a newbish medley of RTW 1.5 questions

[piranha45]

Is it a universal rule that all spear-wielding units get bonuses over all cavalry units? Gaul warbands, for example, do not have "Bonus vs cavalry" listed in their attributes, but of course they are spear units. So do they get a bonus vs cavalry, or not?

likewise, is it universal that sword infantry is superior to spear infantry in infantry vs infantry conflicts?

Are elephants considered cavalry?

Special Abilties: does anyone know-- or know of a reference-- the exact stats, or even the approximate stats, of the various Special Abilities units have? Like Warcry, Fire Projectiles? I'm particularly interested to know when its better to use Fire Projectiles, and when its better to use regular projectiles.

how many hitpoints do Family Members have? If you have two or more members in a given army, do the subordinate members in the unit keep their high level of HP, or are they reclassified for the purposes of the battle as only being a general's bodyguard?

Are there any practical in-game differences between the various missile units -- slingers, javeliners, archers?

[Kratos]

Is it a universal rule that all spear-wielding units get bonuses over all cavalry units? Gaul warbands, for example, do not have "Bonus vs cavalry" listed in their attributes, but of course they are spear units. So do they get a bonus vs cavalry, or not?

Gallic warbands, barbarian mercenaries and others are considered light infantry, not spearmen, even though they are armed with spears.

likewise, is it universal that sword infantry is superior to spear infantry in infantry vs infantry conflicts?

Yes

Are elephants considered cavalry?

Yes, they are considered heavy cavalry which you will propably notice when autoresolving. Elephants take mass cassualties when autoresolving because the comp uses them as cavalry.

[NobleNick]

...how many hitpoints do Family Members have?...

I want to say they get 2, but I am not sure. They can gather traits which give them even more hitpoints.

...If you have two or more members in a given army, do the subordinate members in the unit keep their high level of HP, or are they reclassified for the purposes of the battle as only being a general's bodyguard?...

General's bodyguard, in general, get one (1) hitpoint, regardless of how many the general has.

...Are there any practical in-game differences between the various missile units -- slingers, javeliners, archers?

Yes, very much so. Archers typically have the longest range missiles, followed by slingers and then javelins. Javelins, typically, pack more punch than bows and slings, and typically get a bonus against cavalry. SLingers typically pack the least punch. Javelins and archers typically shoot over the heads of nearby troops, whereas slingers try to shoot through anything between them and the target: Do not put friendly units between slingers and their target. Archers can use flaming arrows, which can turn them into an instant "fear unit." Archers lose some of their effectiveness in the rain (I do not know how slingers and javelins fare).

How this affects my formations: I typically place archers behind my front line, or sometimes in front and then let them retreat behind the front line. I try to assign them targets which are not engaged by my front line, since they kill more of my own men than they do the enemy. Slingers go on my left flank (so as to shoot into the enemy's unshielded right flank); or, if I have a lot of slingers, I put them in front of my line (never in back). As soon as slingers start skirmishing back behind my lines, I turn "fire at will" mode off and move them around to my left flank (enemy's right flank) and then turn them back on. Slingers are devastating if you can get them around the end of the battle line and have them fire into the backs of an enemy which is engaged by your front line.

[Scutarii]

Each member of a general's bodyguard has 2 hit points. You can check by going into the unit info scroll. As for how many the general gets, I think the base is something like 5 or 6, plus or minus due to traits.