Counter for urbans

[Quintus.JC]

Jus to make this clear, are we talking about one on one, or in groups?

[Abokasee]

If the urbans stayed quiet, dying peacefully, yes. But since Ballistas can't run, once they get on you... game over...

Most generals arn't stupid enough to just leave the ballista on its own having some cavarly to swoop in when the Urbans are near will certainly ruin them.

[El Diablo]

I would say that if I had..

1 x General
8 x Spartans,
6 x Creeeeeetan Archers
2 x Sarmatian Cavelry
2 x Onager
1 x Ballista

Obviously all gold chevron

I would probably then be able to take a unit of Urban Cohorts.


But then again I am a very talented General. Skilled in the arts of war...

[Carlos Matthews]

What if you tempted the Urbans into a spear wall?

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

What if you tempted the Urbans into a spear wall?

They'd probably break through it - spears are not very good for countering infantry of any type. They have a penalty of (I think) -4 attack when countering infantry forces, although have (I think) something like a +8 attack when dealing with cavalry. It may be the other way around though, so don't quote me on that one. I don't think this applies to the phalanx formation though.

Overall, the best tactic usually is to outnumber and surround them with axemen or other units with armour piercing capacity.

[Quintus.JC]

What if you tempted the Urbans into a spear wall?

Spear Wall formation only exists in Barbarian invasion unfortunatly, Phalanx can break Urbans, but only the best units stand a chance even when in Phalanx. The obvious ones are the Spartans the other candidates being Sacred Band and Armoured Hoplites.

[Abokasee]

Spear Wall formation only exists in Barbarian invasion unfortunatly, Phalanx can break Urbans, but only the best units stand a chance even when in Phalanx. The obvious ones are the Spartans the other candidates being Sacred Band and Armoured Hoplites.

Don't forget about Silver and Bronze shields! (Although they may be less adequte for the task but they do have a large number of troops and longer spears)

[Quintus.JC]

Don't forget about Silver and Bronze shields! (Although they may be less adequte for the task but they do have a large number of troops and longer spears)

Still can't experiment but from my past experience even Royal Pikemen can't hold it's own against Praetorians and Urbans. Despite their numerial advantage they don't seems to be up to the task.

[placenik]

Trouble with phalanaxes is how game mechanic is set- when enemy is too close, they switch to secondary weapon and get butchered.

[guineawolf]

All this above advice is great, however, there is one unit you have all forgotten

Why not just use Ballistas? (I didnt say scorpions because there a roman unit)

how about using C4,M60 or rocket launcher?
just kidding....

[placenik]

how about using C4,M60 or rocket launcher?
just kidding....

Playing JA2 too?

[Thundermace]

There are many proper suggestions here, however one is missing - the Chosen axemen (or mix of Berserkers+ Ch. axes). I am sure it will work, I have done the experiment myself. However, I must admit on VHard Urbans are unbeatable, no doubt

[McJohnny]

Not sure whether this is valid or not, because I added every possible upgrade to horse archers and none to Urban Cohort...

[Quintus.JC]

Not sure whether this is valid or not, because I added every possible upgrade to horse archers and none to Urban Cohort...

Probably not. 9 experience would turn any crappy medicore unit into a fine killing machine, not to mention it's weapon and armour upgrade plus the fact that it is a horse archer unit.

[McJohnny]

Probably not. 9 experience would turn any crappy medicore unit into a fine killing machine, not to mention it's weapon and armour upgrade plus the fact that it is a horse archer unit.

OK, I'll try it without some major upgrades then... :)

Not that I'll discover hot water, but oh well... :P

[Hannibalbarc]

The number one counter should be tactics, my tactic's always own them (unless online, then it's not always :D), then of course there is spartans, bullwarriors(in campaign only), other Urbans, sacred band infantry, catas totally own them, even in melee, ap attack plus super duper armor ftw, berserkers in berserk mode can kill them in 5 seconds, chosen axemen with warcry can just barely beat them, to sum it up, any good heavy phalanx(even poeni infantry) can take them out(yes, even in even numbers) so long as they don't get flanked, which is usually not a problem, I'm assuming your talking about sp, and also any heavy cavalry.
Get 10 companion cavalry, against a balanced Roman force of 6-7 urbans and 3-4 preat cav, and I guaranty you, if you know what your doing, you'll kick their bastard butts with out a problem, if it's only urbans, well pff, then its a joke, I can take out 10 units of urbans with 4 units of heavy cavalry easily.

EDIT: I always laugh when someone say nothing can penetrate a phalanx from the front except urbans, what a joke, if urbans could do it, so could praet inf, and late legionary cohorts, but the thing is they just can't, period. tested so many many times, I did a test, 10 poeni inf vs 11 urbans(11 so they could have one spare unit, just in case they tried to flank) I pwned their sry butts, no tactics, just a long line and march it up there to the urbans and sit down and watch.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Trouble with phalanaxes is how game mechanic is set- when enemy is too close, they switch to secondary weapon and get butchered.

You just have to press the "Backspace" key while having the phalanx selected and they will all switch back to spears. What's interesting is that I never had problems with Urban Cohorts. I would normally line up a Phalanx Pikemen, sometimes even two phalanxes in exact same space, with the spears overlapping and just sit down, relax and watch the Urbans get slowly decimated while occasionally pressing "Backspace" to make sure the phalangites are not switching back to their spears.

[zukenft]

How about first cohorts? the attack and defense is a bit lower, but they have more men and morale.

Of course, since they are more expensive and can only be trained in one place, my point could be as moot as using elephants...