Fighting post Marian Rome

[IYI4sT3r 0f PuPp3t5]

I am the Seleucids and I have 2 provinces left to conquer to have all of the middle east and anatolia. My plan is to take out most of Africa, Carthage for sure. Then I can jump to sicily and attack Greece which is in a 3 way deathmatch between the Greeks Brutii and Thrace. Then I plan to fight Rome on two fronts. Just wondering since I will encounter Rome in about 15 years, what armies are best to fight post marian Romans?

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Well personally I'm quite a fast player, so usually I've kicked Rome's butt before they can get to the reforms. But from playing multiplayer battles, I think the best way you can beat them in the traditional Alexander hammer and anvil. Make sure you have enough cavalry in each army to beat the Roman cavalry, yet still have enough infantry to keep their infantry busy in a melee. Then when the battle starts, kill the Roman cavalry, engage the Roman legionaries, then hit them in the rear. Works quite a treat

[IYI4sT3r 0f PuPp3t5]

Well personally I'm quite a fast player, so usually I've kicked Rome's butt before they can get to the reforms.

Me too but with seleucia i had to fight off Armenia Pontus Greece and Egypt right away, I'm surprised I took all of the East as fast as I did.

What my infantry compose of? Legionaries or Pikeman?

What's better Companion Cavalry or Cataphracts?

[Praetorian Quintus]

Well for fighting the Roman families, I would say that both pikemen and legionries are needed. The pikes can get too easily bogged down by forward combat and if any flanking maneuvers are made, then you need to have say 3 or 4 cohorts ready to intercept. Plus, if that isn't necessary, then think of them as a second wave that can be used to turn the tide into your favour.


The cavalry is even more difficult to decide. However, if I remember correctly, Cataphracts come with armour piercing maces no? Either way;Cataphracts, companinions, It's important to maintain a cavalry superiority in the battles.

My advice would be to meet them head on. If you allow them to come at you fully that limits what you can do. Knowin the computer, It would be best to draw their cavalry away from the archers and then subsequently surround and neutralize their effectiveness. Then you can swing around and strike their unprotected backs as they would be pinned by your pikemen and your legionaires.

I can't say much about archers. The reason is that the Seleucid Empire really doesn't come with much in the sense of missile class. If you can get your hands on some Cretan Archers, then that's all the better. If not, then focus more on your cavalry, or elephants for those empty slots.

[Lord Romanus III]

You are going to need the best armies available. I once conquered the whole right side of the map and Africa. I landed in Greece with good armies of Phalanx Pikemen, Sarmatian Noble Mercenary cavalry, and Elephants. With my armies I had them nearly pushed out of Greece (Post-Marian remember) when I found all their armies. I was quickly knocked out of Greece and pushed back into Dacia. We then slugged it out and I dropped the campaign because the Julii jumped in as well.
Point being, you need great armies with Silver Shield Pikemen, Legionarres, Campanion Cavalry, and War Elephants. It was my third and best won campaign of Vanilla (I had already won the campaign but I continued playing anyways).

[magraev]

The Romans have the best pure archers in the game post-marius (long range shooting and decent armor). They also have the best heavy infantry (maybe excepting spartans, but they are usually too rare to be a factor). On top of that they have some of the best cavalry (legionary is decent, praetorian is very strong).

Their only true weakness is in the spear area. Rome has no excellent counter to a powerful cavalry-charge - auxilia are not bad, but not excellent. Still they are tough to beat, but the seleucids have the tools to do the job! Apart from the obvious pike line and flank (Alexander style) you can also use your kata's and elephants to charge and silver shield legionaires to finish the job. You are still going to need pikes for all those senate generals though.

[Carl von Döbeln]

I'm quite a fast player, so usually I've kicked Rome's butt before they can get to the reforms

[Lord Thesaurian]

pre marian rome is relatively easy 2 beat, but 2 beat post marian ur going 2 need the best (and unfortunately the most expensive) units in the Seleucid arsenal. Here's what my late-game seleucid army looks like:

1 General (if possible)
4 Silver shields
2 silver legions
3 companion cav
1-2 armored elephants
2 scythed chariots
2 peltasts/skirmishers
2 archers

with this kind of army, i have beaten every roman foe ive encountered. hope this helps

[C-Rob]

I fought them in the field with a general, 2 companions, 2 onagers, 3 units of elephants,3 archers, 2 chariots, and the rest as silver shield pikemen. They would route after getting pummeled and their general smashed by onager fire, but that was also on a hill, but it DID kill 5 stacks before I actualy had to do some real fighting beyond light skirmishing(their units reached my line but ran away after a brief fight).

Really though you want to conquer their cities and avoid their armies. Take all of greece in a turn or 2 or the entire italian penninsula before any field work. Then you have some cities to recruit from, retrain, and a huge hit to their cash occurs.