Your own formations

[belgarion234]

I developed a new strategy but haven't exactly tested it yet

H= Hastati or Average quality infantry
P = Principes or better infantry of your army
C = Calvary
T = Triarii or equivalent

_____________H_________
___________H___H_______
_________H_______H
_______C___________C
___p___________________ P
_____P________P______P
_________T___T___T____

The formation is another combination/Variation of my two favorite formations from the Sengoku Period: The Crane's WIng and the Arrow Formations. the Front is obviously an arrowhead while the back looks like an open Crane's Wing Formation. the back should be spread out wider than the arrow head. the ideal use of this formation is for use against line formations or wide spread ones, probably works well with the Crane's Wing part hidden in a forest. The concept here is that the arrow head charges forward into the enemy center, hoping to get their wings to flank/envelope the arrowhead, making them concentrated in the center. then one of two things can happen: 1 the arrowhead then retreats with the calvary fending off any enemy calvary that come too close. the arrowhead then retreats behind the crane's wing which envelopes the enemy (this one works well with an ambush). 2 The crane's wing then advances to envelope the enemy surrounding the arrowhead while the arrowhead backs out far enough to prevent bieng enveloped.

Not tested yet but if anyone else tries it, please tell me the results

[Blood Raven]

As i like to play as the seleucids a lot,I use a box with my general in the middle ringed by silver shield legionnaires on the inside and silver shield pikemen on the outside. This is nothing but bait to lure the enemy in for a ambush by my cataphracts.

[Vindictus]

I just go hard and have phalanxes in the middle, more mobile infantry on the side, and cavalry to flank.

[Blood Raven]

The AI is still braindead to fall for it. Against human opponants, I throw it ount of the window.

[dc_ae]

I was playing with Armanian and I had a bunch of hoplites troops attacking me so I did use a formation like this

      C                          C  

                    SSSSSS
          C         AAAAA      C  
                      SSS 
                      SGS
                      SSS

S-Spearman
A-Archers
G-General
C-Cataphract
(Using Rome Total Realism)
I lure the hoplites to attack the Spearman and hold them while my Cataphracts flank them. Plus the archers attack them before they reach my Spearman (but I stop them from attacking when they reach my units becauses some heavy friendly fire)
and my general is protected by spearmen

[TheFoolOnTheHill]

you use 22 units so you have to cut back on something

[Sar1n]

A simple formation I've been using for pre-marian romans.

(enemy)

__V____V
P P P P P P P
T AA TOOA T
E____G____E

code: V=velites (loose formation)
P=principes
T=triarii
A=archers
O=onagers
E=equites
G=general

Velites act as arrow fodder and absorbing enemy charge, principes are main battle line, triarii reinforce principes where needed and flank enemy, equites take a long way around battlefield to kill fleeing enemies.

[Buster]

I playing with greeks and this is my formation:


The nearly "pentagon" form is good for my phalanx, there is no attacks from back or sides and my archers are protected well.
The armoured hoplites are good, their stats are silver or some gold experience.
But i found myself against SPQR and marian units, and the fu@&#@Đg roman generals are easily break through the line... legions get through too and i lost.
Any better tactics against them?

[BM309K58SMERCH]

Greeks here too.
When in custom battle, I usually do this:



With a few Spartans to protect the front and sides, and alot (I really mean it!) of Cretean Archers fill the "box". Sometimes, when I have a little more Denarii to spare, I place 2 Heavy Peltasts for "lulz".
Yes, the General is unprotected. Because I would like to see any unit come past that rain of arrows.

My Campaign mode formation is the same, just with normal Archers and Armored hoplites.

[Mithridates the Great]

the most clever thing you can do with legioners is to SPREAD THEM OUT WITH ARCHERS....legioners are better spreaded try it out
as for falanx if I take Greek city states I make a line with Spartan hoplites + Archers (always spreaded) and second line that is a bit at the left (the are not in same line from spartans) thata there are armoured hoplites etc...that's it

[Apollyon]

My formation for TSE (and any Phalanx army) is simple.

A solid anchor of Pikes. Companions/best varient on the flanks to crush cavalry and encircle infantry stuck on the Pikes.

Beats everything from Eastern infantry to Legionnaires. Only struggles (and struggles massively) against HA.

[Dengizich]

My formation is

SB_SB_SB_SB_SB_SB
__________________
SL_SL_SL_SL_SL_SL
__________________
CV_CV_G_CV_CV_CV
____RS_RS_______

SB=Sacred Band
SL=Slingers
CV=Random Cavary Unit
G=General
RS=Reserve Random Unit
My formation when i play as Carthage on multiplayer battles

[Caesar666]

@ GambleFish:

P L L L L P L L L L P
L M A M A M L
C C

P= praetorians
L= legionary cohort
M= mercenary
A= archers
C= cavalry

first you lure the enemy army to your army with your archers. when they're close enough, let your legionary cohorts throw their pila.
then charge with your the first line.
the legionary cohorts and the mercenaries have to protect their flanks.when the rebel army tries to attack these men with their cavalry, you just have to charge and hold them in place while your cavalry goes around and make them rout.
when that's done, you order these men to attack the flanks of the remaining enemies (which are being hold in place by your first line)
they will run and you win the battle

[Frigkas]

My favorite faction is Greek Cities cause they have powerful elite phallanxes - hoplites.Always try to have a decent army with first missile units (archers , slingers) then strong infantry and last cavalry...My battle formation is like
SL SL SL SL SL AR AR AR AR AR
HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP CAV CAV CAV
G G G G G G G G G G G

SL = slingers
AR = archers
HOP = hoplites - phallanx
CAV = cavalry units
G = Generals

This is my late - battle formation as in the very beginning i put hoplites in the front to protect archers.Then i put archers and slingers close to the walls to attack to unprotected enemy - hoplites units.When i demorilise them i send all of my hoplites in phallanx mode - on to kill them...As an effect some enemy units routing...Then i send all of my cavalry to flank them or skirmish them ....I forgot to say that before battle i keep in reserve some cav units and my General.Finally i sent my reserves and end the battle usually with a clean victory.

[the victor]

i have a question:
v=infantry of the enemy(phalanx)
vvv
III vvv
II IIvvv

i am sure that you can't win this!
or am i wrong

[the victor]

If I am outnumbered, against phalanx, and have no calvalry, I use this.

I=infantry
G=general

I just used the reversed cresent with fire at will turned on.

III
II II

If they attack the back, flank with front, if they attack the front, flank with the back. I once defeated two much larger armies with my veteran Hastati.

i have a question:
v=infantry of the enemy(phalanx)
vvv
III vvv
II IIvvv

i am sure that you can't win this!
or am i wrong

[Sar1n]

Phalanx units are slow killers, so even if they flank enemy unit, a good melee unit can hold its own and actually decimate side of another phalanx unit, then run around and flank another phalanx. Besides, in vanilla RTW, there is a bug with phalanx that makes troops drop out of formation in prolonged fighting.

Besides, AI is so predictable and stupid that you can take out its phalanx units easily.

[the victor]

Phalanx units are slow killers, so even if they flank enemy unit, a good melee unit can hold its own and actually decimate side of another phalanx unit, then run around and flank another phalanx. Besides, in vanilla RTW, there is a bug with phalanx that makes troops drop out of formation in prolonged fighting.

Besides, AI is so predictable and stupid that you can take out its phalanx units easily.

if you play with dacia, can you win against julii?
(every faction has 10000 denari)

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

My favorite faction is Greek Cities cause they have powerful elite phallanxes - hoplites.Always try to have a decent army with first missile units (archers , slingers) then strong infantry and last cavalry...My battle formation is like
SL SL SL SL SL AR AR AR AR AR
HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP HOP CAV CAV CAV
G G G G G G G G G G G

SL = slingers
AR = archers
HOP = hoplites - phallanx
CAV = cavalry units
G = Generals

This is my late - battle formation as in the very beginning i put hoplites in the front to protect archers.Then i put archers and slingers close to the walls to attack to unprotected enemy - hoplites units.When i demorilise them i send all of my hoplites in phallanx mode - on to kill them...As an effect some enemy units routing...Then i send all of my cavalry to flank them or skirmish them ....I forgot to say that before battle i keep in reserve some cav units and my General.Finally i sent my reserves and end the battle usually with a clean victory.

You ought to put the slingers in front of the archers if the slingers have shields (and I think they all do).

[Sar1n]

Well, Dacian roster isn't great, but against AI and maybe against below average human opponents you have a chance. You will have to rely on ambushes...