactic in a custom battle with seven units of Greek hoplites, versus a full stack of Parthian eastern infantry and another full stack of Pontic chariots. It worked spectacularly. A particularly determined charge, though, almost broke through my lines at one point before they routed. Isn't it possible that an infantry unit with better morale and stats (say, a Roman legionary cohort) might actually break through by sheer numbers?
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  9. #9

    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Quote Originally Posted by Quirinus
    Haha, I usually uncheck that, because sometimes, my cavalry tactics against a superior force depends on tiring out the enemy, which takes a hell lot of time. I haven't actually tried the battle timer though, so I don't know if it matters or not.
    I always, always set a battle timer. Especially good for defending sallys. plenty of missile to weaken them, charge with cav then retreat using your speed to another part of the map. You win 9/10.


    Quote Originally Posted by Quirinus
    Isn't it possible that an infantry unit with better morale and stats (say, a Roman legionary cohort) might actually break through by sheer numbers?
    yes, them legionnaires, especially spec'd up with foundry and stufff can easily break your pike line. This ame as a suprise to me as I could not understand hoe a short gladius could somehow evade a very long spear.

  10. #10
    The Scourge of Rome Member Spartan198's Avatar
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    Default Re: Favorite tactics

    Quote Originally Posted by Punicus
    I suppose I will share my strategy for Parthia, as no one has shared theirs yet. Firstly, I barely use any infantry, ever. The only reason I might have a unit of them in there is because I need to get a ram to take down an enemy wall. If the wall is stone, I don't even bother sieging. I'd rather let them sally out (the fact that the units come out one at a time seems to be advantegous to a faction who relies on archery such as the Parthians).

    Now obviously the whole point of the Parthians is to use mounted archery tactics. So what I usually do is I will focus all of my fire on one unit. I demoralize them by doing this and when you have 10+ units of Horse Archers firing on one unit, the enemy unit will be gone in a few volleys - especially so if you are using experienced units. So unless the case of a full stack attacking you, you should be able to rout the entire army. Now, this is the AI I'm talking about - the AI is stupid, and any real player probably wouldn't wait around to get shot as if it's something fun. So honestly my massed HA technique is nothing to be amazed at. But in this way I've barely lost any battles.

    If your men run out of ammo, you could just head for the hills and end the battle with most of your men. But if the army is experienced enough, I will sometimes just do a mass-charge at each individual unit to make them rout.

    I'm not sure if this strategy is slightly different or exactly the same as everyone else's, but either way I figured I'd post it.
    Thanks,Punicus. I did manage to win a short Parthian campaign a while back, but my battle stats weren't good,though (don't ask how it's possible,but after I'd added together all my numbers,I'd sustained more casualties than troops I'd trained and hired! ). Oddly,while my standard battle plan (listed in my very first post for this thread) is infantry-based but cavalry-reliant (maybe I just feel more secure when my men have a wall of spears to fall behind),my infantry rarely engage past the common suicidal General's Cavalry charge,I'd never been able to translate it to any Eastern army except Armenia (which,coincidently,has phalanx-capable heavy infantry).

    My management of horse archers is also horrible despite my reliance on cavalry. Go figure?

    Edit: Mass charges are also a nightmare for enemy morale,especially when it's a phalanx or syntagma (aka,"Macedonian phalanx") marching toward them.
    Last edited by Spartan198; 02-06-2008 at 12:55.
    My Greek Cavalry submod for RS 1.6a: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=368881

    For Calvin and TosaInu, in a better place together, modding TW without the hassle of hardcoded limits. We miss you.

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