taking care of elephants?

[crashxdjp]

whats the best way to kill elephants? seem to be giving me problems.

[subedei the great]

Javalins, lots and lots of javalins.

[Shadows]

yeah, like subedi said, Use lots of javalins or lots of archers. Javalins work better though, since they can skirmish away from the elephants quicker and are quick to reload and shoot than archers on the run are.

[subedei the great]

They also have a bonus against them, at least in SPQR, they drop like flies when javalins are thrown against them.

[Publius]

I find javelin cav to be the best - nimble enough to avoid an elephant's charge, while packing a deadly volley of javelins. I suppose velites would have more men however, so they may be better if the elephants are preoccupied lets say by some hoplites or legions

[Blaven]

With elephants or chariots, do you set the velites to 'loose' or 'tight' formation.

[Publius]

loose - elephant volley's dont kill as many (assuming you are facing elephants with the capability)

[John I Tzimisces]

I keep it in tight. More likely that thrown javelins hit in a a group meaning more downed elephants. Also, the missiles tend to be launched from a closer distance meaning they are more accurate...

[Publius]

Well, when they are thrown all the javelin's tend to "funnel" anyways so I am not sure if tight is a benefit in that respect. They would tend to be able to have an increased range with tight (every individual has to be within range in order to fire I think) to it may provide benefits in that respect. And is there a bonus for closer range missiles? That would be both interesting and cool, but I havent heard of that before

[Slimshoom]

Heres how I beat elephants in RTR:
I surround them with 2 or more high-level phalanx formations, although they dont cause many casualities to the elephants, it keeps ur casualities down to a minimum, and holds the elephants in once place, usually. Then, i use skirmish javelin troops and fire them at the elephants. Another tactic to defeat elephants is to scare them with fire. You need to use either 1) flaming arrows, 2) use the flaming ammunition of onagers, 3) to scare them with the magical thing that is incendiary pigs. Although i must warn you that often the incendiary pigs will run back into your own formation rather than towards the enemy.

[Hader]

USually as the Romans I try to use fire arrows more often, and they usually work, but javelins work very well too. A few times they have killed enemy elephants as they are about to run amok through my troops. And doesn't it seem like elephants can sometimes be harder to kill while running amok? Not always but sometimes. Incendiary pigs never did anything for me, not one kill and a total loss of life, and well, money spent on pigs.

[Legionary Jezza]

USually as the Romans I try to use fire arrows more often, and they usually work, but javelins work very well too. A few times they have killed enemy elephants as they are about to run amok through my troops. And doesn't it seem like elephants can sometimes be harder to kill while running amok? Not always but sometimes. Incendiary pigs never did anything for me, not one kill and a total loss of life, and well, money spent on pigs.

Well incenidary pigs make the eles run amok instead of kill and also make good pork.

EDIT: Also one hit with a flaming onager make's them run amok.

47.

[Tony83]

Javelins are certainly the best tools for taking elephants out. If you've got two javelin units, take one of them off skirmish mode. This will help pin the elephants, letting the other javelin unit pepper them with impunity.

Archers on fire mode work well if you want to panic the beasts but their routing is very unpredictable and you could end up having them cause you more damage than you bargained for!

[MasterAdnin]

Some javilens should do the trick. Or what I do, is usually the elephants attack the center, so set all your hastati and princeps to fire at will, and since the elephants usually attack first, they will be an open target for hundreds of pilums which should make short work of the elephants. Or you could skirmish a little before the battle. Make a small army of around 10 cavalry auxillia, and send them to take out the elephants.

PEace,
Adnan

[Severous]

Pigs were ineffective in this elephant busting army.



The fire arrows from archers, javlins from Jav Cav and Velites soon have the Elephants running amok...and into their own troops who were soon flying through the air.

Beware amok elephants with archers on top. They continue to fire at you whilst amok.

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

javelins, javelins and more javelins preferably from velites in loose formation.

Have a look in this thread === Battle walkthrough - Rome vs. Carthage (144 armoured ellies!)=== for some ideas

[Draugdur]

If you want to kill'em, then javelins... It's easier however to panic them if you use fire arrows, and if you're lucky and they trample your enemy's infantry instead of yours, arrows are overall more effective. And if you have advantage in numbers, phalanx would also do the job (with heavy losses though )

[hpt_jackal]

Archers
Try to throw arrow with fire.It makes them unbridled

[Ghoulem]

Elephants are a pain in the ass, but only if you're out of peltasts,velitees or other skirmishers. Archers sometimes do the trick, but it seems to me that attacking with skirmishers from both sides, or more, kills better. You don't want to make them crazy.. just kill them. If not you run a high risk of losses. I usually turn off the skirmish-ability.

Keep your other infantry close to the enemy's troops.. at least then you both get casualties if they go bananas.

[HappeR]

Crash another elephant in them