What is the best way for Romans to acquire elephants?

[OBarbas]

I have searched 'elephants' through the forum but haven't found a good strategy concerning how the Romans may acquire elephant troops. I want to unleash them against the Gauls and Germans.

I assume they are available in Carthage. Must I capture a Carthaginian city and set up a IV Allied State Government? Or by placing a general on Carthaginian soil, will I be able to recruit a mercenary?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

OBarbas

[Aemilius Paulus]

You can get the African Bush Elephants through a regional, level five MIC in certain parts of North Africa. Such as Utica for instance. Just check your recruitment viewer. There are no elephants mercenaries in EB. So yes, you must build the Type IV Government and then the MIC. No general required.

The elephants are ungodly expensive though, and aside from the "awesomeness" factor, they are largely useless. Be careful as javelins will kill them faster than the Roman pila thrown at the backs of Pantadapoi.

[A Very Super Market]

The African forest elephants aren't even much good either, since they are small and rely on trampling to kill. So...........

I dunno. Roman cavalry tends to suck. Even their elephants suck. In any case, by the time you can train elephants, you should be on your way to the Marians, so forget it. Instead, spam your god-infantry until everybody else dies.

[OBarbas]

Well I thank you guys immensely. Looks like you've saved me a lot of effort that would have ended in disappointment. Too bad though. I was looking forward to seeing the Gauls freak out. Who knows, I may still do it for the heck of it HAHA

Cheers!
OB

[OBarbas]

I have read the lengthy analyses of the governance and MIC system in the forum. The Types of governance are clear to me, but the MICs ... ???

I just conquered Utica. I want elephants. I have provisional government in place, nailing down law and order. Now, to get elephants, I will select governance Type IV, per Aemilius Paulus. But where do the MICs come into it? What exactly are they?

[A Very Super Market]

I would tell to read the FAQ in an snooty manner, but I like your grasp of grammar and etiquette. :D

MICs are generic recruitment buildings, morphing the barracks, stables, and archery range into one. There are two types of MICs, regional and factional. The units they can produce do not overlap, otherwise it would be pointless to have two.

Anyways.
The MICs have five levels to them, each one allowing more advanced units to train. However, different government types limit you to certain levels.

Homeland
Level 5 Factional MIC
Level 2 Regional MIC

Second government
Level 4 factional MIC
Level 3 regional MIC

Third government
Level 3 factional MIC
Level 4 regional MIC

Allied government
Level 2 factional MIC
Level 5 regional MIC

Factional MIC units are near-universal in your empire. However, keep in mind that your starting territory(s) will be able to train more units than far-off ones. As a rule, just say that territories with "Homeland" in them will be able to recruit more than the other ones. Check the recruitment viewer for more info

Regional MIC units vary by the region you make them in. There is no real rule to them, since even homeland regions can have a fair amount.

Now, most importantly, remember that there are recruitment areas. Just because it is a regional MIC, doesn't mean there is a definite ability for you to recruit there. Each faction will have units they simply cannot recruit at all. Recruitment areas also limit your factional units.

For the Romani, Marian Legionaries are recruitable in every single victory condition territory of yours. However, ballistae, are not.

Any questions?

[Tolg]

The units they can produce do not overlap, otherwise it would be pointless to have two.

True for the Romans and most other factions, but wrong in general. Hayasdan and Pahlava have units which can be recruited from a factional as well as from a regional MIC (in the same settlement).

[A Very Super Market]

Bah, the steppe factions get kinda crazy with their recruitment.

What units are they?

[OBarbas]

Imperator Super Market, I am in your debt. You have explained the situation with utter precision. Now it is up to me to apply what you have showed me, and my understanding of it all will increase. Yes, you are correct about the FAQs, but mate, I'm 58 years old and have few hours to enjoy my games (work duties and negotiating for gaming hours with my lovely wife), and you've saved me a lot of time in general reading.

Cheers to you my good sir!
OBarbas

[Macilrille]

I would like to add, MIC = Military Industrial Complex (and had to rewrite that from Capslock as my Ferret had been on the keyboard, LOL).

OB, no worries, if you are 58 you can retire soon and spend time doing only what you want, wife, gaming, fishing, hunting, travelling :-D

[jnabb22]

The best way to get elephants is to raid a circus. Though a big problem with that is they don't fight well, they just tend to dance around in thier chain mail too-toos. Plus I never liked clowns anyway

[heldelance]

As was previously said, Elephants are largely useless. If you're fighting them, just use skirmisher infantry and cavalry. If you're thinking of using them, forget it. For their upkeep, you might as well just get some decent cavalry.

[Aemilius Paulus]

As was previously said, Elephants are largely useless.

Well, yes they are sort of, but if you combine them with flaming arrows, naked troops, and even scythed chariots or artillery (if you have access to the two and you can afford them), then the enemy will rout almost immediately. I have tried this "scare brigade" tactic, and it was so effective, that I abandoned it due to the concern that the battles became so easy to win.

[Tolg]

As was previously said, Elephants are largely useless. If you're fighting them, just use skirmisher infantry and cavalry. If you're thinking of using them, forget it. For their upkeep, you might as well just get some decent cavalry.

While they certainly aren't useless (as in "I'd rather have Lugoae then eles) they certainly aren't worth their money.

They are a devastating weapon if you keep them away from everything that can throw javelins. But as that's hardly possible (At least not over multiple battles) you should only use them to show the power of your empire, e.g. in my Pahlava game I just brought 4 units Elephantes Indikoi from Bactra to Lepki to fight the Quartadastim.

[Macilrille]

In the Scare Brigade before the battle, what does the Elephant ask of the Gaesetai?

"How do you pick up anything with that?"

[delablake]

In the Scare Brigade before the battle, what does the Elephant ask of the Gaesetai?

"How do you pick up anything with that?"

rofl...funniest comment I've read in a long time!!!

[Tolg]

rofl...funniest comment I've read in a long time!!!

seconded

[Aemilius Paulus]

Yeah, I had quite some laugh after reading that as well. Still deciding on whether a balloon should be dispensed...

[Macilrille]

Thanks, glad to please, but not really worthy of a balloon it is but an old Danish joke tweaked a bit that I thought of when seeing the scare brigade suggestion. I will rather have one when I write something informative and insightful about history.

But then of course, who am I to tell you how to act.

[Cambyses]

Well, elephants arent usually worth the bother - but at least they are better value for mone than artillery, but I reckon the Romans would be better advised to find some decent regional cavalry

[Olaf The Great]

If you're playing Baktria, the armoured Elephants are definitely worth it.

[heldelance]

Of course with the Eastern factions, elephants are worth the money. Reason is that they're huge, generally have a ranged attack, and they're nigh on impossible to kill with anything but skirmishers, even then it takes a while.
I was just saying that elephants are pretty useless if you're Rome, Gaesatae and the Tindanotae are much better options. One thing the Gallic enemies seemed to have in abundance are skirmisher class infantry and spear throwing linesmen. To an African Elephant, being unarmored, those javelins are death.

[OBarbas]

What have I done wrong?

Obsessed with my desire to unleash elephants against the Gauls, I captured Kart-Hadast which, unless I am gravely mistaken, is in the region of Zeugitana (in the Recruitment Viewer). I've established a IV Political Regime and upgraded to an Auxilia Exercitu Officiale Amicorum (Support of Professional Client State Army). But my highest available unit is a Hellenistic Mercenary General - no further upgrades of the MIC is available - where are my elephants? AARRGGHH

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

actual I think I read somewhere that recruitment for elephents in africa was disabled, so unless I am wrong then its pretty impossible to get elephents as rome, sad I know.

[OBarbas]

AARRGGH CULTURED SAY IT ISN'T SO!!!!

[penguinking]

What have I done wrong?

Obsessed with my desire to unleash elephants against the Gauls, I captured Kart-Hadast which, unless I am gravely mistaken, is in the region of Zeugitana (in the Recruitment Viewer). I've established a IV Political Regime and upgraded to an Auxilia Exercitu Officiale Amicorum (Support of Professional Client State Army). But my highest available unit is a Hellenistic Mercenary General - no further upgrades of the MIC is available - where are my elephants? AARRGGHH

You can't train elephants in Kart-Hadast or Atiqua. You can train them in Numidia or Mauretania, and most of the other North African provinces.

[GnaeusCotta]

you can train them for example in Kirtan. I've trained them there as Romans

[OBarbas]

Thank you gentlemen for your assistance. I have mapped the new coordinates for the elephant training grounds and am approaching them with armies intent on conquest.

As for Tribune Turgidis Orifis, my local official in Kart-Hadast who assured me he could produce elephants, a Censorial Delegation has visited him, examined his books, and it emerges that he has fradulently misappropriated all the funds earmarked for elephant fodder to his harlot of a wife.

She has been sold into slavery, and he has slit his wrists.

I - THE SHINING LIGHT THAT IS OBARBAS - HAVE SO SPOKEN. SO NOW SHALL IT BE WRITTEN, AND SO IT SHALL BE DONE.

[Vasiliyi]

As was previously said, Elephants are largely useless. If you're fighting them, just use skirmisher infantry and cavalry. If you're thinking of using them, forget it. For their upkeep, you might as well just get some decent cavalry.

Hmm, well ive always had great success with elephants.

@OBarbas, dude, When i play as the romani that is one of my dreams as well, so please when you get to that, do take some screenies and post them on the forums. Its always fun to see "barbaric factions fight elephants"

[OBarbas]

It shall come to be, O VASILIYI MAGNUS! My scribes shall record in words the ebb and flow of every moment, and I shall command my artists vividly to portray the might of the pachyderms landing squarely on the crushed bodies of infernal Gauls!