How to get playing

[Vulpes]

Hey people,

I'm new and I was wondering about several things regarding the multiplayer. I don't know whether this is the right section though...

Anyway, after only playing the AI I have now started playing online. After playing some mathes I wonder:
What is a good faction to start with? I like all factions except for the Romans :p
Secondly, what is a good way to get better quickly? Anything specific I should read or do? Or perhaps just play a lot?

Thanks in advance,
With kind regards,
~ Vulpes

A happy new year by the way =]

[eddy_purpus]

i would say Germany...
they are pretty simple, yet so powerful...
check their units in an custom match offline...

[Njord]

Don't start off with Germania, you'll face a lot of defeats using barbarians online while learning. In my opinion Armenia/Seleucid would be a decent place to start, sturdy infantry, regular archers, great cavalry.

As for getting better, it's mostly in technique and execution, which only improves while you play. I'd recommend having a look at ClunyTheScourges youtube page, he has dozens of online commentaries detailing what to do and what not to do for many different nations.

Check out the Prince of Macedon's live commentary battles too, they'll give you a useful insight into how a veteran players plays, as it's recorded while he is playing, showing you how he moves about faces units etc.

[DeerHunter]

Lol just looked at one of Macedones live commentary he obviuously played a player who as never played online b4 not really usefull at all, I would say keep with factions with good morale at the begining like rome,Greek,Macedon or seluds but not barbarians who can easily chain rout if you do not know how to use them properly

[Lord Dakier]

Naaa... Potolmeic(Egypt)... wide selection of units... experienced veteran units like Phaorohs bowmen I think theyre called and Nile spearmen. More than a match for most seleucid style armies.

[DeerHunter]

Egypt is also very strong but like any factions it depends on the money you play with, Egypt is great up to about 30k but on say 50k or even 100k games there not very good at all the seluds will murder egypt on high money as there catas will own egypt chariots and there superior infantry will just march through egypt's infantry. Also on high money missile untis become more obsolete so choose more infantry and cav and less on archers

[Njord]

Egypts main strength lies in it's chariots, versatility and cheap units. I'd never recommend a new player online to start with them. It's not showing them how to play, it's showing them how to pick up an easy win, seeing as CWB rules is so bias towards them.

If you start of with the Seleucid, you still have versatility in your infantry (which are more sturdy) and cavalry, the ability to pick up using Cataphracts mace attack and a less sturdy chariot aspect.

The point of showing princes live commentaries as apposed to his regular videos was the basic formations, how to encircle with cavalry correctly, targeting units with archers correctly etc. It's easier to see in this aspect, regardless of skill, than say in one of Cluny's where he mainly talks about it.

[DeerHunter]

True Njord but the game I had seen with macedonia live commentary the opposing player would never play like he did he brought 8 roman tirari infantry and made is genral an aux archer in all my years of playing i can honestly say i have never seen such a bad army but macedonias intentions are noble in what he is trying to show to new players just maybe he be better playing more advanced players

[ELITEOFKINGWARMAN8]

True Njord but the game I had seen with macedonia live commentary the opposing player would never play like he did he brought 8 roman tirari infantry and made is genral an aux archer in all my years of playing i can honestly say i have never seen such a bad army but macedonias intentions are noble in what he is trying to show to new players just maybe he be better playing more advanced players

I will argee. I don't want to get off topic, nor offend Prince, but I see better games also. I played TW almost 5 years on MP, on every TW game expect for STW/MI, and you could ask me or Deer or any MP expert how to play. You can ask Prince to, I'm not saying not to, he knows how to play. Just saying, escally since he doesn't even do standed rules. But his cause is noble, and he spends the time doing it at least .




But Play as Rome. Good faction, and easy to start out as. Then Tryout Egypt and Germania. Once you become good, you should Try Armenia, one of the toughest ones to master, but a excellet faction!

[Vulpes]

Thanks for the replies.

Well, those vids thought me some stuff about unit movement. Futhermore, especially Cluny's vids also elaborate on how to use certain units, which is pretty useful. It's great that people make these things.

Anyway, I've been playing for a few days now, trying out different factions. It's a pity that the gap between non-clan people and clanmembers is that big though. The majority of the non-clan people could be beat by the AI, whereas the clanmembers are somewhat hard to beat at this point. But I'll keep going. Most of the time I pick a race, maybe watch some vids and then compose a few armies to play with. After like 5 games or so, I switch to the next. But yeah, I mostly stick to the easier factions at this point.

[Prince_of_Macedon]

True Njord but the game I had seen with macedonia live commentary the opposing player would never play like he did he brought 8 roman tirari infantry and made is genral an aux archer in all my years of playing i can honestly say i have never seen such a bad army but macedonias intentions are noble in what he is trying to show to new players just maybe he be better playing more advanced players

I play all players. Try not to turn a blind eye to the games I played against clanmembers.

Furthermore, in that battle against 20 Triarii, keep in mind that I handicapped myself, and I used an army of:
- 2 Militia Hoplites
- 2 Cavalry (1 Comp, 1 Macedonian)
- 6 Peltasts
- 2 Archers (something like that)

I will argee. I don't want to get off topic, nor offend Prince, but I see better games also.

If you just want to see me play clanplayers, then I have those kinds of battles too. Just type in "Prince_of_Macedon Clan" on YouTube. Next time, you can try searching for these videos instead of jumping on this bandwagon that has this theory about me only play beginners.

I realize that 160+ videos is a lot to watch through, but just realize that I play all skill levels (beginner, intermediate and experienced). I don't discriminate my opponents.

Furthermore, Armenia is not a tough faction to master. That's one of the beginner-factions due to how easy it is to win with them.

Just saying, escally since he doesn't even do standed rules

Anyone who plays CWB can easily adapt to my rules:
- max 6 cav
- max 6 foot-missile units
- max 2 HA
(those are the main rules)

[DeerHunter]

Keep it up Vulpes as you get better the online battles just get better and better with more and more tactics especailly if you start to play in clan games like a 3v3 they are awesome

[jehanzeb]

Ignore my post. Made a mistake. Wrong section.

Regards

[daxypoo]

i, like you, had trouble w/ romans when i started online....
-why do these guys always throw the lame spear when i asked them to attack?

-these legionaires always get mopped up by elephants

however, in time you will not be able to resist the ability to mass pila an enemy and high morale is a gift from the gods

i hate chariots so i stay away from egypt and briton even though these factions can dominate in the right situations


in the mean time i suggest getting familiar w/ the phalanx....
Macedon would be my faction of choice
-royal pikes are great infantry unit (spears are longer than greeks too)
-macedon cav is cheap and has great charge bonus (light lancers and mace cav)
-access to creatan archer

you can begin to learn hammer and anvil tactics w/ macedon right away...
i like to get about 10-15 pikes and arrange them with 6 in front; 4 in second line right behind front line; and rest in reserve rest of army is cav w/ a couple archers
just group your infantry and send them to enemies army; get in phalanx formation, walk them through enemy and flank w/ cav...
you can use reserve to turn an enemies flank or use them (most of the time)to stymie enemies cav attack against your pikes


online games need one to understand amount of denarii being used, the rules being used, and micromanagement of units

in general lower denarii usually cater to the skirmish army and coupled w/ cwb rules this is a certainty
12.5 k denarii cwb is standard clan game and is usually an army consisting of lots of archers; lots of cav; and small shielding infantry force-- the idea being that you maneuver around field launching arrows at enemy and then pulling back as they counter etc, etc

higher denarii (25k to 40k) bring infantry more to the spotlight as armor at higher monies makes missiles obsolete (thank god.... i hate missiles)

beware of the no rules 1000000 denarii games.... usually you will need a good ally and good luck and will usually regret playing these as understanding enemy faction's units is a huge factor in success
(ex... selucia, on large units, spending 100k w/ 700 units------ dont be rome w/ tons of urbs and cav.....)
these games usually have a host that will terminate if you gain upper hand or will refuse to admit defeat or any various things that make you want to stop playing online rtw....

if you do get sick of online go back to campaign and use your newly acquired tactics to lead a different faction to world domination

[Vulpes]

It's not that I have any specific troubles with Romans. I just don't like them

[Njord]

If you have xfire, add me. We can get some practice games in if you like.

[king-nord]

Rome without a doubt it's simple so better for new players

[Vulpes]

Still going strong.
However, I ran into an army which I found quite unbeatable. It was a 10k cwb battle versus Brittania with about 5 heavy chariots, 2 light chariots, 3 slingers and 3 headhurlers. Eventhough I had a decent amount of archers (5), they were no match for the light chariots. As soon as they became tired, they were routed by massed slinger fire from his units who had waited beyond my reach before that. During that ordeal, my cav could do very little but to stay in the proximity of my phalanx, as they'd get butchered by the chariots. After he whittled down my infantry and surrounded me completely, he massed charged. I was able to rout a few units of chariots and slingers, but at last, all of my units routed. Is there any way to beat such an army? =/

[Njord]

Yes, there is. The Woad (Britannia) chariot army is much easier to deal with than Egypts. First of all, ignore the light chariots if they are on cantabrian circle, you'll waste ammo. Dash your army forward and aim for his infantry, keeping your own troops in tightly knit formations.

The best way to deal with a chariot charge is to let them charge into a block of infantry, they get snagged and start dying.

I have a few videos of me dealing with Woads and Egypt chariot based armies, they might be of help, although I mostly play barbarian nations.

Pre-Marian Romans vs Woads;



Gaul Vs Woads;

[king-nord]

^ Yeah great way to deal with chariots, also you should focus on taking hit points of chariots and killing the head hurlers i love using rome for that tactict as the Javelin completely obliterates charging units.