Your own formations

[Rommen]

I love, if I am a barb nation getting all my troops to charge at the Roamans and kill them all....great fun...

[Selifator]

But that isn't really a formation, is it?

[Aristarchus]

I just lost my best German general with a cocky formation that attacked the whole Brutii line at once, and it makes me think I should record here what works instead, working with the famous German axemen, archers, spears, and gothic cavalry.

I always have two spear units in an army to face off a front and guard against a cavalry charge, and only put them in phalanx at the last moment to icrease their mobility to go anywhere. There is always a space between the spears to let through all-round tough axemen, like night raiders and berserkers. If I have a strong cavalry, I leave a wider space between the spears to invite an enemy charge. Regular axemen are good defenders and go on the flanks, backed by night raiders, archers layered inside, and all backed by the high-attack, weak-defense chosen axemen. Keeping them in the rear protects them (with cavarly wings) and allows them to race to any needed front.

No picture can capture the effect of the "rout chain," when you can break an enemy wing, most effective on a downhill slope. Axemen are fast moving and perfect for concentrating force. When I lost my general today, I relied on my cavalry alone to take on a very tough Roman praetorian unit, and worse, attacked on three fronts at once. I was flush with spears, axes, and archers, and thought I could not lose. The Romans had no general and the odds were 1:1. But urban cohorts will not break without maximum force, and too few units against them will rout - making the wrong kind of chain.

Archers are fine behind the lines, because very little damage is done against Roman legions standing in formation at a distance. Archers only become effective when the charge begins and the legions get distracted by fighting.

War with Spain that just erupted is a relief after fighting the Brutii, who charge like hell, on the field and on the campaign map. They will not stop sending wave after wave of invincible legions from the rich Greek provinces. Tonight all the sons of great King Etelgis of the Eagles are now dead, along with two brothers and other generals. In compensation, Rome fell. The Senate is dust. Now to Athens and victory.

[totalwarfan14]

OKay this is the formation i was thinking of using the Armedians (this formation isnt tested yet)



the point is to have your spearmen in front incase of a calvary charge they will have Gaurd mode on so that they dont move. your infantry is there to charge after the first wave of men. you can then move your calvary and flank or charge from behind. your archers can be shooting the whole time. you can move them into the front of your battle line when the enemy is approaching.

sry about the spelling im not very good.

[Korlon]

I really like the crescent formation used by Hannibal at Cannae albeit less of a crescent than he used and not the same tactics. If I have 10 infantry units for example. I just stick my six strongest units up front on guard mode. Then two on the left side but a little back and two on the right side but also a little bit back, making it a little bit of a crescent. Those four units on the sides are not on guard mode. Then because of this crescent formation, I can stick archers, slingers, skirmishers right behind the 6 units without fear of getting those units flanked. I then stick cavalry behind the units on the sides.

The great thing about this is that the enemy usually attacks the army in the middle rather than the sides, allowing a Cannae situation where I take my side infantry towards the flanks of the enemy and my cavalry to the rear.

[S u l l a]

I play SPQR mod but this should be quite useful in general (have tried the same in other mods). Here is how I normally do with Roman Legions. Works almost always even if enemies are 2:1 or even 3:1. Minimum losses except the spear auxilia at the front (between 5% to 10% losses in total on average).

Attachment 8033

Light Auxilia should not "fire at will" if there are specific targets such as Cavalry, Elite Units (spartans, elephants), Heavy Spear etc.

After the enemy has engaged my front line, my cavalry auxilia as well as the 4 cohorts on the sides will circle around from both sides and hit enemy line in the side or at the rear.

Attachment 8034

One spear auxilia at the rear as reserv should there be any enemy cavalry smart enough.

The 1st cohort in center but ready to go to a weak spot (if the General is busy) or go straight forward through the enemy line to divide the enemy in two major groups (if I am in aggressive mood ).

Usually they do not have to do much battle. They are perfect as moral support in the middle. The General is easier to move behind units that are under pressure.

Missile cavalry or as they are correctly named "Cavalry Auxilia". 2 of them. They are efficient and faster than heavy cavalry. I rely on speed in my battles. Sometimes, I replace one of these units with barbarian merc cavalry depending upon the enemy force composition.

Usually, the enemy routes in no time for me. Having my front line on guard mode will save their strength. If enemy does not rout I disable guard mode, but only after some time.

I am interested in minimal losses cause I love the features with SPQR mod where you have to take into consideration your supply lines.

Well, everybody has their own ways I guess. I am successful with this formation. It works 90% of the time and I know beforehand when it don't. Then I have some other alternative formations.

See link to a general discussion about tactics at SPQR forum (from where I copied my text as well):
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...=138785&page=7

[Knight of Judgment]

s= spearmen
a = archers
g-general
c-cavalry
i-infantry
c c
c g c
a
iiii
sssssssss

[yoyomayomama]

Even though I am good with Rome, I find that it's pretty easy to win most custom battles against other factions with them, so the other faction I use is Spain, where I use this formation if the enemy has mostly melee troops:

S=Scutarii
B=Bull Warrior
L=Light sheild cavalry (or whatever its called)
A=Archers (slingers)
g=General

---B-B-B-B-B---
L----S-S-S-S---L
------A-A-------
-------G--------

As is obvious, if javelineers (or any projectile troops, for that matter) fire more horizontally at their targets, alot more of them hit, so what I usually do is advance a little but mostly wait for the enemy to near. When they aer close enough, my slingers begin firing, which prompts an attack. As they are charging, my bull warriors ready their javelins and as the enemies are closing in on the line, they fire, which (unless the units armor is high) kills huge amounts of units. Then, once the Bull warriors are fighting the enemy forces, I order my Scutarii to attack the attacking enemy, which, once again, works to devastating effect since the enemies are so closeby. If there is cavalry that tries to flank, i'll have my cavalry intercept them, and have two scutarii battalions attack the cavalry with javelins (horses make nice big targets). But if the cavalry attacks up front, I just use my cavalry to attack their ranged troops. It doesn't always work, but I prefer using factions that are more challenging to use (no Romans, no phalanxes) because its alot more fun to devise a strategy that works well with units that are more specialized than just ME POKE WITH BIG STICK. BIG STICK KILL YOU.

[CJDAMAN]

i dont know about you guys, but when i fight berserkers for fun i usually use hoplites. I set them in a tight formation by this i mean i put all my phalanx units inside each other so they are stronger, berserkers usually charge straight into it and lose

[Katene]

Favorite formation:
----P-L-P-L-P
--L---AAA----L

L:Legions
A:Archer.
Hikemens.

Using Seleucid. When face the enemy, rapidly change to this

L----P-----L---AAAA
-L--P-P--L---

It's relatively hard to understand, but Pikemens will make a strong frontier, which use the hollow triangular formation. Legions will outflank and Archers kill Cavalry.

[Lord Dakier]

Dakon Square, Dakon Circle, Dakon Triangle - Get spearmen or infantry with a good defence to form one of those shapes. Inside the shape you will have archers, skirmishers, hurlers... any kind of missile. All units must be on guard and missile units must not be on skirmish.

Using this I've wiped out pontus and most of Seleucid using Armenia.

Remember to double up your main line to stop mass infantry. I suggest about 6 pikemen forming the shape then 4 close quarter infantry like swordsmen... finally the rest archers which your army will depend on.

[Pythonfire]

I do mine like this sometimes
|/-=infantry

--___>eeeeeeee<_____
-/------v---v----------\
-\------v---v----------/
--\- ___v___v____----/
--C-|-------------|--C
----|--S---G---S-|
----|-------------|

S=slinger
G=general
C=Cavary

The slingers are incase the opponent makes a breakthrough at the front, so the slingers fire the bullets and the general charges. The cavary attack round the flanks. When the enemy charges my flank infantry (left and/or/neither right depending on the situiation attack them in the back and clamp them between my front infantry and back infantry.

If the slingers are archers I pelt them before charging (not using up all the ammo of coarse.

But i'm but out of practice at this game.

[Amaranth]

Greek Formation (XGM)

A: Archer
P: Phalanx
H: Hoplite
C: Cavalary
G: General

-------AA
-----P P P P
----H H H H
C C--- G---- C C

Seleucids (Vanilla)

P: Phalanx
L: Legionaries
C: Cavalary (Cataphract)
CH: Chariots
G: General
E: Elephant

--------P P P P
-------L- L- L- L
---------E E
--C C -----G--- C C
CH CH ----------CH CH

[moonkiller]

i'm using this way (first one XGM, second one RM2)

with the greeks, i use this. it works by me

SRG=spartan royal gaurd, in the drawing it is S then beneath it r and then g
H=hoplite
A=archer
M=missile(like peltasts)
G=general
C=cavalry
I=infantry
D=dhoryporoi (handfull cus of their shildtrom)

*behind means they need to be hidden(tall grass for some units or behind trees)
----------------------GH-------
------------------------------S*M*I*
------------D-HH-D----------R*M*
------------D-HH-D---------G*M*I*
-------------AGCA-----------------

the truc is to ambush them, it works well, if you cant ambush them(you find no tall grass or woods) then you leave your G here (look in the pic with GH) they will fall in the trap if you pull your general back. If there is no cavalry in the enemy army, you can send your dhoryporoi to that place(it can also be used instead of the general with enemy cavalry, just do shildtrom in time)

you can also use it without 2 Dhoryphoroi, 2 hoplite, 2 missile and 2 infantry. but then the rout will start later because you have lesser power.

[Munch]

B=best infantry
T=triarii
M=missile
C=cavalry

BBBBBBBBBBBBB NICE AND CHUNKY
TTTTTTTTTTTTTT THIN, BUT OVERLAPPING FLANKS
MMMMMMMMMMM AS MANY AS POSSIBLE
CC CC

This works every time, whether outnumbere 1000000000000000000 to 0.00000000000001 or when outnumbering them, it almost always causes an instantaneous route, from then you can eliminate them. It uses hard to master tactics, but makes for very little losses, maybe 1 loss for every 1000 of the enemy killed I usually get. It takes perfect timing and lots of practice, but believe me, never expect to lose a battle again

[gareth117]

[/IMG]

T_A_____G____A_T
T_A_________A_T
T_A________A_T
T_A_____A_T
T_____T
T_T

T-Troops
A- Archers
G- General

this is if i am outnumbered i just make a bowl formation and wait for them to come to me.

[gareth117]

i use octy's square formation but mine is round and they can git in from the back(normal it is a big mistake if they do that) but all i do is send my second line and point inwards so they get beaten up.

[Phalanx300]

Mmm, as the Greek Cities.

It focuses on destroying the front of the enemy with Armoured Hoplites/Spartans whichever you choose or a mix. And keeping their flanks and rear secured with Militia Hoplites, forming a sort of noobbox to make sure that the heavier Hoplites can't be flanked.

I made it for multiplayer and its very effictive against Phalanx centered armies, against Roman ones its less effective. And archers spams are your worst nightmare, since you basicly have no cavalry or very weak ones and your archers are outnumbered.

I made it for a online tourney in a effort to make the Greek Cities somewhat harder to fight and I´ve used it to great effect against Prince of Macedon(Though he beated this army later on with a archer spam and alot of companions) and other players using Macedonian style armies.

[The 10th]

My preferred strategy is the use of mixed forces like others here.

General(ly) a typical roaming army would have a couple of Archer units, a couple of Auxilia (excellent all-rounders and superb against all cavalry incl. Cataphracts), two Cavalry detatchments, a Cavalry Auxilia or Mercenary equivalent plus General and lastly 4 or 5 Hastati/Principle which would be changed to Legionary Cohorts as the game develops.

This tends to do well and I would go for a standard balanced layout (hiding archers and cavalry where possible):

Ax H H H Ax
A _H _H_ A
C ___G __C
_________Ca

Key- Ax = Auxila, H = Hastati or equivalent, A = Archer, C = Cavalry, Ca = Cavalry Auxilia or equivalent, G= General

[MedievalDragoon]

I don't own this game so I dont know if it will work, but the romans(julii) used this formation agensted the briton barbarians:
V=barbarians
/\= roman formation

V V V V
/\/\/\/\/\

the romans used the basic legionarys(the guys withe the square shield's, javilins, and short swords) and had them make a saw tooth-like formation
and the britons charged into it and were traped by the guy behind thes and got killed easy and the charoits were practly usless.
could use calvery to box them in it makes it easy.