My First Experience with EB

[procopius1980]

Chariots can indeed be very useful. I use them in my Arche Seleukeia campaigns to slaughter enemy heavy cavalry.

I remember playing vanilla RTW as the Gauls back in Fall 2005. Unfortunately, I didn't look deep enough to learn to pit skirmishers agaisnt chariots. Instead, I fought a horribly bitter war against my northern neighbors. Provided they had no chariots, my warband/swordsmen tore into the Briton's infantry, but any battle with chariots went to the enemy. I was amazed at just how bad cavalry lose against chariots.

With all those ports, and an excellent defensive position, it looks like the Casse are going to be able to field a powerful army. The only problem I see is that the army upkeep looks more like BI in terms of cost. At least that gives one the option of choosing lots of levies vs. elite units... something the barbarians didn't deal with in BI. As I recall, there was very little difference in terms of upkeep between the levy spearmen and Franciscan Axemen.

I've heard other people talk about a feature (if even possible) to allow levy units to be raised and active within the same term. I don't know much about the history of this time period, but I know this would have been a historically viable means of calling men to arms in the medieval period, and certainly in the Saxon fyrd system. I imagine this is a hard coded limitation as opposed to a gaming decision. These levies should have minimal movement points (just enough to move in their home territory), and they automatically disband at the end of the seaon.

From what I know of this period, most soldiers were also farmers. It was only the local nobility who had the wealth to pay men to be in their household and train with arms all the time. I know CA knew this, but they elected to rush MTW:II out the door rather than take the time to revamp it.

[Olaf The Great]

I remember playing vanilla RTW as the Gauls back in Fall 2005. Unfortunately, I didn't look deep enough to learn to pit skirmishers agaisnt chariots. Instead, I fought a horribly bitter war against my northern neighbors. Provided they had no chariots, my warband/swordsmen tore into the Briton's infantry, but any battle with chariots went to the enemy. I was amazed at just how bad cavalry lose against chariots.

With all those ports, and an excellent defensive position, it looks like the Casse are going to be able to field a powerful army. The only problem I see is that the army upkeep looks more like BI in terms of cost. At least that gives one the option of choosing lots of levies vs. elite units... something the barbarians didn't deal with in BI. As I recall, there was very little difference in terms of upkeep between the levy spearmen and Franciscan Axemen.

I've heard other people talk about a feature (if even possible) to allow levy units to be raised and active within the same term. I don't know much about the history of this time period, but I know this would have been a historically viable means of calling men to arms in the medieval period, and certainly in the Saxon fyrd system. I imagine this is a hard coded limitation as opposed to a gaming decision. These levies should have minimal movement points (just enough to move in their home territory), and they automatically disband at the end of the seaon.

From what I know of this period, most soldiers were also farmers. It was only the local nobility who had the wealth to pay men to be in their household and train with arms all the time. I know CA knew this, but they elected to rush MTW:II out the door rather than take the time to revamp it.

If you may notice right now, theres a building called "The time of Freemen" in your settlements, watch closely(if you have the script on, the advisor will tell you) you will eventually see that marker replaced by "The Time of Bondsmen" and Eventually "The time Of Soldiers" I would wait until the time of Soldiers to start invading Gaul.

BTW you might want to look up how to recruit 'Dosidataskeli" as the casse, you need to mod it in to be able too.

Basically they're the most heavily armed and armoured foot units in the game.

[procopius1980]

It's 262 and the Casse control all of continental Britain; only Hibernia/Ireland remains.

I only fought a single battle in the open fields. It was against a Silurian general who commanded several Silurian warbands, a unit of Celtic Axemen, and one unit of Celtic Archers. My FL mowed down their army and immediately laid siege to Yns-Mon.

After several reinforcements came, my army commenced attack. In spite of besieging the city for several seasons, I did not have the foresight to build multiple rams. When I discovered how thoroughly trapped my men were near the entrance to the city, I send a unit of Gallic swordsmen to retrieve the ram and open a second hole. In essence, my men were being attacked on both sides of the gateway. Fortunatley, my men had the discipline to turn to face their attackers before the hammer and anvil was complete. With their backs being covered by their friends, my men were in no grave danger, but the stalemates was likely to take a great toll on my men. With the ram in position, we were able to open a second front and perform the hammer and anvil on the Silurians. This succeeded and routed one side (the smaller side) of the defenders, thus giving my men room to manuver. My naked spearmen led the charge up the hill. After routing several units of midland spears, my small diversionary force was attacked by the enemy general. His chariots suffered a crushing defeat, and the morale of Yns-Mon's defenders suffered as a result of their general's death. My exhausted Gallic swords marched around the hill to attack the defender's rear. Their midland spears turned to face the new threat while the 2 units of Druids and their Silurian allies continued to batter down the main part of my army still near the entrance. Although we suffered many casualties, it was now evident that we would prevail in the end.

The battle was lost, however, when my chariots, and their pathetic pathfinding, stumbled into a fresh unit of spearmen guarding the center of the city. I did not order them to attack the unit, but their bodyguard became spread out over the entire city. Of the 2-3 chariots that fell, naturally my FL was one of them.

I try not to reload battles or turns once I get a campaign started, but I could not let this be. The AI cheated as far as I am concerned. If I were a real iron man, I would have employed the same tactics as before, but I did not. This second battle saw three holes punched into the walls and most of the main defenders were slain after the general fell and the Silurians routed. From there, the druids (oh such good fighters), were mercilessly slain by their faster, lighter, advesaries. In the end, I think I lost 40% of my men, and I got to watch a heroic last stand where 13 druids and a handful of skirmishers and midland spears fought against hopeless odds. The final druid did not fall until I ordered my entire army to javelin him.

Ictus and the norther city of the Caledonians fell with greater ease, so the bards have few heroics to tell of their struggle.

I must say that I regret fighting on medium at this point. The battles appear too easy. Hopefully the fighters on the mainland will change my mind.

My capital city still only has 2200 ish citizens, so we have a ways to go. I still have no ability to build ships, so I will look over the tech tree with my laptop the next time I pull up the game. I prolly won't have anything new to report until the weekend.

[Olaf The Great]

It's 262 and the Casse control all of continental Britain; only Hibernia/Ireland remains.

I only fought a single battle in the open fields. It was against a Silurian general who commanded several Silurian warbands, a unit of Celtic Axemen, and one unit of Celtic Archers. My FL mowed down their army and immediately laid siege to Yns-Mon.

After several reinforcements came, my army commenced attack. In spite of besieging the city for several seasons, I did not have the foresight to build multiple rams. When I discovered how thoroughly trapped my men were near the entrance to the city, I send a unit of Gallic swordsmen to retrieve the ram and open a second hole. In essence, my men were being attacked on both sides of the gateway. Fortunatley, my men had the discipline to turn to face their attackers before the hammer and anvil was complete. With their backs being covered by their friends, my men were in no grave danger, but the stalemates was likely to take a great toll on my men. With the ram in position, we were able to open a second front and perform the hammer and anvil on the Silurians. This succeeded and routed one side (the smaller side) of the defenders, thus giving my men room to manuver. My naked spearmen led the charge up the hill. After routing several units of midland spears, my small diversionary force was attacked by the enemy general. His chariots suffered a crushing defeat, and the morale of Yns-Mon's defenders suffered as a result of their general's death. My exhausted Gallic swords marched around the hill to attack the defender's rear. Their midland spears turned to face the new threat while the 2 units of Druids and their Silurian allies continued to batter down the main part of my army still near the entrance. Although we suffered many casualties, it was now evident that we would prevail in the end.

The battle was lost, however, when my chariots, and their pathetic pathfinding, stumbled into a fresh unit of spearmen guarding the center of the city. I did not order them to attack the unit, but their bodyguard became spread out over the entire city. Of the 2-3 chariots that fell, naturally my FL was one of them.

I try not to reload battles or turns once I get a campaign started, but I could not let this be. The AI cheated as far as I am concerned. If I were a real iron man, I would have employed the same tactics as before, but I did not. This second battle saw three holes punched into the walls and most of the main defenders were slain after the general fell and the Silurians routed. From there, the druids (oh such good fighters), were mercilessly slain by their faster, lighter, advesaries. In the end, I think I lost 40% of my men, and I got to watch a heroic last stand where 13 druids and a handful of skirmishers and midland spears fought against hopeless odds. The final druid did not fall until I ordered my entire army to javelin him.

Ictus and the norther city of the Caledonians fell with greater ease, so the bards have few heroics to tell of their struggle.

I must say that I regret fighting on medium at this point. The battles appear too easy. Hopefully the fighters on the mainland will change my mind.

My capital city still only has 2200 ish citizens, so we have a ways to go. I still have no ability to build ships, so I will look over the tech tree with my laptop the next time I pull up the game. I prolly won't have anything new to report until the weekend.

You can only build ships in the southern Hiberian province and Ictis

Has anyone noticed that the last man in a unit is always the hardest to kill?

[procopius1980]

You can only build ships in the southern Hiberian province and Ictis

Has anyone noticed that the last man in a unit is always the hardest to kill?

TY

Now I fully appreciate why everyone suggested taking Ictus first, which I did not.

[Apgad]

Also, make sure that you take Ynis Mon and train all of your FMs there for a while (if you aren't already). They get more Druid attendants to give them extra traits and abilities. Their traits say something like "Ynis Mon - Training" initially, and then "Island of Darkness" when they've finished. I think it's about a year that they sit around learning, but well worth it!

[procopius1980]

Also, make sure that you take Ynis Mon and train all of your FMs there for a while (if you aren't already). They get more Druid attendants to give them extra traits and abilities. Their traits say something like "Ynis Mon - Training" initially, and then "Island of Darkness" when they've finished. I think it's about a year that they sit around learning, but well worth it!

I noticed that on my FL yesterday, but I didn't put two and two together. Thanks for the info.

I got to play some last night (a wife and three kids does reduce playing time). I've consolidated my hold on Engladn and I am buiding the Warrior's Hold (governmet building) in Ictus. I'll have a ship in a few seasons to make my way to the Emerald Isle.