Commanding Unit

**Barend** · August 05, 2008, 04:19 PM

I'm playing as the Ptolemaic Empire right now and when I besieged a city, I noticed that my commanding captain was part of my levy phalanx, while I had units of cavalry. In vanilla RTW captains where always part of the heaviest cavalry unit. This kept them alive easier, and made more sense as captains would not be some low level soldiers (like levies).
To me it doesn't make sense that a commander was out there on the frontline, fighting beside his men. Of course its heroic, (Alexander for example) but not really smart

Does anyone has an explanation for this?

**Balikedes** · August 05, 2008, 04:54 PM

I think it goes to the unit with the most experience? :hmmm:

edit: Apparently that makes too much sense...lol.

**CaesarVincens** · August 05, 2008, 10:57 PM

Sometimes it's pure dumb luck. If there is a method I have no idea what; I've had onagers as my captain before, more than once.

**Stilgar CG** · August 06, 2008, 01:31 AM

Isn't that a unit whose unit card stands first in stack (as in custom battles)? Why a unit or another stands first in stack is another question (chronological order, perhaps: the "oldest" and the "wisest" takes first place and are in charge). Just a guess.

**LucretiusTC** · August 06, 2008, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by CaesarVincens

Sometimes it's pure dumb luck. If there is a method I have no idea what; I've had onagers as my captain before, more than once.

You shouldn´t underestimate those men with onagers, after all many years later a certain ambitious Corsican named Napoleon Bonaparte started his career as an artillery officer...

In the game if I need some good extra Generals, I usually try to beat those local Rebels with units that are lead by a Captain, because this "Man of the Hour" chance could give at least 3 star General...

Luc.

**TM Is Back** · August 06, 2008, 05:28 AM

NO ME it is not that always. I had four HA's and then 2 Doryporoi, but the captain was with the Doryporoi.

**Stilgar CG** · August 06, 2008, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by TM Is Back

NO ME it is not that always. I had four HA's and then 2 Doryporoi, but the captain was with the Doryporoi.

TM, weren't HAs mercenaries or came from auxiliary barracks by any chance?

**TM Is Back** · August 06, 2008, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Magister Equitum

TM, weren't HAs mercenaries or came from auxiliary barracks by any chance?

No it were Bactrian HA's recruited from my normal barracks.

**Barend** · August 06, 2008, 05:40 AM

ME: I always order my units; cav first, then heavy inf, light inf and last missile troops. This makes it easy to organise my armies. Maybe this is the cause that in vanilla my captain always fought with the cav.

I will do some testing with different compositions (older and newer, more experienced troops) in my campaign and see what I come up with.

**Barend** · August 06, 2008, 07:38 AM

Fought a battle without a general; the commanding captain was in the cav unit. But this wasn't the oldest or the most experienced, just the first one of the stack. Exactly what seems logical, but I will check some other army configurations and see what I come up with.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Magister Equitum

TM, weren't HAs mercenaries or came from auxiliary barracks by any chance?

Well, when I got the levy-captain, it was the only non-AOR unit. In my last battle, the cav was Machimoi Cavalry, a 'regular' unit. Maybe this has something to do with it ?