Tactical side of an ambush

[Boriak]

I know how to prepare for an ambush in the strategic map so I'm not asking about that. I'm asking about when an ambush is successful and you are in the tactical map. Is there any special way to do it? Because I've done some successful ambushes but the tactical outcome was always quite dreadful. At least four of my units routed (that was back in Vanilla).

I put my army in two rows one one each side of the enemy's marching column. I put my general on the front since most of the fighting was done on the sides. Still, I lost quite some soldiers. I usually lose less in a straight battle.

Any hints about ambushing, please.

[The Hedge Knight]

My ideal setup would be -1 general
-7 solid good infantry
-7 archers
-5 shock troops (hypaspists or cavalry, even just heavy infanty)

Put your archers (or slingers) with your shock troops (make sure the shock troops are hidden), put your hevy infantry and general on the other (also hidden).

1: at the start of the battle attack as many units as possible with your archers and run away so they turn and charge...
2: (optional) Go on a ggeneral hunt with your general and a unit of shock troops (he's at the head of the column, this will help later)
2:hit em in the rear with your heavy infantry
3: engage again with archers, use a unit or two of shock troops yto attack remaining enemies if needed.
4:after you archers have fired a few volleys hit them in the rear with shock troops.
5 make sure you get the rear charges, side charges will not cause nearly so many routes.

[Scutarii]

Bring archers. You have them surrounded on two sides or more, so if you micro them you should be hitting some units back at all times.

The main advantage in an ambush is splitting up the AI's forces. It doesn't handle it well at all, so just take one side (probably the one without the enemy general, so they rout easier) and shoot 'em up, then pin with a couple of infantry units and hit from behind with cav. Then surround the other half of the enemy army.

I like doing them in N. Italy against the Gauls, if they try anything, and for flavour playing as Germania. They're high end shock troops really rip open Romans.

I also fondly remember taking a raiding Sweboz force in EB down into the Alps to pillage and burn... Ambushed 3 or 4 Roman fullstacks with that one, before they were taken out by a combination of bad terrain and the Romans triarii/pedites extroardinarii spam.