1.2beta - Rome start help!

[Molecularbioguy]

I started playing DEI, and upgraded to 1.2beta last week. WOW! Loving the new pop system. Battle AI is significantly improved (I haven't figured out how to cheese it yet), to the point where I'm struggling to get off the ground... as Rome. I've tried a couple strategies and nothing seems to work against those dang Epirus elephants. My most successful start involved taking out the Etruscans and luckily catching Pyrrhus and his forces in the open field. But my forces were so hurt by the fight when I attacked the walled city in southern Italy, my army got annihilated. Towers = OP as heck right now.

Anyone have ideas on opening moves to be successful? Or how to fight against a walled city early in the game? I'm seriously considering accepting that I just won't be able to attack it successfully until after turn 8 (build a workshop, recruit ballistae). One thing that's nice is the diverse set of units Rome can recruit. I'm just not very familiar with how to use them. In 1.1 early massed slingers were devastating, but against Pyrrhus, his elephants and cavalry bumrush me if I try a tactic like this and I get stomped. Same if I recruit a bunch of Hastati and Principes: yeah the Elephants die after charging me, but they break my morale and kill maybe 4,500 men before dying. And I lose the battle most times. Maybe I don't know how to use Hoplites (or as Rome, Triarii) very well. They never seem to kill very many enemies before they rout. Help!

[Molecularbioguy]

correction: 400-500 men, not 4,500

[TrippinDaJive]

Dude, have fun with Rome. It's so ing hard lol. I'm playing on Hard campaign/normal battle but I was always get surrounded by enemies later in the game (they declare war on me). I've started two campaigns already and I always get overwhelmed by like turn 150 (oh and I actually had a civil war break out during this ordeal so that just made things even more difficult).

Anyway, take your time taking walled settlements. Seriously. Build siege equipment and gather a full stack. Use those levies to storm the parapets and manipular troops to storm through broken walls/gates. Focus your attack on one side of a city rather than trying to surround the town. Careful with your slingers as you attack the enemy atop the wall; avoid friendly fire. As for the elephants/cav, use leves/velites. Take off fire-at-will and skirmish mode but put them in front of your spearmen line. As the enemy calvary charges towards your skirmishers, quickly withdraw them behind your line and then throw javelins at the ers. And leave gaps between your spears and hastati to avoid the elephants breaking through. Hope this helps.