Your most valuable unit?

**Shqiponja_Hayabusa** · November 08, 2009, 09:35 PM

What is the unit in your campaign that you trust the most to do it's duty?

So far in my Roman campaign I am surprised by the Etruscan hoplites.Their cost is not very welcoming but they have good performance .I put them in guard mode when odds are not in my favour, prb close to a unit of triarii, and they always excel.

**AqD** · November 08, 2009, 10:51 PM

veteran horse archers.... They're always the offensive arm in army, for harrassing, baiting, and back-stabbing. All other units are cannon-fodders

**Arkaeyn** · November 09, 2009, 01:13 AM

I just whipped an Epirote army with the swastika infantry holding the line in a siege. I was outnumbered over 2-1 and thought I was outclassed in troops. But the swastikas saved the day. (Samnite somethings, I know, but the swastikas are their most obvious feature)

**dragoon47** · November 09, 2009, 02:37 AM

For Romans, I'd have to say the Triarii. I pretty much play in the traditional Roman style so Triarii are definitely my most favorite.

For Epirus, the Asthetaroi are my favorite, if for nothing else but their sheer willingness to hold out. With swords if necessary.

For Carthage the Sacred Band has shown some promise. As well as Numidian Nobles.

**FriendlyFire** · November 20, 2009, 01:51 PM

I'm also loving the "swastika guys" (Samnites Milites). I use them as a heavy skirmisher unit: they can trade javelins with anything, take down marauding cavalry with their spears, and in a pinch can serve in the main battle line. They’ve got a high upkeep, but I use them in place of equally-expensive Triarii in my Italic legions (which consist of Italic Hastati, Italic Principes, and Samnite Milites).

For heavy cavalry, I'm getting a lot of use out of Equites Campani from Capua, which are described in the game as "probably the best cavalry in Italy". These beauties have a decent charge combined with good melee attack and defense, so you don't need to constantly pull them out and reform. All that, plus they throw javelins and have great stamina. Two thumbs up.

What I miss are decent missile units. I'm only 12 years into my campaign, but I don't want to have to fall back on Funditores – where can I find some good missile troops to go up against the Keltoi Archers and Slingers? I'm even thinking of a quick trip to Corsica or Sardinia, just to see if I there are any mercenary Balearic Slingers for hire!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Lysimachus** · November 20, 2009, 01:53 PM

Hypaspists. They're like the most grossly overpowered unit ever

**Caligula Caesar** · November 20, 2009, 03:54 PM

For Rome, well, the troops aren't brilliant. In fact, the Etruscan Hoplites are some of the best units. For Carthage, however, it has to be the Carthaginian cavalry. They can rout pretty much anything if used properly

**Carados** · November 21, 2009, 07:01 AM

I have a soft spot for Thureophoroi

**roam** · November 23, 2009, 03:15 PM

The Sacred Band-perhaps a bit overpowered but awesome unit

Carthaginian Cavalry in general is great too

**Arkaeyn** · November 23, 2009, 03:21 PM

As my campaign with the Gauls continues, I really can't decide between the Gaesatae and the Ambacti. The former are the flashy offense, the latter are the shutdown defense. The two together are devastating - pin down an opponent with the Ambacti and attack their flank with the Gaesatae, and routing is only a matter of time. After the one unit routs, the Gaesatae just keep charging and forcing more. Wonderful.

**roam** · November 24, 2009, 12:49 PM

Numidia-Numidian Nobles

Gaul-Ambacti

Rome-ummm probably the triarii

Rest i haven't played for long enough

**sumaznguy** · November 27, 2009, 05:15 PM

Playing as Epeiros. I am using mostly ekdroimoi/eiperos hoplite with psiloi. To save money of course. In terms of usefulness, I like the theuropedei. They are decent infantry, fast moving, and great missile damage.

**mochi** · November 28, 2009, 11:16 AM

Elephants are too strongly rated, but if only that, it is not so a problem.
The problem is elephants are also too fast moving in battles, so my infantry units cannot escape from elephants!

**jackx** · November 28, 2009, 11:36 AM

I wouldn't want to try and outrun an elephant, and if a unit disperses to avoid damage (which it can't really do that well in RTW), then the elephant still has done its job and you have a gap in your battle line.

Favourite units so far - Samnites and Italic princeps. Nothing flashy, but they get the job(s) done, and in case of the princeps, they're also quite easily kept at/close to full strength, at least in the initial AO.

That said, I play my Romans very infantry-heavy, but I find that more enjoyable than turning up the difficulty then snatching up all the merc cav that I can get to run circles around a stat-boosted, but still dumb AI before I take it out with flank and rear charges.

FoE's probably the most enjoyable Roman timeframe mod that I've played, and the fact that I don't have to play against the game in order to have an interesting/challenging but playable campaign (I don't consider a string of ridiculous heroic victories over the AI good gameplay) is the main reason for that.

**Arkaeyn** · November 28, 2009, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by jackx

FoE's probably the most enjoyable Roman timeframe mod that I've played, and the fact that I don't have to play against the game in order to have an interesting/challenging but playable campaign (I don't consider a string of ridiculous heroic victories over the AI good gameplay) is the main reason for that.

I agree. It's still kind of easy, but in the way that makes you think that you're good at strategy more than the "damn this AI suckkkkkks" way.