Questions about RTR:PE 1.9 and help appreciated.

[Miko]

Ok, I've loved this mod and it's continuous development and played it for years now. Having recently downloaded this version, I wish to ask only a few questions. Rome has very few units after the Marian Reforms. No more slingers or spears. I hoped this might've changed. Is there changes worth updating in version 7?

Also, main question. Playing as Pontus, my Pezoi phalanx units have proven a nightmare to use versus enemy phalanxes of poor and high quality. Even persian phalanx units tend to defeat my phalanx, despite me using the phalan properly and on elevated ground when possible. Selecuid phalanxes are nearly impossible to beat, even the weaker ones with similair stats to mine kill my units far too quickly. I have used the "back" button to reset my men when they wander, but to no avail. Unless I hold a tight space in a town my units have little success. Even the egyptian Pezoi seems elite compared to mine, even when my more experienced unit has higher stats? Any advice, because to win I'm needing 2-1 phalanx and cav to strike the rear. Sometimes I can't provide these numbers.

I am having success overall, though, on V-hard/V-hard.

Thanks.

[Miko]

Oh, I forgot to add that there are occassions where an enemy stack attacks me, but takes up a defensive position and never initiates the attack. Is this a glitch, because I have found myself forced to attack them, which sometimes compromises the outcome.

[Sar1n]

Phalanx vs. Phalanx. Some units use macedonian style Sarissa two-handed spear, longer than usual hoplite spear. This gives them great advantage against other phalanx. If you look into unit description, these have "very long spears" listed in abilities. Also, AI gets attack and morale bonus on H and VH, so its units are better....you have to outmaneuver enemy units. Go into standard formation, run troops to side of enemy unit, form phalanx and attack before enemy manages to turn.

Marian reforms are made to be historically accurate. Roman legions were made of heavy infantry (legionaires) supported by local auxilla units. So you have to rely on AoR and mercenaries to support your troops.

AI on defensive is a good thing for you. If you have siege weapons, it enables you to bombard him without any problems, and position your troops strategically to outflank him.

[Flyboy1972]

Agree with Sar1n. Historically, what Marius brought two major reforms: opened up the ranks to non-land owners (whose ranks had been largely depleted from continous wars, especially against Jurgurtha and Numidia), and standardized the organization and equipment (so that poor Romans could be easily supplied by the state or in some cases, wealthy sponsors, as opposed to pre-reform kit, which was whatever rich Romans could afford to equip themselves with).

[Sar1n]

Matter in question is how was post-marian army organized. Roman citizens were recruited only as legionaries, few cavalry and specialists like siege engineers. This is reflected in game that base roman units are only those. Supporting troops, like archers, skirmishers, light cavalry, were local non-citizens, like subjugated Gauls, without any standartized equipment until forming real auxilila units during Augustus' rule (30 B.C.)...and this is reflected in having to use mercenaries and AoR units for those.

It does create a tactical "hole" in your formations, but then...ingame balance is modelled after real life, that was in these times weighed heavily toward heavy infantry...

[ryan1266]

The disparity in the power of your units to that of the enemy is due to being on very hard. In vanilla and in this mod, the AI on VH gets a +7 bonus (I'm not sure quite what it means, as I don't think it's +7 attack or defense, but it's fairly substantial nonetheless)

[Gaius Claudius Nero]

The last thing for my Pontics to do is ivade Britain. If it gets down to the spears, it has gone a bit pear shaped. I never commit my phalanx. Missile troops, archers and prodromoi then massed heavy cavalry before a first and possibly second line of other infantry. The secret to not getting your phalanx trashed is to attrit your opponents before they reach them.

[Firebush]

Your main problem is your difficulty setting. Playing on VH for battle settings gives the AI a plus 7 bonus on attack and morale(making them harder to rout and more likely to reform even if you do). I've found this means at least 3 units for every one that the AI brings to the field. This also makes cavalry a big no-no, including your general, they just can't last in sustained combat against +7 attack. You want more skirmisher units than anything really, send them behind the enemy to attack them where their shield and armor stats count for less(shield is reduced to 0 and armor is cut in half if I remember right).
Unfortunately none of these bonuses actually show up in the unit stats on the campaign map so I don't really know is this bonus also affects the missile weapon attack value. I would honestly recommend you reduce your battle setting down to Hard as I find it's the best balance. When I played on VH I found I was just losing way too many guys when I was doing everything right. I distinctly remember a situation where I had 3 units attacking a single enemy unit and I was still losing men at a 5-1 ratio. I do feel the AI should have some boost seeing as it's ill adept at anything resembling strategy, but when I'm doing it by the book and still "losing" I get a little ticked.

Hopefully this all helps.