Bataroas vs. Gaeilache (And Botroas vs. Gaeroas)

[Aemilius Paulus]

after a certain time, you'll have armies made of neitos with some spearmen to watch their flanks

What is the reasoning for that? That seem opposite to common strategy sense IMHO, although I suppose you can have your own strategy I am not aware of.

The AI does not normally send their cavalry to the flanks, and if it does, then you should have your own cavalry to protect your army. A sound non-phalanx strategy would be to place spears in the centre, on guard mode, as merely the indecisive cannon fodder whose only purpose is to hold their ground, while having the swords on the flanks to encircle the enemy, along with cavalry, which will charge directly into the rear.

We all know that spearmen (especially the ones with the longer spears) are superior in guard mode, while swordsmen suffer in the same mode, due to the insufficient reach of their swords. Swordsmen are best let loose, as the killers they are, where their attack capability is maximised.

Well, I do sometimes keep some spears near the flanks as a mobile defensive force ready to respond to any flanking cavalry movements, but usually, the enemy horsemen are simply too swift for me to chase them.

[Andronikos]

Bataroas are basic soldiers of my northern armies while in southern armies it is approx. 1:1 Botroas: Gaeroas. I use Gaelaiche as a replace for Lugoae mostly for garrisoning and in lower class armies. They don't experience many battles.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

What is the reasoning for that? That seem opposite to common strategy sense IMHO, although I suppose you can have your own strategy I am not aware of.

The AI does not normally send their cavalry to the flanks, and if it does, then you should have your own cavalry to protect your army. A sound non-phalanx strategy would be to place spears in the centre, on guard mode, as merely the indecisive cannon fodder whose only purpose is to hold their ground, while having the swords on the flanks to encircle the enemy, along with cavalry, which will charge directly into the rear.

We all know that spearmen (especially the ones with the longer spears) are superior in guard mode, while swordsmen suffer in the same mode, due to the insufficient reach of their swords. Swordsmen are best let loose, as the killers they are, where their attack capability is maximised.

Well, I do sometimes keep some spears near the flanks as a mobile defensive force ready to respond to any flanking cavalry movements, but usually, the enemy horsemen are simply too swift for me to chase them.

I do the same reasoning it as this. Though enemy cavalry usually does charge somewhere near the center of your line, it often pulls back after experiencing some losses, especially the generals unit. Therefore, once the general has charged and the two lines are clashing, I like to have a more mobile unit to send around the back and mop up the cavalry which is now probably retreating backwards a bit. Since the celtic spears move quickly, they fill this role perfectly. Of course it depends on the battle, but this general strategy seems to work well in most cases. Only time it doesn't is if the enemy has many skirmishers behind the line in which case I'd rather some swordsmen which can deal with them easier.

I've always wondered why Bataroas have very good stamina while Botroas have only good. Considering the northerners wear a small bit of armor and the southerns don't. Does it have to do with the ruggedness of their respective lifestyles? Also, confusingly enough, their mercenary equivalents are the opposite. Golberi Curoas (northerns) have only good stamina while Enoci Curoas (southerns) have very good.