Carthage Battle Strats

[AchillesXX]

Hello all,

I am currently playing a Carthage Campaign with Vh battles, H campaign map. Against the Romans, what strategies do you usually use? There is a half stack of Triarii menacing my position in Lilybaeum, and the thought of facing them is frightening.

So, I can't yet recruit elephants - but from what I have read I should focus on AP units like Numidian Cav and Balearics. Any other suggestions?

Also, I have found in other campaigns that the Romans usually try and flank my position. However, I want to acheive a Cannae like double envelopement maneuver, and I was hoping that if I made the center of my line out of slingers or perhaps heavy peltasts I could entice the romans to attack the center and not the flank. Do you, my wise fellow forumers, think this would work?

[TM Is Back]

Well, if you want to hold the city, your best option is to built some Light Infantry and Heavy Infantry. And lots of them. You cannot destroy the Triarii in one vs one combat, only in 100 vs 1. The Romans cannot flank you if your line is wider. So my strategie would be a skirmishing center and some strong flanks, maybe even 3 squads thick. Then you can flank them, the only way to gain victory.

[Scutarii]

Have Balearics and lots of Numidians (4) in every stack. They kill Romans with great efficiency. But, then you still need some good infantry to back them up, so a good mix of Libyan Lights and Heavies is a good idea (in a full stack, maybe 5 and 5). You also need some melee cavalry (use bodyguards at the beginning, and then Civic and Sacred Band Cavalry), and elephants are a must for me (use the starting ones wisely). The fear causes an earlier rout, and once the lines are engaged, just set them up on one side and attack a unit on the other side. Have fun watching one unit rout an entire army.

[TM Is Back]

Against Triarii that will be a bit more difficult. They get stuck far more earlier then. However they are a very powerfull unit and a must in fighting Romans.

[AchillesXX]

I have restarted my campaign simply on Hard/Hard difficulty. Very Hard made Triarii into meat grinders that ate my Heavy Libyans for breakfast. This campaign is going much smoother, although I have entered a shame spiral for wussing out.

[AchillesXX]

I plan to invade Italy via Spain a la Hannibal (I've been reading Polybius, and it has inspired me with Punic elan). I have been lucky as one of the African towns I captured had a battle temple, and one of the Spanish towns had a forge temple, so I will eventually be able to pump out 2-3 cheveroned armies with silver or gold weapons.

Trying to mirror Hannibal's army composition I plan to bring: 1 general, 1 unit of the best elephants I can get, 2 Balearic slingers, 4 Numidian cavalry, 4 Heavy Spanish cavalry, 2 Heavy Libyan infantry, 2 Light Libyan infantry, 4 Heavy Spanish infantry. I will replace my loses on the way with whatever mercenary Gauls and Italians are available. How do you think this will hold up vis a vis a typical Roman army?

Also, am I right in thinking that the only mercs available on my treck through Gaul are skirmishers and cavalry? Also, what mercs are available in northern Italy (Po valley area) Italic types or Gaulic? Both would make sense at different times.

My thanks go out anyone who responds - Scutarii, TM, Caesar Vincens, Kara K, DBH, and a few others make this part of the forum worth reading!

[TM Is Back]

I would sugest otherwise. If you plan to do the Hannibal route, remember that the Romans will have more then one stack to face you. Probably around 4 or 5. Do you think you can fight them and win? If so, try it, if not do something else.

I suggest you first conquer the entire Iberian peninsula. If you have already done that, perfect, capture the two Independent Greek Cities. The Romans will now attack Masallia also, if they have northen Italie, and split their stacks.

Now is the time to strike. With their armies on Sicily and northern Italie, the center is free for you. Built one or two stacks, if you can produce more without destroying your treasery and financial position do so, and lauch a naval invasion on Capua, Arrentium and the strongest one on Rome, or any other city). Rome will launch the garisson script so deside if you want that already or not yet.(or even not at all).

The Romans will now withdraw some stacks probably so you can launch your attacks from Masillia and Emporion towards northern Gaul and your Sicily army on Sicily and southern Italie.

Send reinforcements if nessecary, and simply destroy the Romans.