Using artillery well

[duncan.gill]

I have attempted to use artillery on a number of occasions but found that it is not particularly effective (particularly in an anti-infantry role) and when considering its high cost relative to other missle units. Does anyone use it regularly and have any tips regarding its use (i.e. against what troop types etc)?

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
I've used it effectively in my Lusotannan campaign as anti-heavy infantry (particularly phalanx) and against gates/towers.

It pays off especially when you have a height advantage. Deploy the long range ones way behind your main line and turn off fire at will. Also make sure none of your units stand in their way.

One of my nigh impossible victories was won thanks to artillery and well timed rear cavalry charges. You can find it way back in the heroic thread.
.

[LorDBulA]

Does anyone use it regularly and have any tips regarding its use (i.e. against what troop types etc)?

I have one. Dont use them in open battle.
You should use them in SIEGE.

[Apgad]

They can be useful in any defensive position, but are best when you're on a hill, or defending a bridge. Because of their slow speed (is that an oxymoron?) you don't want to have to move them much, if at all.

I tend to go with the cheap ones, because you get so many pieces per unit. 2 units either side of a bridge, angled in, creates a wicked cross-fire, especially if you have a few phalanxes holding your own side. 4 units of 8 pieces with 20 missiles each = umm, 640 long bits of sharp wood.

IIRC higher experience makes them more accurate, so if you do decide to use them make sure you retrain them regularly. New units might only get a dozen or so kills, but in a recent Qarthadast campaign I built up 4 units with 3 silver or 1 gold chevrons this way, defending those 3 rivers in the middle of north Africa. By that stage they would regularly knock off 100-120 men each.

I agree with turning off auto-fire. If you leave this on, they will probably choose to target some really distant and sparsely placed levy spearmen with your own gold-cheronned Sacred Band in between, rather than the Ptolemaic Royal Guard opposing.

[Beefy187]

Avoid trees

[Ayce]

Reading this thread I just realized that I haven't used artillery in EB yet. Better start a custom battle...now!

[Lovejoy]

Anyone know how to turn up the walking distance these units have on the campaign map?

Its there biggest draw back if you ask me. They slow down your entire army. And EB movement speed are slow enough as it is... if u ask me! :)

[PrimusPilus]

Servus,

In my romani campaign I attach a scorpion unit to my armies. I like it for both offensive and defensive open battles.

I place the unit ahead of my front line and use it with good effectiveness to soften up the denser enemy formations. I have destroyed as many as 10% of the enemy in this fashion.

After the units run out of bolts, I pull it out and attack with my legions.

If the enemy counter attack and come close I order the unit to melee but then send it behind the legionaries. (See other thread "Artillery Crews:)

In defense, I place it in the same place, hopefull on a downward slope, and shoot till the enemy closes, again, pulling the crew to safety before the enemy attack hits my front line.

I like it for role playing as well. The artillery units can gain experience quickly if they get a lot of kills and become even more effective.


Hope this helps


PP

[Cyclops]

I think artillery has a role in set piece battles (sieges, bridges) or vs inf-heavy (ie few or no cav) armies using mass or close formations (Romans, Hoplites and Phalanxes).

I imagine they'd be useful if fighting Germans, and maybe even Britons Gauls and Lussotannan. I've found them of more use in attack than defense: if an enemy closes quicklly then you can't really flank with a scorpion and fire it into the enemy's rear....well I suppose you could but it seems a little un-roleplaying. Its lots of fun playing "Skewer the enemy FM".

It has a limited but occasioanlly decisive role.

[sanitarium]

The best use I've found for them is for attacks on settlements. You don't have to worry about sieging if you have catapults, just attack and use them to knock down gates, walls, and towers.

Other than that, they aren't worth the price. You can train a whole mess of slingers for the price of one artillery unit, and the slingers will do so much more damage.

[Apgad]

Its lots of fun playing "Skewer the enemy FM".

Isn't it great when your very first shot takes out a hated gold-chevron FM?

I don't know if I'd take artillery too far into Gaul or Germania. As soon as you hit a forest they're almost worthless.