Tips for dealing with Rome

**chapman104** · September 05, 2010, 03:35 PM

In my campaign as the Belgae i am part of a sort of coalition against rome that involves me the arverni and the boii. The problem is that when faced with legions comprised mainly of republican legionaries i cant seem to find a way to beat them especially given my lack of cavalry options.

**chapman104** · September 05, 2010, 05:26 PM

Anybody? They are giving me a beating whichever of the barbarian factions i play as.

**sithlord447** · September 05, 2010, 05:35 PM

flank them to death in battle. Also wait till they get real legions as they are scripted to spawn full historical legions for you to face

**chapman104** · September 05, 2010, 05:41 PM

The thing is they produce little to no missile units so their line is too big for me to get around and a head on assault always results in my units routing. Also do you think it is worth recruiting missile units as the european barbarians as it seems to me that their effect is quite limited in battle vs Rome.

**sithlord447** · September 05, 2010, 05:44 PM

head on they are not so effective but, if you get around their flank(use some light troops for protection) they are deadly

**Concrete** · September 05, 2010, 05:46 PM

Get a few missile units, use these to draw out individual units, and generally make a mess of their battle line.
Divide and conquer...

**chapman104** · September 05, 2010, 05:48 PM

So if i kept them off auto fire and waited till battle had engaged and sneak them round the back those filthy romans will rout? Not sure if its just barbarian morale is low but its damn hard to rout a legionary unit even when you surround it.

**Concrete** · September 05, 2010, 05:53 PM

If you're relying on routs(which is usually the best way, I suppose.) Then you will need enough cavalry dedicated to the task of taking out their general.
If you're responding to me, I mean, keep falling back, use a light missile unit to annoy a cohort to the extent that it pursues the missile unit.
And then hit it from the sides with a few dedicated melee units.

**tone** · September 05, 2010, 05:53 PM

Axemen are useful with AP, chariots are useful for their fear factor even if youdon't let them get engaged too much.

Make sure you make the most of your warcry feature and also maximise your charge bonuses by clicking on the Roman units once then hit R to run them at the Romans (double clicking can make the unit not charge properly).

The naked units have a pretty massive charge bonus and are good for their fear factor too - try and run them into the back of engaged Roman units.
Brythonic slingers are excellent value.

For cavalry you'll find you need to charge them in then disengage when you start taking a few losses then withdraw to beyond the charging distance (about 30-50 metres away)....again charge properly by clicking once on the unit you want to attack then hit R to make them run (you should see that their spears get lowered). With much cavalry you'll want to charge, withdraw, charge, withdraw a few times.

**chapman104** · September 05, 2010, 06:02 PM

Thanks for the hints guys I'll try and put some of them into effect when i get back from work tomorrow.
@tone what is it that double click does that ruins the charge?

**tone** · September 05, 2010, 06:12 PM

I'm not sure TBH, but long ago I was advised that if you double right click on a unit you want to attack your unit will often not charge properly, so ever since then I've always used the single right click and then "R" to run them. Units always charge properly that way as long as they are far enough away (their charge distance)....for most infantry this is around 30m for cavalry around 50 or so metres. If you listen you'll generally hear a horn blow and the units will speed up as they get really close and cavalry will lower their spears. IF they don't lower them, they haven't charged and you lose all the charge bonus which is crucial for cavalry in RS2....much of their effect is dependent on proper charges.

**Concrete** · September 05, 2010, 06:15 PM

And in addition to the obvious, he tells me the answer to something that has been bugging me for years.
Much appreciated, tone.

**TTRouble** · September 05, 2010, 07:32 PM

OK.. I've only played as the Boii recently and their in a really sticky situation when it comes to the Romans being rigth on their doorstep from the get go. What you need is to recruit a number of slingers and archer units per army - mine usually 3 each, heavy spearmen, heavy sword and skirmishers are a must. Cavalry - 2-3 heavy and possibly 2 missile cavalry units. I was surprised how well they copied with the early legions. The slingers are really excellent - theyre ammo last for longer, just keep them in skirmish mode in front and to the left of your heavy infantry. Hopefully, you'll have some luck against the legions!

**Grouchio** · September 05, 2010, 08:50 PM

How do you deal with Rome as a sucessor state? (like macedon?)

**tone** · September 06, 2010, 02:18 AM

Plenty of pikes engaging them from the front and heavy cavalry hitting their rear

**chapman104** · September 06, 2010, 10:33 AM

Nice one tone just laid down the law on three roman stacks using the flanking skirmisher plan rep for you sir

**Enyalius** · September 06, 2010, 06:21 PM

slingers slingers slingers is my advice for everything really. have skirmish off and autofire off Just move into range kill 1 of them have them chase u (untill their close enough to throw their pilum,/just before they stop try to work that out) hit withdraw, they will then march back..leaving their backs exposed.. with armour piercing slingers that means like.. 20-30 kills perhaps?
Edit: 20-30 kills per throw
Takes time but thats how to use them.