On the use of light infantry.

**devilbean** · March 27, 2009, 02:28 PM

This is my first campaign with the mod, with the Greeks (h/vh).

I'm just starting so I'm obviously at war with Macedon, and I wanna know if I'm doing this right... In the first couple turns I pumped out militia phalangites to have something to pin the macedonian phalanxes with, and then produced some of those heavy peltats. Problem is, the macedonians have quite a bit of hoplites, more than I do because I can't build them yet.

So I usually deploy the peltasts directly behind my line, on fire-at-will. As the enemy closes I let them throw all of their pointy sticks and then move them to the flanks. Once the big phalanx gang-bang gets under way, I tend to lose one of the flanks to superior numbers of heavy infantry. I say one of the flanks, because the spartan hoplites have always held theirs (and have taken like 4 casualties in 5 battles

). My athenian hoplites got partially wiped out when I over-estimated their strength 'a little', so I'm essentially left with the spartans and a partially depleted unit of mercenary hoplites. So far I've managed to save the bad flank with some help from the general, and I can usually exploit the spartan pimps to roll down the phalanx line and rout them all. However my general almost died last time, so I think I need to change tactics.

I understand that these peltasts were never meant to stand up to heavy infantry, but they're all I've got. I have to say that they still give a honorable performance [for light infantry] and have quite a bit of staying power in melee, much more so than I initially expected.

So. Thoughts ?

**Vercingetorix_Defeated** · March 27, 2009, 02:34 PM

They didn't have much staying power with the old 1 HP system, but with 2 HP it takes considerably longer for every unit to die. Basically this means that even bottom of the barrel units like garrison troops and skirmishers will last a long time in combat and can be used to flank enemies. Heavy peltasts are considerably better than normal peltasts at doing this though, because of their spears and large shields. They also have better morale, I believe.

Most of those early Macedonian armies are levy phalangites, I believe, so those phalanxes would be easier to flank with low quality troops.

**Zarax** · March 27, 2009, 03:16 PM

Playing on M will solve most of your problems... can't understand why people would play with artificial bonuses from the AI and then wonder why their troops are not as effective as they should...

**devilbean** · March 27, 2009, 03:56 PM

Is the mod meant to be played on m/m ? Because in vanilla rtw medium is little more than a joke...

**Vercingetorix_Defeated** · March 27, 2009, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by devilbean

Is the mod meant to be played on m/m ? Because in vanilla rtw medium is little more than a joke...

Medium in the battle map makes your units and the enemy's units on an even playing field.

Play it on hard or very hard in the campaign map if you want, it doesn't have to be the same on campaign and battle map.

**Zarax** · March 27, 2009, 04:05 PM

Well, AI already gets various kinds of bonuses, giving them extra stats is just masochistic...

**Grimbold** · March 27, 2009, 04:20 PM

Im playing on m/m and its a bit challenging, for me atleast, a guy who aint the experienced in XGm

**Darth Alec** · March 27, 2009, 05:44 PM

I'd play on Hard on the campaign. You'll want to fight.

**Scutarii** · March 27, 2009, 08:45 PM

I play VH/M most of the time. Lots of stacks, but the AI's peltasts won't hack through my Thorikitai. /exaggeration

**devilbean** · March 27, 2009, 09:42 PM

Fair enough... I restarted with VH/M.

I've got one more question though - when installing the mod, I wasn't sure which option to choose and decided to leave fatigue on. I realize this was a mistake as it's just too easy to exploit the AI's idiocy. Can I still change it??

**Scutarii** · March 27, 2009, 10:53 PM

Go into your preferences.txt file in the xgm folder, and just change the FATIGUE option to FALSE. You'll have to start a new campaign though, it doesn't affect already started ones...

**silentsam74** · March 27, 2009, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by devilbean

This is my first campaign with the mod, with the Greeks (h/vh).

I'm just starting so I'm obviously at war with Macedon, and I wanna know if I'm doing this right... In the first couple turns I pumped out militia phalangites to have something to pin the macedonian phalanxes with, and then produced some of those heavy peltats. Problem is, the macedonians have quite a bit of hoplites, more than I do because I can't build them yet.

So I usually deploy the peltasts directly behind my line, on fire-at-will. As the enemy closes I let them throw all of their pointy sticks and then move them to the flanks. Once the big phalanx gang-bang gets under way, I tend to lose one of the flanks to superior numbers of heavy infantry. I say one of the flanks, because the spartan hoplites have always held theirs (and have taken like 4 casualties in 5 battles

). My athenian hoplites got partially wiped out when I over-estimated their strength 'a little', so I'm essentially left with the spartans and a partially depleted unit of mercenary hoplites. So far I've managed to save the bad flank with some help from the general, and I can usually exploit the spartan pimps to roll down the phalanx line and rout them all. However my general almost died last time, so I think I need to change tactics.

I understand that these peltasts were never meant to stand up to heavy infantry, but they're all I've got. I have to say that they still give a honorable performance [for light infantry] and have quite a bit of staying power in melee, much more so than I initially expected.

So. Thoughts ?

I found a bit of useful terrain for the beginnings of the GCS campaign. On the first turn I take all my generals and have each buy all the mercs that spawn in the beginning. Usually you can get a couple heavy peltasts, and some basic Greek hoplites. Then combine all units around Athens, being careful when moving those from southern Greece not to get them stuck in Corinth's zone of control. I usually leave one unit in each city for garrison purposes. Then siege Corinth at the corner of the city coming straight across the isthmus of Corinth. If Macedon chooses not to send reinforcements you should be able to take Corinth. But, in my experience they always send a full stack directly behind you across the isthmus. When this attack happens you should be set up perfectly on the battle field. The area of deployment for GCS in this instance is at the top of a tall steep hill and one side is a sheer rock face that cannot be climbed. Just use that cliff as an extra impenetrable defender. I've yet to lose that first battle with heroic victories each time.

**Vercingetorix_Defeated** · March 28, 2009, 12:14 AM

A rock face that can't be climbed? I've never seen a cliff at all in the RTW battle map, I've got to try that out.

Not sure exactly where you mean by Corinth though, could you take a screenshot maybe? I'd take one, but I don't know where the "print screen" screens actually go.

**silentsam74** · March 28, 2009, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Vercingetorix_Defeated

A rock face that can't be climbed? I've never seen a cliff at all in the RTW battle map, I've got to try that out.

Not sure exactly where you mean by Corinth though, could you take a screenshot maybe? I'd take one, but I don't know where the "print screen" screens actually go.

I dont have that capability either. You don't have a city named 'Corinth'? Maybe yours is named different but it will be the same city that is called Corinth in this picture.

You should assemble forces west of Athens and march down to siege the northeast corner of the city.

**silentsam74** · March 28, 2009, 02:07 AM

Ok, I d/led fraps and now have step by step instructions..

Merging armies