How to adequately use troops

[athanaric]

Clubs and axes: AP and medium lethality, outnumber or flank enemy heavy troops with masses of cheap clubmen or axemen and they'll be finished.

Fixed. Axes and maces have 0.165, which is decent but not spectacular. Clubs have 0.14, which is still better than any short sword as well as most spears.

Short Swords While some of them arent that special being just a nerfed version of the longsword ones, there are many that have AP and less lethality than clubs or axes being able to take easly more armoured foes and being excelent assault troops (ex: iberians, samnites).

Fixed. AP "shortswords" always have 0.11 lethality, which is acceptable but below average (spears have 0.13, usually).

[LusitanianWolf]

Fixed.

Ups, you're right, I've corrected the original post. That explains why some short swordsman suck so much

[Saldunz]

What troops exactly are the Getai throwing at you that's giving you so much trouble?

I'm playing as the Koinon Hellenon as well on VH/VH, and since you must've dealt with the Macedonian faction by now, the Getai really shouldn't be frustrating you much. I can tell you from my own experiences that you're doing things right. One thing I've noticed about VH battle difficulty is that the AI's morale does not seem to get a bonus. A lot of people say it does, but even if that is the case, it is still very easy to get the enemy to rout - especially if their FM has been killed (if they even field one).

It would help if I knew what units you were fighting, but outmaneuvering the AI is the key to every battle in VH. As much as possible, let the enemy come to you and take the high ground. Kill off whatever you can with your archers and slingers. Let them exhaust themselves trying to get to you, and keep your front line on defense mode. That way they'll exhaust themselves faster, become less efficient, and your front line will take fewer losses. Swing whatever auxiliaries you have around and make them come charging in. That should get them to rout, or close enough to it.

But whatever strategy you used on Macedonia should work just as well on the Getai.

[Aenas]

What troops exactly are the Getai throwing at you that's giving you so much trouble?

I'm playing as the Koinon Hellenon as well on VH/VH, and since you must've dealt with the Macedonian faction by now, the Getai really shouldn't be frustrating you much. I can tell you from my own experiences that you're doing things right. One thing I've noticed about VH battle difficulty is that the AI's morale does not seem to get a bonus. A lot of people say it does, but even if that is the case, it is still very easy to get the enemy to rout - especially if their FM has been killed (if they even field one).

It would help if I knew what units you were fighting, but outmaneuvering the AI is the key to every battle in VH. As much as possible, let the enemy come to you and take the high ground. Kill off whatever you can with your archers and slingers. Let them exhaust themselves trying to get to you, and keep your front line on defense mode. That way they'll exhaust themselves faster, become less efficient, and your front line will take fewer losses. Swing whatever auxiliaries you have around and make them come charging in. That should get them to rout, or close enough to it.

But whatever strategy you used on Macedonia should work just as well on the Getai.

What army constellations are you using?
I don't mean that i'm not winning against the getai. Driving off the other greeks is my economy strong enough to beat up every enemy at that point of the game. But its just not fun getting your troops literally butchered all the time.
It was just way easier against the makedon. And always fighting in a defensive battle with the advantage of a higher position is no fun either.

I'm playing now with Pontus VH/H and its way more fun. I can actually use variant troop types and a lot more strategies, besides using the AI's stupidity.

[Saldunz]

What army constellations are you using?

Prepare to be underwhelmed. My "typical" army right now consists of...
6 sphendonetai,
7 hoplitai haploi or ekdromoi hoplitai,
6 akontistai or hippakontistai or hippakontistai asiatikoi
and 1 FM.

There will usually be one or two mercenary units replacing the usual 6/7/6. Think of the above as a base. I really make my army of whatever I can get my hands on, and preferably make the armies from the most populated cities.

Anyway, if you want to attack the enemy on VH/VH, be prepared for some pain. Playing on that difficulty level usually means you have to outwit the AI with every advantage you have available.