Width of Units

[Commander_Vimes]

How many lines of units do you set yours up as using the "-" ,"="
I like to set my cavalry up into 2 or 3 lines so their charge is more effective.
but I am not sure about the infantry some times i like about 3 rows of men so its easier to encircle them round the edges. but some times I want them deep for a cavalry charge coming at me.

What do you find most effective or what do you use?

[Domitius]

I'm using phalanxes pretty often, and with them it's better to form a single line and encircle the enemy with my cavalry. With missile troops I don't usually form double lines, but I do if necessary. With my cavalry I think that your tactic isn't that effective. When forming double lines with the cavalry the last "wave" won't cause your enemy that much damage, because they're held up by your own troops. It's better to form a single line or make the cavalry formation. The thing you have experienced is that your troops pushes the enemy backwards with their mass. The don't cause much harm to them.

Best regards, Domitius.

[Octavium]

All depends on who I'm facing, what I've got and where I am, sorry, can't be answered.

[LuciusCato]

I tend to use deep formations as the Romans or Hellenistic factions, when playing as Barbarians, i mix all the units together in loose formation (except archers) and just charge.

[Gleemonex]

It is a bit of a subjective question, but I use a few simple guidelines based on experimentation (all in the SP campaign mode):

I tend to keep missile troops in wide, shallow formations so that they don't impede eachother (especially slingers!). This also helps them cover more frontage. The exception is when I'm assaulting a city, and have my archers lined up in blocks down the main street.

I usually keep spearmen in ranks of 4. This allows them to stop just about any charge without being encircled too badly. They can survive long enough for help to get there if they need it. The exception are hoplites, which I tend to form about 6 ranks deep.

I usually keep swordsmen in blocks 6-8 men deep, so that they can maneuver through the front line to flank/rear assault engaged enemies. With pila-throwing swordsmen (ie. legionnaries) I sometimes make them the same width as the spear unit in front of them, and have them fire their javelins over the spearmen's heads. I will especially do this when charged by cavalry.

Cavalry goes in ranks of 4. As a cavalry unit charges, the formation loosens a bit -- but with 4 ranks deep, they filter through each other to completely break the enemy's line in contact.

-Glee

[guyyug]

Depends as people say who i'm faceing.

Against chariots I tend to keep infantryquite deep so chariots get stuck in them and cut down with ease. If they have alot of ongars or ballistas I go long so chance of hitting are reduced or in case of ballista shots don't take to many down.

Hoplites and Pikeman are set up so I get max amount of spears out fornt but keep atleast two ranks behind them with their spears set at angles so if a frontline man dies I still have the same amount of spears in each row.

Screening troops, if I have litte are spread out to cover as much front as possibe.

[JCeasar_911]

Just as Lucios stated it all depends on who im facing. But more often than not i generally use deep formations and try to outnumber each enemy unit with two of my own so i get both effects of encirlcement and raw strength.