German troop selection

**Pingpong** · June 29, 2010, 02:13 PM

What do people use for fighting roman troops as germans? I have a terrible problems with triarii or principies or hastii. The javelins of the later two decimate my troops and triarii just refuse to die or route even when surrounded by axemen or double axemen. The night raiders are great if they can get a volley off but it takes them forever to reload. Love the animation of axes hitting troops and having them flung up in the air. I usually bring 2 archers or 2 javelineers for ranged support. I'm having a hard time getting heavy cav for rear charges into the enemy troops. Also charging into the backs of triarii doesn't do much... Looking for good ideas here. I have no trouble with the celts or iberians and less trouble with macedon.

**Zarax** · June 29, 2010, 02:52 PM

A line of cheap spearmen in shield wall will hold the romans nicely and is easy to replenish, put a berseker unit behind the line and night raiders/chosen axemen on the flanks with a couple heavy cavalry units.
You cannot win in a straight battle against the romans so you have to hit their morale, a couple units of slingers will also soften them up nicely.

**Pingpong** · June 29, 2010, 02:58 PM

Thanks for the tips. I typically use axemen as my base unit in my line.

**Zarax** · June 29, 2010, 03:01 PM

That's a pretty expensive line... 6 spearmen in ranks of 3-4 will hold nicely if you're using BI, under RTW or alex things are more difficult though.

**Pingpong** · June 29, 2010, 03:04 PM

Ah well I'm using RTW vanilla. I'm going to try using spearmen and flanking with other units. I miss the berserker power sticks with men flying everywhere. But they seems fairly well balanced.

**Pingpong** · August 04, 2010, 09:36 PM

Hi I'm wondering what is commonly used to kill thoratiki from the selucids as the sabeans. I can't kill them with anything i've got. They chew threw 5 chevron arab spearment (they are terrible I know). Any ideas?

**Zarax** · August 05, 2010, 01:45 AM

Spam axemen, if you can use the ethiopian ones.
They will get high losses but also cause them.

**Pingpong** · August 05, 2010, 12:19 PM

Is there a second choice besides ethopian axemen? Heavy cav seems like it might work if you could get lancers of some sort... Other ideas?

**Zarax** · August 05, 2010, 01:00 PM

What difficulty are you playing?
If all else fails you'll need to counter them with your own heavy infantry, temple guard should vanquish them easily.

**Pingpong** · August 05, 2010, 02:38 PM

I'm playing on M/M. I'm having a hard time getting up the resources to upgrade my cities to upper barracks. Besides fighting the selucids/ptolemies/eastern kingdoms. I had fought my way to memphis, taken it and was sieging alexandria. Won the battle during the AI's turn. Then had the spawn of elite units from alexandria as I was planning on occupying it next turn. It's not looking so good.

**Zarax** · August 05, 2010, 02:40 PM

I'm afraid you will have to use hit and run tactics with light cavalry then.
What his the highest barracks level you have?

**Pingpong** · August 05, 2010, 05:16 PM

Level 4 I believe. It permits me to build javelin heavy cav and chariot archers. I think I'll stall as long as possible against selucia and then hit them when I've finished up egypt.