Uerkeltoi etic Galatae (The Great Celts and Gauls)

[Mulattothrasher]

This is dedicated to questions, discussion, and everything else Celtic!

Have a question about something Celtic? Ask it here

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The picture above, it is claimed, shows a Macedonian vs. another Macedonian. For the purposes of this thread, it doesn't matter who the unarmored soldier's nationality is. The naked warrior can easily be seen as a Celtic warrior vs. a Hellenic enemy, and this scenario of naked warrior vs. armored soldier played itself out many times in the time frame around the great Celtic expedition/migration of 278 B.C. in the the army that was led by Bolgius (nicknamed 'lightning bolt'). The Celts split into three large armies; Bolgius went to rough up Macedonia and defeated Ptolemy Keraunus (nicknamed 'thunder bolt') sticking his head upon a lance; Brennus and Acichorius went into Greece and was thought to have sacked the Oracle at Delphi; Cerethrius' army attacked the Thracians and Triballi. Its quite possible that many Celts would charge towards the phalanx and at the last moment roll underneath the spears, stand up and begin their attack. Pretty cool...


My question to you is this. How do you generally use your Celtic army? Do you...
a) like your Celtic units with plenty of javelins and hitting enemies from a distance, or
b) do you prefer them to attack quickly and use the charge as the main way to break the enemy line?
c) other (if so do tell)

Let me know

[Phalanx300]

Probably a mix between A and B. First softening them up with javalins and then destroy them with a charge .

[Arnspac]

Ahhhh..my favourite fellow Barbarian.
I actually use my spearman in front, swordsmen and archers behind and cavalry on the flanks and hidden if possible. My difficulty lies in remembering which units I have set to 'hold fire' for the coup de grace.

Peltasts or javelins will usually be centred up on the front if used with the archers left and right slightly further back.


SW SP SP SP SP SW


SW Jav / AR Jav / AR SW

With armoured swordsmen they may anchour the wings and be right behind the spearmen, which in turn drops the archers back.

[Mulattothrasher]

I always field plenty of spearmen to completely render enemy cavalry antics worthless. I take my infantry and charge and attack as soon as possible before the enemy completly set up their own formations. Its great fun too.


If I'm the offensive, I turn off the fire to off. Just as I'm reaching the enemy I charge. They can't get off their volley most times so my elites smash into their lines and drive them back forming a wedge. My lesser troops hold the flanks. Becasue my elites and swordsmen drive into the enemy middle, the enemy line goes from a line like this ---- to something like this: __---__ My elites drive through the middle and thin the enemy line out while my own line is steadily consolidating itself.

E=Elites and sword units, S=spearmen, L= Light troops, C=cavalry

LL SSSS EEEEEE SSSS LL
CC

If I'm on the defensive, I place weaker spearmen in the middle on guard mode with the general behind them or nearby to keep morale up. Strong/elite warriors I place on the flanks. I have them drive the enemy flanks backwards. My spearmen in the middle hold while the elites take care of the wings then once the enemy wings are routing, they head for the middle to smash the troops fighting my spearmen. Instant victory. My line goes from this: _____ to this:---______---- and I get to flank them eventually.

E=Elites and sword units, S=spearmen, L= Light troops, C=cavalry

EEEE SSSSSS EEEE
L L CC L L

[Arnspac]

So brute force as opposed to finesse. In my current campaign I sat and waited for the enemy. Peltasts fell, then archers fell...then they sent the phalanxes. They fell after being horseshoed by my heavy spears and armoured swords. Their Macedonian heavy cav made a suicide charge against my spears and were routed by my Noble cav from behind.

Have you put much faith in the B M swordsmen? I don't see much for the cost.

[Mulattothrasher]

So brute force as opposed to finesse. In my current campaign I sat and waited for the enemy. Peltasts fell, then archers fell...then they sent the phalanxes. They fell after being horseshoed by my heavy spears and armoured swords. Their Macedonian heavy cav made a suicide charge against my spears and were routed by my Noble cav from behind.

Have you put much faith in the B M swordsmen? I don't see much for the cost.

Brute force is how I usually fight as it tends (for me at least) to end battle faster than running guys all around trying to flank, counter flank and all that.

When the enemies line does this:______, to: ____----____, to: _---```---_ as your best warriors smash into the center of the enemies line and push them further back, its a great feeling. You line closes and reinforces itself in close proximity while the enemy line thins out in the middle. Its similar to the way the Romans attacked Carthage at Cannae. Go for the middle. But I make sure to keep guys on the wings in guard mode, not attack mode, to hold the flanks while the elites get the job done in the center.

BM swordsmen? Which unit is that? :hmmm:



Alrighty, here are some old pictures that were going to make it into the previews. These are mostly action shots, not ones where they are standing around. Enjoy.

BELGAE PICS


The Belgae and Britons rush into battle...


Brythonic chariots on the move...


Belgic Light cavalry heading out


I'm ashamed but I accidentally left these Longshield Skirmishers out of the Belgae Preview. This is the first time they've been seen outside the dev forums...


The Nobility ride out...


A couple of the Belgic light swordsmen


Brythonic slingers



ARVERNI PICS
***(All Romans in the pics are from RS1.5)***


Aquitani horsemen. The Aquitani were a fusion of Iberian and Celtic cultures


The Gallic champions drive the Romans legionaries back!


The Arverni nobles in action...


The Gallic longshield and elite skirmishers prepare a volley...


A Roman (from RS1.5) and a Gallic heavy spearmen square off in the tall grass...


Arverni light swordsmen against the legions


Arverni champions begin their charge...


A charge of from the heavy spearmen...


More nobles in action...


Gauls battle the Pontic forces somewhere around Galatia...


Another enemy dies...

Hope y'all enjoy these

[Calvin]

Wow...just wow...

[Maяcel]

thats nice

[Arnspac]

Sorry about that The Belgae Milnah swordsmen. Although very pretty, I find the Armoured Warrior has more bang for the buck. Although they still seem to run out of ammo faster than the Principes.

PS The hand to hand pic looks like J. Shumates work and very much Macedonian.

[century x]

I have a question about the celtics.

Why are they so bad ass?

[Mulattothrasher]

I have a question about the celtics.

Why are they so bad ass?

What aspect are you referring to? Culture, weapons, or something else? :hmmm:

[Arnspac]

Probably because diplomacy wasn't really an option. Although mullatothrasher and the fuzz ( I can't make it upside down ) may have more learned opinions.

[cherryfunk]

I have a question about the celtics.

Why are they so bad ass?

A lot of people will tell you it's all Paul Pierce, but personally I think Ray Allen is the secret ingredient...

[Brusilov]

A lot of people will tell you it's all Paul Pierce, but personally I think Ray Allen is the secret ingredient...

I don't have a clue what you are on about.......

[Enyalius]

Sorry about that The Belgae Milnah swordsmen. Although very pretty, I find the Armoured Warrior has more bang for the buck. Although they still seem to run out of ammo faster than the Principes.

PS The hand to hand pic looks like J. Shumates work and very much Macedonian.

IMHO the Belgae Milnah Swordsmen are really awesome in hand to hand combat where you wouldnt need a pila. For example when taking walls with siege towers. I find then rather usefull against romans in particular.(havent really gone to far yet on my celtic campaign)
The thing is: they have very good stamina so they tire slower.. and recover quicker! Really good trait for melee IMO. something you could do if for example taking walls is before going in with the siege equipment send a unit or two of those light spear men set on loose formation as pila/jav/whatever fodder. and then send in the heavy inf that is the Belgae Milnah's. It suprised me how well they handled Principes 1 on 1 even after a pila shower up on those walls.

PS Great thread read through allmost all of it except a post or two.

[GreatOne]

What kind of fromations will the barbarians use?I saw in SPQR that they used loose square formations which amazingly depict the individualism in the combat as well as barbarian tendency to run when put under severe enough pressure

[Mulattothrasher]

What kind of fromations will the barbarians use?I saw in SPQR that they used loose square formations which amazingly depict the individualism in the combat as well as barbarian tendency to run when put under severe enough pressure

Its been a while since I've played SPQR honestly so I am not 100% sure what the spacing is on those formations. It like it's dead on though. The individual combat representation is great

I was working on formations a few months ago. You can get a wedge shape for infantry really easy. The problem is, however, when you go to move them around in battle. Things get weird as they go their destination because unless its straight ahead they tend to constantly twist and turn, redo the wedge, and other weird things... I was very disappointed. CA made their formation code or whatever very very difficult to do correctly. Thats why mods, so far, have next to no formations other than the normal square/rectangles and loose formation for infantry, and wedge for cavalry. Very limiting if you ask me.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

Sorry if you posted this before, MT, but this is one of my favorite celtic shots.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Mulattothrasher]

Nope, not posted yet. Great find though! Those are the Seleucid or Pontic Galatians aren't they? :hmmm:

When the others get back from their break, I might see if Tone can rename them to Rhigosages. They were a Celtic tribe used by Antiochus III in case anyones wondering

[Arnspac]

WHAT BREAK !!!!???!!!