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Thread: Barbarians, How do they work?

  1. #1

    Default Barbarians, How do they work?

    Okay normally I like to play 'Greekish' Factions such as The City-States, Successor Kingdoms, and Armenia, also some Persian/Indian but lately I've started looking at Barbarians. To be specific the Illyrians/Dacians/Thracians and Galatia problem is, I keep Dying.

    Illyria invaded by Carthage/Rome/Epirus all at once and unable to fight them all back, managing to give them a good bloody nose though.

    Dacians, same problem but with Nomads and Thracians Tag Teaming me, I manage better before being wiped out

    Thrace, same problem but with Dacians, Bosphorians, The Pontus And Macedonians I get Conquered but I Took Down An Army from each all attacking at my capital

    Galatia, I get Destroyed by everyone Around me.

    I don't know how to play barbarians and I would Like some Early game help with these factions, Please?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    One thing to note, is that you can make your battle lines LONGER than your enemies! Now they won't hold out for too long, or win for that matter, but this allows you to flank around their tougher units as soon as the battle starts!

  3. #3

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Leave a couple of units in reserve too, so when a unit starts to waver you can reinforce, this gives you time to flank! Now when facing other barbarians, its basically just a slugfest!

  4. #4

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Is it economic trouble or military strategy you want tips on?

  5. #5

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Both really, I don't understand their battle tactics and their buildings are weird for me, plus Temples, doubly so for the Illyrians don't seem that good.

  6. #6
    KAM 2150's Avatar Artifex
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    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Your tactics in battles are more about shock combat and proper manouvering as your units are both bigger and mostly faster. You also have big variety of units as for example you can have elite light infantry, while Romans of Greeks have them mostly at light or medium level at best. Overal, you should try to finish the battle as soon as possible since most of your units will not be up for prolonged combat (but there is still access to a lot good, heavy units if you have money for it). Also in their case I would leave your best units in reserve and let lights/meds do the fighting and then use those elite troops to charge into the fray so they will kill a lot in short time and force enemies to rout.
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  7. #7

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Ah thanks for the Tip KAM I'm used to using my best units as an Anvil so maybe that will help me some.

  8. #8
    GRANTO's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Full on power charges combined with flanking shock ambush works good for me.

  9. #9
    KAM 2150's Avatar Artifex
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    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

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  10. #10

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Don't forget : Your unit spacing and sizing means that 4 units of line infantry will form a MUCH, MUCH longer line than your enemy (providing they aren't also bah bah bar-barbarians)
    Which means you need to clash with the enemies main line as soon as possible! And then use your AWESOME shock infantry to flank round the sides!
    Simultaneously, you should use your cavalry to attack the rear of the main line after taking out their ranged units!
    Barbarians need to flank to win!

    TL;DR

    Being able to form longer battle lines means ONE of your main line infantry units can engage TWO of their units! use this to your advantage! They won't win the battle, but they CAN hold for a surprisingly long time! Allowing you to flank the sides and rears!

  11. #11

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    I dunno about that. When I play against barbs as greeks I just tighten up my hoplites and charge them 2 hoplites per generic barb melee. They shatter so fast they don't even slow down.

  12. #12
    ♘Top Hat Zebra's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    While I haven't played with them, the Thracians in particular look very effective. Solid pike line with very good shock infantry for flanking. Best of both worlds.
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  13. #13

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    Yeah They Play a lot like Greeks that's Why I did the best with them, but I Simply had to many enemies all invading me at once.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    No general skill is more important than night battles since it allows you to engage one stack at a time. Then it's all about winning battles without losing too many men

  15. #15

    Default Re: Barbarians, How do they work?

    If your problem is being overwhelmed by enemy's I would say be very carefull about what you capture. Always try to grab areas that can be defended easily. For example with Dacians I find that Thracian don't attack much, so I take home providence, then head up to scythia. Take the Scythian walled city and leave a cheap army to hold any attacks from east, while a small army at walled Thracian settlement holds great against the north and west. Thrace can have the same east hold at the bos straights. This way you can prevent being overwhelmed as small garrisons with walls can hold out against more numerous and better armies. Also use that to your advantage let factions attack you first, crush their armies with garrison help then counter when they are rebuilding armies.
    The other HUGE advantage of Thracian dacians is half price mercenary recruitment with double retaining cost. Buy mercs right before you attack and use them suicidaly, if they manage to live dismiss them after battle. In this way you can get good cheap units to do the dying and keep your units at full strenght. I usually have stacks of like 16 for this reason. That way I can hire 4 mercs before assaulting towns or armies but I can hold if I'm attacked with the help of a fort or garrison. You'd be amazed at how useful mercs you don't mind losing to a man can be.

    flanking is as good as they say, and peltast are great flankers, as javs in the back will anihilate most units, and if you turn off skirmishing they will see off most cav units your like to see. I would add that using forts will hel a lot too, just use the fort as the center of your battle line with holding units at the gates and archers on the inside, leave the rest of your army outside the fort behind on the side with no gate. Use these units to flank and kill ranged when the comp Rushes camp with everything. lastly if you siege barb city's or forts use fire arrows to kill the wooden towers, makes sieges much less daunting.

    The last tip is a bit gamey but war declarations are weighted random decisions, simply reloading your quick save and ending turn can mean avoiding unwanted wars. Especially early on neighbors will have small chance to declare war so loading save will roll those dice again. later in game when People actually hate you it won't work.

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