Favorite tactics

[whtdoesitmatta]

the best tactic is to warcry with bezerkers.

[Hannibalbarc]

So that they run head on into a bunch of Spartan phalanxes.

[whtdoesitmatta]

Mine have never seen a phalanx other than my own.The Greeks only exist in Asia Minor and Rhodes.

[Hannibalbarc]

Well if thats the case, berserkers rule.

[whtdoesitmatta]

Lol, ok some new fun bezerker stories,
I play on Medium size so I only get 12 each unit card(not a funny story).

First I tested 1 bezerker unit vs 1 spartan unit, and bezerker won 35/41dead-6/13 dead.

During my current Germania campaign
Second I had 7 units of bezerkers hiding in a forest, with 3 spear warband behind them along with, one gothic cav, and one chosen archers.

As soon as they become unhidden I unleashed their super power.
Marched toward the enemy with spears. My Cav went around crushing pelasts and such.

I win with a Heroic victory. Killing 320+ with the bezerkers out of the 650+ stack. Another hundred with Cav, and rest split between escaping and other units.

Bezerkers are godly, and make the game so much more fun, especially when you forget about reinforcements and they all start charging, and you have to go save them.

[The Wandering Scholar]

The besekers beat the spartans head on?

[whtdoesitmatta]

Yeah, I watched the replay and they seemed jump over the spears and hammer away.

[Spartan198]

The besekers beat the spartans head on?

They have on numerous occasions during my campaigns. Now,I just sic archers and cavalry on them,instead of risking my phalanxes.

[whtdoesitmatta]

yea what kills them is those dam Pilas as they charge the romans, because it knocks down a hitpoint.

[The Wandering Scholar]

Am i right in thinking that beserkers have a really weak defense and missiles will take them out?

[Quirinus]

Yes. In fact the best strategy against berserkers is to just pepper them with arrows/javelins/anything pointy and light. They're like falxmen, on steroids. Wait a minute, they are falxmen on steroids.

[Hannibalbarc]

Berserkers beat spartans head on? strange, well in my version they don't, I can can even beat them with poeni infantry, as long as they don't get flanked.

[The Wandering Scholar]

Yes. In fact the best strategy against berserkers is to just pepper them with arrows/javelins/anything pointy and light. They're like falxmen, on steroids. Wait a minute, they are falxmen on steroids.

[The New Che Guevara]

As I've started a new campaign as Greece, I've discovered the amazing ability of Phalanxes.

Simple tactic I know, but just march phalanxes towards them, It helps when playing as the Greek Cities. Defending a settlement, I'd just shove a Phalanx infront of the entrance and watch them come in. I've got Sardis being besieged by the Egyptians. The last time my phalanxes went against chariots I was laughing as their chariots rode through my phalanxes, in the course losing both their horse and rider. I really cant wait for this defence. So I've decided to let them keep sieging it as I know they will try and attack. My plan is slightly full proof.

[gaiusmarius8]

This is my usual battle formation when I was playing Germania...

WWWWWWW WWWWWWW
WWWWWWWWWWWW

C AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA C
CC AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CC
CCC CCC
CCCC GGGG CCCC


C: Cavalry
W: Spear Warband
A: Axemen
G: General


I put some warbands out diagnal to my main spearwarband line, I enclose the enemy for the most part to win.

[The Wandering Scholar]

A tactic I used on multiplayer as macedon was this:

CCIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICC
CC AGA CC

Letters are pretty self-explanatory, I don't really know if it is effective as my opposition just warcried and charched into my spears, idiot.

[TruePraetorian]

Since we are using letters




Romans:


SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

555 444 333 222 111111
CCC AAA 666 777 888 999 000 AAA CCC
OOO OOO
GGG






Numbers - Legionary Cohorts. 1 is first cohorts OR a double cohort (two side-by-side)
AAA - Infantry Auxillia or Mercs.
SSS - Skirmisher
RRR - Archers
CCC - Cavalry
GGG - General
OOO - Onager/artillery

When my archers start firing, i turn off my onagers. I then advance all units (except onagers, archers, and skirmishers) forward. The skirmishers are on skirmish, but not the archers. I then move my double line so my archers are in the middle of my Cohorts. My skirmishers stay infront, and just retreat when they need to. First row of infantry is set on guard and fire at will. I check each unit, when one or more say shaken, i set rear row to fire at will. They throw, then I charge with my second lines. I then retreat my first lines slowly, and line them up behind in the same fashion. Then I repeat

[Emperor Mithdrates]

I'm looking to expand my battlefield knowledge,so I was curious as to what different strategies and tactics you all use? This includes everything battlefield-related,even the types of units that make up your own preferred army configuration.

I (if i'm playing as Carthage) get....

10 Sacred band hoplites
6 Iberian infantry
1 Generals Unit

Right, first I get 4 of my hoplites and arrange them like a hedgehog formation around my general then I put the other 6 units in a line facing the enemy army with 3 of my iberian infantry on each side. Then I advance my hoplites towards the enemy line and while their doing that I sneek my Iberians around the back of their line and rip their hoplies or whatever to shreds.

And for them....

[Spartan198]

I (if i'm playing as Carthage) get....

10 Sacred band hoplites
6 Iberian infantry
1 Generals Unit

Right, first I get 4 of my hoplites and arrange them like a hedgehog formation around my general then I put the other 6 units in a line facing the enemy army with 3 of my iberian infantry on each side. Then I advance my hoplites towards the enemy line and while their doing that I sneek my Iberians around the back of their line and rip their hoplies or whatever to shreds.

And for them....

If I'm reading this correctly,you basically envelop and surround them on three sides,just like the Greeks at Marathon,correct? Simple but effective.

Those Sacred Band are real killers...

[Quirinus]

If I have a full army, I like to keep a couple of units in reserve to commit at a critical moment-- does anyone else do this too, or is it more beneficial to just throw everything you have at the enemy?

[Spartan198]

If I have a full army, I like to keep a couple of units in reserve to commit at a critical moment-- does anyone else do this too, or is it more beneficial to just throw everything you have at the enemy?

Personally,hanging any units other than generals back has cost me casualties. Plus,it totally scares the f**k out of the enemy when you launch a full battle line of hoplites in phalanx toward them.

Balls to the wall,is what I say...

[Quirinus]

Yeah, I don't do this when playing a phalanx-capable faction, but as the Romans, Carthagenians etc. I do this because I find that sometimes the addition of a fresh troop to the melee against a tired or winded opponent will tip the balance of the melee, and possibly trigger a chain rout.

[TruePraetorian]

If I have a full army, I like to keep a couple of units in reserve to commit at a critical moment-- does anyone else do this too, or is it more beneficial to just throw everything you have at the enemy?

I do this anytime i play as the romans..which is almost always (pax romanum!)

I have a double line. When the units in front get tired, or if they become shaken, I send in the second line. After a few seconds, I sprint the previous men back and let them rest. Your lines will last quite a bit longer...try it.

Also, I constantly use the rally tab. it not only brings men back, but boosts morale, check it by pressing it. It will say "boosted by generals encouragements". If its a critical situation, then i press the button and charge into the weakest portion of the enemy line (i check for what units are shaken are wavering) this ususally turns the tide.



Since we are on the topic of tactics, has anyone used the roman checkers formation? I have tried it, but cannot figure out how they form a single line after the charge. Wikipedia it if you dont know what im talking about (roman battle formations)..it looks...interesting.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

I always have an extra line of re-enforcements behind my units to charge in and change the tide of the battle if needed. As the Romans its usually another line of Principles or Hastatii, while as Carthage its typically a unit of Iberian Infantry. I generally try to go for something with a good charge bonus which will have serious impact upon enemy morale. Sadly few factions actually have a unit with these credentials, although as Germania, Night Raiders are perfect.

As said, The Greek Cities and the suchlike phalanx based factions have a disadvantage here - charging a unit through their ranks breaks them up, making them end up forced to switch to their secondary weapon - fairly useless quite honestly, especially when dealing with another phalanx. They aren't really helped by the fact that they have no infantry beyond phalanx units themselves, which, as said, are fairly useless if charging since they have to use their secondary weapon.

[Quirinus]

Though with the Greek Cities, do you just go with your phalanx and cavalry? I usually like to hire some mercenaries like mercenary peltasts or something for flank protection.

By the way, while still on the subject of the Greek Cities, do you use militia cavalry? I always have at least one unit on a medium- to large-sized army-- it helps a lot to be able to chase routers with them and conserve the breath of the general's bodyguard.

Plus, they are very fast, meaning they kill routers so much more efficiently than regular cavalry. I usually start the battle with fire-at-will turned off. In some battles I don't use the javelins, or, indeed, the militia cavalry themselves in actual combat, but use them to wipe out routers. I find them especially effective in assassinating routing generals.

As missile cavalry, though, they suck spectacularly. Low range, ammo that soon runs out, and not significantly more effective than horse archers in men killed per volley.

[Spartan198]

I do this anytime i play as the romans..which is almost always (pax romanum!)

Consider yourself lucky the AI can't reproduce the exceptional command ability of the Scourge of Rome! Then the Pax Romanum might find itself in slight jeopardy! (no offense)

Since we are on the topic of tactics, has anyone used the roman checkers formation? I have tried it, but cannot figure out how they form a single line after the charge. Wikipedia it if you dont know what im talking about (roman battle formations)..it looks...interesting.

You're talking about the manipular formation,if I'm not mistaken,correct? In vanilla I didn't,but it's hardcoded as the starting formation in XGM. And I've actually had considerablely more success with it over the two-line formation I used to use.
When I first got the game,my cat could probably have been a better commander than I was,but studying historical battles and tactics alike really does make a difference. That's one thing that sets the Total War series apart from other "games".

[Spartan198]

By the way, while still on the subject of the Greek Cities, do you use militia cavalry? I always have at least one unit on a medium- to large-sized army-- it helps a lot to be able to chase routers with them and conserve the breath of the general's bodyguard.

Plus, they are very fast, meaning they kill routers so much more efficiently than regular cavalry. I usually start the battle with fire-at-will turned off. In some battles I don't use the javelins, or, indeed, the militia cavalry themselves in actual combat, but use them to wipe out routers. I find them especially effective in assassinating routing generals.

As missile cavalry, though, they suck spectacularly. Low range, ammo that soon runs out, and not significantly more effective than horse archers in men killed per volley.

In vanilla I did,but it was largely confined to the Greeks,Romans,and rarely the Seleucids.
As the Greeks,I'd use the light Greek Cavalry in a "heavy" manner,and Militia Cavalry to act as light cavalry to chase down skirmishers,exactly as you,but never in missile cavalry situations. I never use foot skirmishers,so why would mounted skirmishers be of any use to me? But this pretty much ended after I found out how to make Macedonian (heavy) Cavalry available as a recruitable Greek unit. Seleucid use of it was fairly rare,as I had Companions,Cataphracts,and elephants at my disposal.
As the Romans,I would use their Cavalry Auxilia in place of better light cavalry in Post-Marian armies. But that,too,ended when I removed the "and not marian_reforms" stipulation from Equites in the export_descr_buildings file.

[Emperor Mithdrates]

What about the numerous swarms tactic. Its a ideal favourite for lazy people like myself.
Get tons of barbarian warband in loose faormation and charge around screaming like headless chickens.
Works for me when i'm barbarians. I conquered rome.

[Spartan198]

What about the numerous swarms tactic. Its a ideal favourite for lazy people like myself.
Get tons of barbarian warband in loose faormation and charge around screaming like headless chickens.
Works for me when i'm barbarians. I conquered rome.

That tactic does work,but it works best when the enemy's disorderly and especially when used with Axemen.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

That tactic does work,but it works best when the enemy's disorderly and especially when used with Axemen.

Going slightly off topic here, what is people's general opinion of Germanic (Germania, Dacia and Scythia) Axemen vs Celtic (Gaul and Brittania) Swordsmen overall?

I've always felt that Swordsmen were better at absorbing ranged missiles, while Axemen appeared better in melee - especially against armoured opponents.

I've always been favoured towards axemen for some reason. Although they are more lightly armoured, and statistically appear less powerful, their armour piecing bonus gives them an edge over such opponents. This is particularly important against the might of Roman legionaries should they come into contact with such foes.

They also seem to have a bigger charge bonus than swordsmen, giving them more potential to be used as shock troops to route a wavering foe.