Dacia strategy

[Enyalius]

How do you guys use these monsters on the battlefield and in the campaign ?

[Visarion]

well this is a thread that I'm going to like! I'll write you my strategy a bit later!

[Arges]

As for now, I see almost no reason in using spearmen; Horse Archers + al kind of falxmen (Bastarnae, Elite Daoi Infantry, Romphaia trhacians) means death to those clumsy macedonian and greek phalanxes.... Firts you decimate their armies with your swift horse archers (I also use 1 dismounted getae archers unit, they seem cool) and than you simply surround and cut to pieces what remains of their armis. This is also a good way to break the siege and to take their settlements. Horse archers are good at killing phalanxes cuz they can easily cover big distances in no time and shooot them in the rear or back.
Although I guess you'll need spearmen later, when fighiting with Boii and Germans...cuz their heavy cavalry is tough....I noticed that when fighting the rebels west and north my starting point.

Anyway, for start you should take as much rebel settlemnts in the south as possible. You have to do it quick, because macedonians are also after them. You go for rebel settlements in the west a bit later, cuz Boii are developing slower, and they are not a threat to you. The northern rebel settlements are the last ones that you should take, as you have no competition there. Although you must be careful with those scythians: they are masterful horse archers. When fighting them avoid their field armies, and go instead for their cities: their garrisons are weak and you should have no problems in taking them If you clash in the south with macedonians that should be no problem, as I said before their phalanxes are no mach for your horse archers and falxmen. There is also a greek settlement in the sout, near pontus euxinus, you should take it. It will leave you at war with the greek city states but they cant get to you and eventually will ask for peace.

I aim fighting more with Boii and Germanic tribes (as it happened historically), and leave macedonians, greeks and spartans fight between themselves even if I have to use force diplomacy. Later, of course, I will take care of the romans...and Rome shall burn again Good luck to you, and post your campaign impressions!

[Visarion]

Only One of the Strategies You Can Apply

ok here is one of my favorite strategies: I call it "Harass, blits, ambush and rout!" here goes: first I use my light cavalry armed with javelins and bows with arrows together with some foot archers and skirmishers to harass the enemy lines, then I attack with one regiment of infantry made from Thorakitai Hoplites, Scordisci Heavy Infantry or Dacian Elite Falxmen in the middle and Akantion Heavy Infantry in the flanks from the front of the enemy line! I support them with archers, skirmishers and light cavalry from flanks. I also use Thraikan Chosen Pezoi as backup troops. The most important units here are the Dacian Elite Falxmen that have warcry and also encourage nearby troops, so they are very important to raise the morale of your troops and hold the enemy line. Sometimes I also use Thracian Elite Rhopmhaiophoroi but usualy I take another regiment of infantry made from Daoi Elite Infantry, Bastarnae Elite Infantry, Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi and Thraikan Chosen Pezoi for support. After I give warcry I attack from one flank and from the rear or the other flank with heavy cavalry to rout the enemy! The main troops here are Daoi Elite Infantry because they can hide anywhere and can scare nearby enemy infantry! I usualy use troops with warcry to to the job! Dacian Medium Infantry are good too! Also Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi, Daoi and Bastarnae are effective against armour so they are just gorgeous!

The Famous Dacian Elite Regiment

Sometimes when facing heavy troops I use Dacian Elite Falxmen to support Daoi and increse they're defence... I form the famous Dacian Elite Regiment thus that was so successful against Roman legionaries. The Elite Regiment was made from falxmen armed with two-handed and single-handed falxes. The ones wielding the two handed falx were naked and had no shield because they trusted their weapon with their lifes and besides what do you need armour and shield for when you have such a formidable weapon right!? The armour would have only encumbered them! The other troops though were heavily armed and wore large oval shields for defence. Their main role was to protect the famous two-handed falxmen with their shields and block dangerous blows from the enemy while the true heroes with the heavy falx could cut lims entirely or even leave an enemy headless...

Some Plurivalent Troops

Be aware that Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi are plurivalent and in defence mode or while standing ground are very efficient against cavalry. When fighting offensively make sure you have warcry active and friendly heavy infantry already engaged in a fight! They are shock troops and must be used to rout the enemy! Even if they can hold enemy lines they are best used for support! You can also make use of them in flanks together with spearmen to protect the main body of infantry from cavalry charge...

[Wallachian]

Glad I stumbled upon this thread, was going to start one to see how what strategies people are using for Dacia.

I haven't played too much. At the moment I am just picking up all the rebel settlements around the starting position, started with the ones in the west until I reached the Boii then headed for the south ones where I made contact with the Macedon borders. I am allied with the Boii and with Macedon so that my western and southern borders are secure at the moment. I was planning to start challenging the Scythians but after reading the above post might pick up all the rebels in the north and the Greek city of Nicopolis before I tackle them.

On the economic side I've been pumping all the tax buildings, mines and income-earning buildings and avoided the ones which reduce the tax income. Any suggestions on what buildings are more important?

Thanks for the tips about army composition. Usually Im a fan of Greeks with long lines of pikemen to use as an anvil and cavalry to smash flanks. So had to adapt to the Dacian roster and the RS gameplay. I've been experimenting a bit and had some close calls with some rebel stacks. Twice I was almost defeated by rebel stacks but it seems that enemies rout en masse if their general is killed. Had a shock when I charged about 40 archers with dacian heavy cavalry and not only did they not rout but my horsemen were almost defeated!

[Hrobatos]

you didnt charged them properly
even archers or slingers can fight well against cavalary, so charge is the key, after charge retreat your army

[Enyalius]

I used those daoi elite guys in the centre in loose formation on guard mode to take the phalanxes head on. while elite Rhomphaiophoroi(had to copy paste lol) where at the flanks with 2 units on each flank. Hid 2 units of horse archers in the woods with skirmish and auto fire off, so they wont be discovered so fast. had 4-5 maybe 6 units of archers behind the daoi to rain death, 3 units of slingers in front. and some heavy cav.

the slingers pulls the enemy inf towards them, archers deals with enemy skirmishers/cavalry. daoi hurls javs and hold the line while the elite Rhomphaiophoroi engages the ones trying to flank/ and or does a flanking manouvre themselves once the daoi is engaged in melee. my heavy cal kills their heavy cal, horse archers leaves their hiding place and goes straight to the rear of the enemy line and mess up everything with their arrows, then (if needed) a final cav charge with the heavy cav to route them. the daoi suffer casualties from this tactic tho.

[Visarion]

use a combination of Daoi and Dacian Elite Falxmen for a better defence elsewhere... By the way Daoi, Bastarnae and Dacian Elite Falxmen can withstand a cavalry charge but are better used as shock troops with warcry active because they have good charge and the charge adds to attack for the first hit. Try using this combination to hold the enemy if not in phalanx: Dacian Elite Falxmen and Akantion Heavy Infantry in the middle, Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi in the flanks in defence mode, standing ground and Thraikan Chosen Pezoi in the back until they finish they're missiles and then charge in the engaged enemy units. Thorakitai Hoplites are also good! You can insert some Daoi in the middle line if you want to... I don't see why not! I usualy charge with Akantion, Thorakitai, Daoi or Rhomphaiophoroi and let Dacian Elite Falxmen and Thraikan Chosen Pezoi throw javelins from the back and flanks until they finish they're amo and then charge after giving warcry. See that Thraikan Chosen Pezoi have more javelins than Dacian Elite Falxmen so the first can be used as Heavy Peltasts while the second as Legionaries. By the way your tactic against phalanx is very interesting! Maybe I'll use it in one of my battles! I enjoyed sharing battlefield knowledge with you!

@ Wallachian: wait until you can recruit Sarmatian units and then rely on cavalry! Until then only use Dacian Cavalry for herassing the enemy!

EDIT 1: I wonder what happens if I put Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi in normal or loose formation instead of Daoi and make them stand ground in Enyalius' Strategy. Somebody told me they are great for that role... Maybe support them from flanks or rear with javelin throwing troops and charging in the engaged enemy units with Daoi and Thraikan Chosen Pezoi from one flank, with heavy cavalry from the other and with Dacian Elite Falxmen from the rear or front. Thorakitai Hoplites or Akantion Heavy Infantry are good too to stand they're ground and wait the enemy while the other troops stay hidden but why sacrice them right!? Anyway... interesting tactic! and of course light cavalry in Cantambrian Circle firing missiles from flanks or rear and archers... are imperative! just awesome! I just love those Getic Dismounted Archers don't you!? oh yes and Thracian Cavalry rocks too! I use them to charge in the back or flanks of charging enemy cavalry! but yes I admit a good tactic against phalanx Eny!

EDIT 2: In the first paragraph the first tactic is very effective against cavalry while the second against infantry...

-- double posts merged (Brusilov) - please use the EDIT button (again)

also many Dacian units have "can hide anywhere" or "can hide in woods" and some even have "effective against armour" so they are excellent for hiding in woods and ambushing! Just like Decebalus and his armies did in ancient times if you know a little history! Also Daoi have "frighten nearby enemy infantry" and the enemy units tremble at they're sight and they're dreaded falx! Dacian Elite Falxmen are the captains of infantry regiments if you want because they have "encourage nearmy infantry"! So remember you have two generals on the battlefield if you know how to use them properly! Tell me what do you think about the descriptions guys!? are they ok? Should some be improved? Thanks in advance for the feed-back! Visarion

[Wallachian]

Thanks a lot for this info. When I have more time to play I'll use your suggestions and let you know how I go. It's definetly helpful because the number of unit choices fairly early on is a bit daunting.

Do you have any suggestions regarding economics and building priorities? And which factions to tackle first? After reading all the threads about the problems of blitzing and quick expansions I'm thinking of taking it really slow and just building up my economy until I start attacking the neighbours...

[Visarion]

You should build economic structures first and then concentrate on army and law ones. In my campaign I was allied with Boii, neutral to Macedon and in war with the Scythians, Free Greeks and Rome... I attacked Rome because they reached the capital of Boii and I felt like I needed to help them... from that point on Romans kept attacking me but it was fun! I also took some settlements from the Scythians and they kept trying to get them back... The best thing would be, in my oppinion, to conquer some ports at Pontus Euxinus and establish some good trade relations with Macedonians, Boii and Free Greeks... Conquer all the rebel settlements in the area and then attack Scythia but make sure you have some troops in western and southern Dacia... I would say leave Nicopolis for now because Free Greeks have important ports in Anatolia and Crimeea and sea trade is important... Attack them after you start making trade with Pontus, Pergamum etc. Expand East in Crimeea and in Asia Minor best at first and in time in the Greek Peninsula...

-- double posts merged (Brusilov) - please use the EDIT button

Important info for your strategy guys: If I'm not mistaken Dacian Elite Falxmen, Daoi and Bastarnae have "offensive spear" meaning any weapon effective against cavalry like the falx while Thracian Elite Rhomphaiophoroi have "offensive and deffensive spear" combined in the same weapon but with different tactics of using it! Oh yes and units with sica are effective against armour and have a larger lethality than normal weapons... I think! so give Dacians a try! this faction is awesome!

[Enyalius]

it was thraikan chosen pezoi I was using in loose formation with guard mode not daoi, just started playing the dacia campaign again lol

[Lucius Aemilius Scaurus]

it was thraikan chosen pezoi I was using in loose formation with guard mode not daoi, just started playing the dacia campaign again lol

Thought so, sending almost naked units against long pikes doesnt seem the smartest way to fight phalanxes
Btw, Dacia rocks! And thanks Visarion for all the detailed information

[Visarion]

your welcome! glad I could help!

Edit: oh by the way I wrote everywhere Thraikan Elite Psiloi when in fact was Thraikan Chosen Pezoi... Now I have to edit... oh well...

[Enyalius]

I found the slingers to be very effective against companion cavalry 3 units of slingers managed to completely destroy the macedonian flanking manouvre(wich was pretty slow anyway) ANd I found that Akantion spearmen(was it?) are superb for holding the line!

[Visarion]

wow really!? that is great about slingers I mean... they trully are effective against armour!

A few more tips guys: Try to divide legionaries in two because thus you escape from that tremendous javelin fire. Do the same with units in phalanx formation so that you can flank them.

I tested Dacians a bit more and my conclusions are that Dacian Elite Falxmen are best used to attack from the front because unlike other troops they are not fast moving but are just excellent for holding the line together with Akantion, Rhomphaiophoroi and others. Daoi and Bastarnae are great for flanking because they are effective against armour and fast moving. They are also good for stopping an enemy attack because they frighten enemy units so they can be used to attack from the front too in some cases... They are vulnerable to missiles so I don't recommend using them to attack from the rear. Use Rhomphaiophoroi for that purpose! They are fast moving like Daoi and Bastarnae but unlike them they are also armoured and can withstand a missile fire or two but remember not to attack slingers or stand in their range because they are devastating... tell me about the other troops!

What do you thing about Thraikan Chosen Pezoi!? I thing they are only good as heavy peltasts and supporting troops... Oh by the way those Roxolani Lancers are just superb! armed with arrows and a lance can be used both as horse archers and for supporting cavalry! they're charge is excellent! but remember to not let them fight for a long time... better charge-withdraw, charge-withdraw, fire a little missiles and so on! Oh and by the way Tarabostes can inspire other troops as well! so you can have at least three generals!!! or one general - the family member and two captains if you preffer: Dacian Elite Falxmen - Infantry Captain and Tarabostes - Cavalry Captain!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

of course no one will get upset if you use Tarabostes to inspire infantry if you know what I mean!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

they inspire nearby troops so both cavalry and infantry!

[Arges]

I remember I have tested a Daoi Elite Infantry regiment against a Legionaire cohort (don't remember the name exactly, but was one of the best available in custom battles) and the dacians managed to beat them , even with the devastating effect of the pillum...

Medum difficulty

[Visarion]

just like in history!

[torzsoktamas]

I like these threeds where you can discuss various things about these well done factions.
I think there should be threeds like this for all factions.(Maybe I will make some for various factions)

I'm currently in a Cimbri campaign,but I will surely give Dacia a try,but possibly later.

[Visarion]

Thank you! trying to keep this thread alive!

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Just when I wanted to start a Dacia campaign this thread pops up! yay! I haven't touched them in the beta (), but they seem really interesting.

For those who have already played Dacia; do you have any specific strategy in your campaign? Which settlements and factions do you attack first?