The Cantabrian Circle

[rancho_26]

First of all, I'd like to say that I'm a little new to Total War games. I have RTW and M2TW and I have spent hours on both of them. I've spent some of those hours getting familair with both.
Then I noticed that horse archers have the "Cantabrian Circle" ability which has them run in a circle while shooting. The enemy AI even actually managed to use this ability to circle around some of my units.
What is the advantage of the cantabrian circle and have you ever mangaged to circle an enemy unit?
I've tried, but it seems impossible.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

It's not really meant to circle an enemy unit. It basically represents all "skirmishing/archer cavalry running in circles to maintain a constant barrage" formations present in the ancient world. The Iberians used it, but so did the Parthians, and the formation in RTW comes closest to the actual Parthian tactic. They'd run in a circle in front of the enemy and each time they passed the enemy formation, they'd release their arrows, making it a constant barrage. Quite effective in Carrhae.

[|Sith| Max]

Not to mention it is impossible to hit a horse archer unit in cantabrian circle with Archers or LR archers.

[Sabazios]

afaik its harder for the enemy to hit your unit, because other missile units will aim at the middle of your circling unit.

[Stingray970]

You're also slightly less accurate, and it can make skirmish mode act retarded.

Just keep them a safe distance from enemies....

[Entropy Judge]

It's not really meant to circle an enemy unit. It basically represents all "skirmishing/archer cavalry running in circles to maintain a constant barrage" formations present in the ancient world. The Iberians used it, but so did the Parthians, and the formation in RTW comes closest to the actual Parthian tactic. They'd run in a circle in front of the enemy and each time they passed the enemy formation, they'd release their arrows, making it a constant barrage. Quite effective in Carrhae.

Not quite; the Parthians' particular shtick was shooting at someone while running directly away from them. The 'Parthian Shot' ability is actually pretty much built-in to all missile cavalry units - set them to Fire at Will, and they will shoot at pursuers. The Cantabrian Circle is more, "ride in a circle, shoot as you face the opponent."

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Not quite; the Parthians' particular shtick was shooting at someone while running directly away from them. The 'Parthian Shot' ability is actually pretty much built-in to all missile cavalry units - set them to Fire at Will, and they will shoot at pursuers. The Cantabrian Circle is more, "ride in a circle, shoot as you face the opponent."

I know about the Parthian shot, but I'm sure I've read *somewhere* that the Parthians basically circled in front of their opponents as well. Seems viable, too; you'd only shoot backwards when the enemy is pursuing you. Something that didn't happen at Carrhae.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

The Canta is an anti-missile formation, which allows HA to engage foot archers with near impunity, as long as they maintain the movement.

[Entropy Judge]

I know about the Parthian shot, but I'm sure I've read *somewhere* that the Parthians basically circled in front of their opponents as well. Seems viable, too; you'd only shoot backwards when the enemy is pursuing you. Something that didn't happen at Carrhae.

I don't know enough about Carrhae to comment on that - the wiki article says that they would use it when the Romans tried to attack the HAs, but that's Wiki, and I don't really trust it as far as I could throw a Parthian, particularly since I couldn't find anything supporting it in the online Cassius Dio I checked. In any case, I didn't mean to argue that the Parthians didn't use the Cantabrian Circle technique, but rather that the technique the Parthians were famous for was their shooting at pursuers while retreating.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Well, then we agreed all along