Oolon Colluphid
Legionary
posted 02 June 2008 11:42 EDT (US)
You know, hide units in woods o long grass, put archers at high points, try and break up and enemy formation around rocks or buildings in the battlefield.
I ask, because I usually don't. I mean, I'll take a hill when it's there, especially when defending, but mostly I've found that the position of units in relation to eachother, your armies formation, is more important than anything else.
So usually, I just make my formation, phalanx in the middle, cavalry at he sides etc. and then look where to put it. Woods tend to be only a nuisance as I pretty much always have onagers in my armies. Long grass is invisible from a distance and makes my framerate 2 f/s when I zoom in. It's nice when a unit that can hide there happens to be there, but I'm not purposely putting them there.
Anyway, any more creative strategies out there?
jimUK
Legionary
posted 07 June 2008 16:45
EDT (US)
26 / 51
actualy, i've taken a liking for peltasts.
Its such an awesome sight hen you leave then on Fire at will, but take skirmish off, wait for the enemy to approach your line and see hundreds of Pila destroy a unit in seconds, with pin point accuracy!
Diadochius
Legionary
posted 08 June 2008 14:21
EDT (US)
28 / 51
seluecid has a copy cat unit of roman legionares, so im guessing that they can throw pila aswell.
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 08 June 2008 19:45
EDT (US)
31 / 51
they actually don't have the same model in game! >:O
(not that it REALY matters, this is RTW heaven, not RTW university :P)
I'm still a strong proponent of playing the game using historical tactics:
velites and skirmishers, then hastati, then principes, then triarii, reserves (depleted units, etc) and generals (which i don't like to engage). Flanks composed of missiles and levies when i have numeric superiority.
you'll never kill your own men if you don't shoot through your own lines! d'oh.
as hellenistic armies, leave enough space between phalanx units for your peltasts to first retreat through (after the time for skirmishing has ended) and later to charge through (when the enemy has stopped charging and needs to be routed). i usually give enough room, depending on playing mode, for about three to five men to stand across these gaps. usually equal parts pikes and skirmishers is a good ratio. also, leave out of phalanx while the skirmishers retreat, so that they don't get stuck on the friendly spears. cavalry is purely for flanking never for charging unless your's desperate.
are there more effective ways to play? sure, the n00b box and the mass of horses, but those are less fun after the first few times because I get sick of 600 kills, 6 dead (two healed!) type battles.
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 09 June 2008 17:25
EDT (US)
35 / 51
oh i still like to slaughter the enemy, only i prefer to do it by issuing commands rather than setting up IMPREGNABLE MANFORTRESS (very easy in vanilla) and becoming a spectator.
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 09 June 2008 20:51
EDT (US)
37 / 51
not as much space as i leave between phalangites, no, but i do leave some space.
Diadochius
Legionary
posted 10 June 2008 04:39
EDT (US)
38 / 51
Yeah im with Lord Tyrell on this one.
The man fortresses work well on ai, but have you tried using them online against humans? It doesnt work very well.
Although I do disagree about taking on a phalanx head on... with anything. I tested one unit of maxxed out spartans against one unit of maxxed out Urbans, and the Urbans lost badly. They killed about twenty Sparts, lost about 50 odd of there own and the remaining 20- 30 ran away.
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 10 June 2008 07:26
EDT (US)
39 / 51
oops sorry i thought we were talking about attacking/defending WITH phalanxes, not against them >.<
Diadochius
Legionary
posted 10 June 2008 13:21
EDT (US)
40 / 51
Hmmm... well we might have been, I cant be bothered finding the actual post to clarify though...
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 10 June 2008 19:41
EDT (US)
43 / 51
andalus - only in RTW can you divide your forces in the face of a superior enemy and hope for victory >.<
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 11 June 2008 12:51
EDT (US)
45 / 51
it's a good point, too. But i use that as a reason not to use skymod :P.
(completely OT, i admit, i just think it's gross on the units. all the pretty skins just turn to black with specs of blown-out detail! D: )
Andalus
Legionary
posted 11 June 2008 12:59
EDT (US)
46 / 51
Sorry, what is skymod? I haven't heard of it.
SrJamesTyrrel
Legionary
posted 11 June 2008 15:30
EDT (US)
48 / 51
yeah the hill exploit is a good one to use in a pinch. just don't let any of your men fire while dancing or the enemy will attack while you're out of formation!
skymod just changes weather and lighting in the game, mostly adds more clouds and more brown and darker units. some people prefer it to the zomgsunshine approach of vanilla, but i'm a commercial graphic artist myself and have to say that, in this case, i think the other commercial artists had it right. vanilla units are far more readable and attractive imo than in any mod i've seen.
Oolon Colluphid
Legionary
posted 11 June 2008 17:24
EDT (US)
49 / 51
I hadn't thought of that. Good thing I tend to have fire at will off lately.
I actually did clash with the enemy at some point, when I was getting impatient about the turn and a warband was moving in front of the lines from one side to the other and my archers walked into them. It cost me a couple of archers, but luckily there was a spear warband right behind them. Just putting that unit in phalanx solved the problem.