Roman auxila, how to use them?

[ray243]

Is it better to place them at the flanks to defend it, or is it better to use the to hold the line, while your legions makes a flanking manuaver?

[J@mes]

I always place mine in a row behind my cohorts my legions normally consist of about 4 of these units so i just stretch mine in a 3 deep line these hold the line and stop cavalry from charging from behind, works fine for me.

[Selifator]

I only use them online, since I never reach the reforms in campaign. I use them to guard my flanks against cavalry and chariots that sweep around. Not much use in the front-line, they are too weak compared to the cohorts.

[Aristarchus]

I use them to guard my flanks against cavalry and chariots that sweep around. Not much use in the front-line, they are too weak compared to the cohorts.

This is about the only use I find for the auxilia in the field, too. Basically, I only build auxilia as a town watch and avoid ever using them in battle unless necessary.

[_TubbZ_]

I only use them online, since I never reach the reforms in campaign. I use them to guard my flanks against cavalry and chariots that sweep around. Not much use in the front-line, they are too weak compared to the cohorts.

I use triarii online, they are so much better than Auxillia in campaign i don't really bother with them and prefer to take cav over spears to beat cav...

[wierdo5000]

legionaries are pretty much multipurpose... ive killed chariots with legionaries, and ive killed horse archers with them too. its easy, just go testudo then their arrows cant hit you. Legionaries even stand a better chance than auxilia against chariots... legionaries are heavily armored and have better morale. though they dont get that attack bonus, they make up for it by being hardy with superior weapons and armor.
also if u ever read the chariot's profile they usually have a low defense rating so they really not that hard to kill if u have the right troops

[Selifator]

I use triarii online, they are so much better than Auxillia in campaign i don't really bother with them and prefer to take cav over spears to beat cav...

Yea, triaria might be better but I like auxilia for my legion-style army.

[Prince_of_Macedon]

I'll move this to Battle Planning.

[Romulus_A]

As others have said, don't use Auxilia on the front-lines, Legionarres were meant to take brutal impact, Auxilia are simply meant to be the Roman's answer to dealing with cavalry.

Keep them in your reserves in my opinion, that way flanking is pretty much impossible for the enemy,

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Auxilia are pretty useless in RTW Vanilla. Only in mods like RS do they really amount to much. But with the Auxilia, I think the best way is to just use them as a back up line. So they can throw their pila when the enemy comes without themselves getting killed, but wherever your line might be buckling some where, of if you have enemy cavalry rushing up your back, they can be helpful.

[Cluny the Scourge]

Spearmen (which is what Roman Auxilia are) should go on the flanks to protect against enemy cavalry.

[bobob306]

i usually have them in reserve because they are so defensive they are perfect for pluging a hole

[chizabc]

they are perfect for pluging a hole

I think you've got the wrong forums buddy =P

[Mithradates]

Best way to use them is to not using them at all, every slot that is occupied in your army by auxilias means one less cohort, legionaires are the universal roman answer against everything, they are decent against cavallry and way better against infantry than the auxilia.

[Selifator]

Best way to use them is to not using them at all, every slot that is occupied in your army by auxilias means one less cohort, legionaires are the universal roman answer against everything, they are decent against cavallry and way better against infantry than the auxilia.

Unless you are fighting horse archers, or chariots.

[wierdo5000]

id put them in ur cities, they good at defending cities, not the greatest on the field, id leave everything in the field to your legionaries, they can kill pretty much any unit easy, except elephants. auxilia are basically just a higher morale warband. id only recruit auxilia if ur low on $$ or its the best available infantry unit in a certain city.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I put them right up front. Of course, a legionary eagle in the middle of the formation makes in unlikely they will run away. I use them as frontline men that take the brunt of the enemy charge and then I sen din the heavier cohorts behind them and it works pretty will. The cohorts charge right in behind them resulting in a massive combo of lighter auxilaries and heavy cohorts. I aso think the presence of the cohorts make it unlikely the auxilaries will rout.

[chizabc]

I only use auxilia as reserves or if i have very few troop choices, If i have to use them i form a medium depth defensive line with them on Guard mode, cavalry on flanks and archers behind and hope for the best.

[Achtung!]

Which kind of auxilia are we talking about, the light javelin throwing ones or the spearmen?

I place the lighter auxilia behind my legionaries if I ever bother to recruit them.

The heavier auxilia i place on the flanks of the army to guard against cavalry.

[Jackster]

These guys are obviously not legionaires, so really should not be compare to them.
They are good because they are cheap and can be produce in a large town, I use them a lot when i was doing my Scipii campaign against Gaul, Spain and Briton (Yes, the Julii were very imcompetent, I've conquered the entire Africa and they barely made it out of Italy.) Because all the settlements I captured are too small, I had to make a bunch of Auxilia, to the end they became the major fighting force in my armies as my legion's number drindled and reinforcements were hard to come by.
They can beat most barbarian troops, with few exceptions and they held up those damm chariots as long as my general stands behind them.