How to Use Chariots in EB?

[Apgad]

In my last Casse campaign I'd always have a line of spearmen hold the line, and send chariots around and behind the enemy. Charging into their rear would always cause a mass rout. The javelins are almost unnecessary, and they're not that good for chasing down routers - it's all in the "shock and awe" value.

Interestingly, I never lost a single FM in battle during the whole campaign. I'd usually have at least 4 or sometimes 6 FMs per stack.

But definitely, definitely, (as said before by others) keep them moving once you commit to battle. Don't let them get bogged down in melee.

I found Casse FMs about the most useful of all faction bodyguards, given the kinds of factions you'll probably be fighting. Against Aedui/Averni/Sweboz/Lusotana they just carve up. I only had limited experience against Romani and Qarthadast, and never got to fight a Greek/eastern army, so I can't say how well they'd do against these different styles of troops.

[Cbvani]

Scythed chariots can do a LOT of damage to cavalry. More than make up for their cost - they cut through cavalry like a hot knife through butter. Sure, they'll all die, but you just took out the enemy's general and a couple of units of companion cavalry.

[Codyos Vladimiros]

Scythed chariots can do a LOT of damage to cavalry. More than make up for their cost - they cut through cavalry like a hot knife through butter. Sure, they'll all die, but you just took out the enemy's general and a couple of units of companion cavalry.

Kinda like Ghazi infantry in Medieval 1 :-) That's exclusively what I used them for, in my Seleukid campaign when fighting the Saka and Pahlavs.

[Cyrus]

Scythed chariots can do a LOT of damage to cavalry. More than make up for their cost - they cut through cavalry like a hot knife through butter. Sure, they'll all die, but you just took out the enemy's general and a couple of units of companion cavalry.

That doesn't make any sence.... i onco did a battle as pontus with them, a lot of elite pontic phalangites and a decent amount of light infantry aand cavalry, i was on top of a hill and charged the enemy general who was completely isolated, after 20 secs they charged and on impact i lost about 10 chariots, then i left'em in melee for about 20 secs and they lost another 20 men!!!!!!!!!!!! after wich they began running amok.... and guess what the only time in wich they actually killed any bodygurds was when they did that.... they are only useful against infantry the more compact the better ( i mean the chariots should be compact 'cause they usually aren't.

[Cbvani]

That doesn't make any sence.... i onco did a battle as pontus with them, a lot of elite pontic phalangites and a decent amount of light infantry aand cavalry, i was on top of a hill and charged the enemy general who was completely isolated, after 20 secs they charged and on impact i lost about 10 chariots, then i left'em in melee for about 20 secs and they lost another 20 men!!!!!!!!!!!! after wich they began running amok.... and guess what the only time in wich they actually killed any bodygurds was when they did that.... they are only useful against infantry the more compact the better ( i mean the chariots should be compact 'cause they usually aren't.

When my chariots engage the enemies cavalry I do the charge through thing, then do it again and again and again.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I found Casse FMs about the most useful of all faction bodyguards, given the kinds of factions you'll probably be fighting. Against Aedui/Averni/Sweboz/Lusotana they just carve up. I only had limited experience against Romani and Qarthadast, and never got to fight a Greek/eastern army, so I can't say how well they'd do against these different styles of troops.

Well the Roman cavalry is no better than whatever the Aedui or Arverni muster (indeed, it's usually worse); and even Triarii don't quite fancy playing the hero in front of a unit of Belgae Milnaht + Casse bodyguards on the background: chariots really do inspire *a lot* of fear in most enemy units. And those that don't let themselves be intimidated that easily are usually (cavalry) easily overpowered by those very same Chariots. That alone makes a Casse bodyguard one of the most potent units on the battle field.

[Cute Wolf]

Well, after an hours of playing lot of battles with casse bodyguards, and try some new movements in my casse campaign, I finally learn something new with chariots...

thanks for Mediolanicus

Chariots are good against cavalry, but keep in mind : keep them moving!

I just forgot that I usually use charge with alt+right click in cavalry battle... and let them fight for some time before they are recalled and recharge... the horsemen obviously had better mobility, and can pull themself out relatively easy... and with chariots... they had a large turn angle... so they must be pulled out right after the charge... right? Mediolanicus, thanks... you just saved many of my future casse FM to be shown on the family tree "dead peacefully" rather than "dead in battle"

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Chariots are very effective in a straightforward charge and melee, provided you have enough of them. They are best used en masse, like about 3 units of them working together, hitting the enemy from both front and rear. Then they can break most single enemy units.

Chariots tend to lose in melee if they are outnumbered by the infantry they are fighting, e.g. 60 charioteers against 200 enemy infantry. But if you have 180 charioteers, that's a different story!

One tactic is to skirmish with the enemy and try and provoke one of their units into charging after you. Once the enemy unit is drawn far enough away from the rest of their army, 'bundle' in on it with all your chariots, and it should rout quickly.

[The Celtic Viking]

How to use chariots is pretty straight forward. Send them against enemy cavalry. Sing their praises. Move them behind the enemy lines and pelt them with javelins, and threaten a charge. If a unit is wavering, charge. Worship them as the gods they are.

You can also use them to break up an enemy formation so that your infantry can exploit the holes. Works pretty well when it goes home, but is a little bit more risky. Don't let them get stuck in the melee, and run them out on the other side.