Germania

[wooly_mammoth]

And finally managed to win the German grand campaign. It surely has been the most difficult campaign yet, solely due to economic reasons. Some rare moments excluded, I've been on the edge of bankruptcy for most of the 50 years of the campaign. Spear warbands + light cavalry, with the occasional flanking assault from regular axemen has been the way to go, though I did have one elite army (chosen axes & archers + noble cav) with which I conquered the Balkans. I used screeching women for support throughout, but never found any time or need for berserkers/nightraiders/gothic cav. Maybe next time. Though the Scipii survived and started an invasion of Egypt, the romans never made it to the Marian reforms.

Britannia is next. I expect it to be much easier, due to the motherload of trade temples I will build, chosen swords that are an excellently balanced heavy infantry unit and chariots.

[Vincent Butler]

Britannia is next. I expect it to be much easier, due to the motherload of trade temples I will build, chosen swords that are an excellently balanced heavy infantry unit and chariots.

I like Britannia. Their only weakness is a lack of archers. Oh yeah, and a normal cav unit. They don't benefit at all from the Marius changes. But I am an infantry general anyway.
I use light chariots in the place of archers, and I don't use heavy chariots. They are more expensive, take two turns, the next blacksmith shop (low on my priority list), have the same defense and not much more attack. Maybe one more hit point, I don't remember. Just don't use chariots for melee combat, break up enemy formations with them and get them out of there.
Also I use slingers, though the trained slingers have less range than the Rhodians or Balearic Slingers. Slingers decimate unarmoured units, and chariots as well. But again, lack of range. Still, I'm sure if you want you could figure out a use for them. Put them in front of your army, you will draw a cavalry attack almost guaranteed.

[ReluctantSamurai]

never found any time or need for berserkers/nightraiders/gothic cav.

Difficulty setting has a lot to do with that.....

I like Britannia. Their only weakness is a lack of archers.

I hate Britannia for the same reason I hate Egypt...can't stand having my generals in chariots. Getting those buggers into towns and cities is absolutely Benny Hill

[Vincent Butler]

I hate Britannia for the same reason I hate Egypt...can't stand having my generals in chariots. Getting those buggers into towns and cities is absolutely Benny Hill

True. Not the post-Marius Egyptian general is much better than the chariots. And cav in a city is annoying...chariots in a city is annoying to the third power.

[wooly_mammoth]

Difficulty setting has a lot to do with that.....

Actually, it was the two-turns required to build them that was a turn-off. Nightraiders and berserkers are less effective than chosen axes, nightraiders because they have kiddie-sized axes instead of manly-sized axes and berserkers because you wind them up, point them in the right direction and then they're gone, so what's the point in waiting 2 turns for a unit that's not as useful as a chosen axe when I can get 2 chosen axes?

I mean, even in a surprinse flanking attack I'd rather have the armor-piercing maniacs cleave their way through the cohorts instead of some painted weirdos going "Boo!".

Gothic cav would have been nice. I actually had 2 units made but they were never engaged in a battle. Noble cav was more than enough for what the romans had around, maybe if they had gone post-reforms things would have been different.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Nightraiders and berserkers are less effective than chosen axes

There are those who would debate that

maybe if they had gone post-reforms things would have been different.

Difficulty setting has a lot to do with that

[Vincent Butler]

Actually, it was the two-turns required to build them that was a turn-off. Nightraiders and berserkers are less effective than chosen axes

The weakness of the chosen axemen, at least in vanilla Rome, is their susceptibility to missile units. The Chosen Axemen in BI had armour, but the Chosen Axemen of Rome do not. My brother said they get decimated. I guess Night Raiders have the same vulnerability, but they intimidate nearby enemy. I think berserkers have the trait "Vulnerable to Missile Fire" or such like, though I don't remember for certain, correct me if I am wrong.

[Marcvs julius]

Gothic cav would have been nice. I actually had 2 units made but they were never engaged in a battle. Noble cav was more than enough for what the romans had around, maybe if they had gone post-reforms things would have been different.

No when the romans get the reforms their defenses againt cavalary get even worse because they lose the triariai, the only spearmen that they got its the auxilia and it is very poor against evrything, with means that cavalary againt post-reformed romans is the best weapon.

[Vincent Butler]

No when the romans get the reforms their defenses againt cavalary get even worse because they lose the triariai, the only spearmen that they got its the auxilia and it is very poor against evrything, with means that cavalary againt post-reformed romans is the best weapon.

Oh, I don't know. Statistically, actually, Triarii are only decent. Auxilia can be better without too much experience, and need only a militia barracks to train instead of an Army barracks like Triarii. Auxilia being spearmen, can hold their own against cav if used right. Put them on guard mode before the cav hit. Don't pit them against good infantry, though. Probably against nothing better than barbarian swordsmen.
It seems spearmen own cav, cav own swordsmen, swordsmen own spearmen. And do NOT put spearmen on the walls, I have learned. But really, the stats of cohort are so high that they can beat cav even without the bonus. Of course, I have yet to play past Medium difficulty.

[RobInconformista]

Actually, it was the two-turns required to build them that was a turn-off. Nightraiders and berserkers are less effective than chosen axes, nightraiders because they have kiddie-sized axes instead of manly-sized axes and berserkers because you wind them up, point them in the right direction and then they're gone, so what's the point in waiting 2 turns for a unit that's not as useful as a chosen axe when I can get 2 chosen axes?

I mean, even in a surprinse flanking attack I'd rather have the armor-piercing maniacs cleave their way through the cohorts instead of some painted weirdos going "Boo!".

Gothic cav would have been nice. I actually had 2 units made but they were never engaged in a battle. Noble cav was more than enough for what the romans had around, maybe if they had gone post-reforms things would have been different.

I find phalanxes easy to defeat in battle and a problem I've had with Germanic Spearbands is if their flanks are exposed, so I balance the army by using Barb Merc Spears and getting Chosen Axemen is a priority for me, whilst early on I field Skirmishers to give the SWB's some pacy offensive power. Early on, general units have to cover the flanks, but also because the AI tends to string out a long front line, there can be holes punched in it by attacking skirmisher units or peasants with cavalry.

But the point of Berserkers, is later when you face tough units, you need something which can mash through armed units and create the conditions to trigger a rout, so having fast nutters in reserve to commit once the main front lines are engaged is a key tactic. Early on having screechers to boost and demoralise, whilst Skirmishers flank also works. Screechers also can from reserve attack if enemy infantry have been able to flank a spear war band to some extent, before too much damage is done.