Light Lancers

[Astaroth]

Well yeah I have to say Macedonia is one of my most favourite factions in the game (playing offline that is).

That is not only due to its nice history, cool lategame units and sweet starting postition but also due to Light Lancers - one of my fav units in the whole game.

If you factor in cost, they are pretty surely the coolest unit for such a low price.

Since they have an amazing charge bonus, they can beat almost everything and are pretty damn cheap.

Using nothing but a full stack (20 units) of ~2-3 generals and 17-18 light lancer units (neither of those with high armour/xp, just with max. 1 bronze xp arrow or so) I can beat basically every other stack in the game, such as the usual 6 general, ~3 velites, 4 hastati, 4 principes and 3 triarii SPQR stack.

Simple tactics always work, of course mainly due to the stupidity of the AI:

-> make groups with roughly ~5 groups of lancers/~1 general each. Ride around his army and go close to one of his generals with 1 unit of LL, lure him away, while he chases you, you suddenly mass charge him with 5-6 units, he will basically insta-rout. Repeat it with the other generals, usually the one with the most bodyguards last, so you can charge at him with ~8 units, insta rout again. Then just hunt down the velites and start luring away the hastati. Hastati suck vs cav, one charge and they rout. Repeat until all hastati are dead, then do the same with the principes and finally with the left over triarii.
"hit and run" tactics are the key to that, never let your units get caught in melee for long, avoid triarii at all costs until the rest of the army is gone.

Units in general tend to rout very quikly when you charge at them from all sides. Btw this strategy also works vs hoplites, if you have good micro. Just surround the phalangites with cav then always charge at their rear. The second they lift their spears to turn around, you charge into the other side, you will barely lose any men.

What do you think of these beasts? Discuss

[][Xyphos][ - Lee]

i do like light lancers because of there speed but in close combat they do rout very easily, not much to really say about them, i dont really use them very often usually just upgrade my stables and get macedonian cav or companions.

[Erwin Rommel]

light lancers............AHH!!

spamming them with fullstack while waiting for the new barracks to get pikemen while eyeing that large stack from rome coming down in apollonia

[Astaroth]

Well as I said, if your micro is good they can be beasts. Just always charge and never actually really fight much and use your speed advantage to make sure that you always have more units at a certain point. (e.g., rout his one hastati flank with 3-1 LL-hastati units, then run away)

[Erwin Rommel]

plus those hastatai and princepes look very inviting when they are stationary

[Eccentric]

Yep, they are good, but I prefer Greek cav to light lancers because they are more protected and don't all die if you leave them standing still for 2 seconds, btw, all light cav have the pretty much the same charge, so spamming works great with almost any level 1 cav unit, light lancers are just a little weaker then most.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Whenever I play Macedon on single player, I either use my light lancers to take out the skirmishers or archers, never minding if they are protected or not (cos light lancers are so cheap, I don't really mind). But then again, I've never even fought a battle with a full stack of cavalry before, let alone a full stack of light lancers. I might try it

[_TubbZ_]

light lancers are great for hit and run tactics until someone choses to shoot at you then they are not so great i always prefer Greek cav for just that reason, although Light lancers stats are impressive but for the super charge factor i tend to take heavy cav...

[Astaroth]

I dont like Greek Cav as much, I dont know the exact stats but they seem to be weaker, at least their charge doesnt seem to be as powerful. Are they slower? I dunno

And I think they cost more as well

[_TubbZ_]

I dont like Greek Cav as much, I dont know the exact stats but they seem to be weaker, at least their charge doesnt seem to be as powerful. Are they slower? I dunno

And I think they cost more as well

They have the same speed, cost a bit less (330 compared to 370 in custom that is) they have a weaker attack + charge but they don't drop dead so last a bit longer than Light lancers seem to.

[Prince_of_Macedon]

I love my Lancers

I also love Greek Cavalry. They all have a place in my army (depending on the situation).

[achillis]

i always thought the light lancers sucked but i dont play for macedon very often so i could be wrong

[Xavier Dragnesi]

I wouldn't say they are bad, but against enemy heavy infantry, pikes or heavy cavalry, they are not so useful for sure. So as Prince says, depends on the situation.

[The10thLegion]

just use them for flanking "tools"

[Aristarchus]

Just surround the phalangites with cav then always charge at their rear. The second they lift their spears to turn around, you charge into the other side, you will barely lose any men.

I followed this advice for awhile, but found it only sometimes works, and only with available cavalry in just the right positions and impeccable timing. Otherwise the death toll for horses is way too high. I prefer the first charge with arrows and axemen, and only then cavalry.

PS. But OK, you've intrigued me to try Macedon and its light lancers (or Greece and cavalry). So far, I'm not a big phalanx fan.

[Knight of Judgment]

a full stack of light lancers ? but if your opponent has 4-5 phalanx units ?

[DashSia]

I always loved cavalry, speically when i first played rome. i attacked with full stack of equits and after the reform, roman cavalry. i played as guals and i had a full stack of barbarian cavalry. but really against house-of-Julii and Gauls there are no phalanx, so cavalry worked. and because of this love of cavalry i started my Parthian campain for the 4th time.
but i'm sure you just use your light lancers against rome. you use infantry against greek, don't you?
i don't know about light lancers because i have never played with macedonia. but i'm sure its better to use persian-cavalry and cataphracts.

[Master_Templar]

I don't play Macedonians as much as I play Rome, Gaul and Armenia, but once playing a campaign, I found it was more fun than I expected. Maybe I should try it out again...

[GreatOne]

Light Lancers, the best light cavalry unit of the time, they have speed(at least I thought they outrun the greek cav just the other day I was playing) They have truly amazing charge bonus and attack, their only weakness is the frontal charge and missiles, as they can outflank, outrun and outdo anything you can see on the battlefield, they can rout anything anywhere, except ellies and chariots that is

Archers really don't stand a chance, as Lancers can just go out of range or charge at them.Missile cavalry is real pain so that's their biggest weakness.

They are also eaisily available almost anywhere, and they're cheap, it was not uncommon for them to have biggest casualties inflicted score, and I use my general A LOT, that's why they're always bloodthirsty, fearless or scarred