Devastation.

**Demon Soul** · December 06, 2011, 10:57 AM

Hi, I've got a problem with this "devastation" in my settlements. I'm playing BI.exe, "clear" EB. I dont know what exactly cause this. First I thought that rebelion brigands was the anwser, but no ( I think so ). So can you help me, please ?

**Agent007** · December 06, 2011, 12:28 PM

It is related to the brigands/rebels indeed, and also any other enemy troops present in your provinces after a certain period of time. The only way to avoid devastation and its effect is to react swiftly and defeat them in battle. Also, after the enemy "devastated" an area, the effect will be present in the province, during some time (which is logical).

**Demon Soul** · December 06, 2011, 03:23 PM

Thank you for quick answer. Hmmm, so it was them- rebels, well there's only one solution...

Oh, and by the way, can you tell one more thing:

Phalanx (I'm playing Makedon)- when enemy phalanx attacks my phalanx units ( I'm using Ageraspides with one/two/three bronze chevron, sword, shield) they are just like lumberjacks in forest cutting down trees. My phalangitai are always in guard mode. After such battles i've terrible losses in my phalanx units. I'm playing H battles. What I'm doing wrong?

**XSamatan** · December 06, 2011, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by kirinji

What I'm doing wrong?

Playing battles on hard screws up the unit balance of EB.

**Demon Soul** · December 07, 2011, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by XSamatan

Playing battles on hard screws up the unit balance of EB.

That's too bad. I'm too far in my campaign...

Casual Tactician

Thank you for you advices.
Well, mostly I'm fighting against Arche Seleukid. I can't recall they phalanx units, but I do have problems even with units without bronze shields/swords. But I know that they mostly have better generals and now I know that this is importance.

**Casual Tactician** · December 07, 2011, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by Entropy Judge

Are you sure about that? The EDUs only say that Skill isn't used when being shot at.

I've not done any in depth testing myself, but Aradan's edu guide says so:

[armour] : Unit's armour value. Taken into account in all occasions (soldier attacked from any direction, melee and ranged). It measures the amount of protection a soldier's armour offers. Max value is 63 and everything higher will be considered 63.
[def_skill] : Unit's defensive skill, taken into account only in melee and only against attacks from the front or the right side. It doesn't affect defence against missiles. It represents a soldier's ability to parry(rather than block) and dodge strikes. Max value is 63 and everything higher will be considered 63.
[shield] : Unit's shield value, taken into account against both ranged and melee attacks, but only when they come from the front or the left side. Against missiles from the front it offers twice the protection it's value suggests. Measures the blocking capabilities of a unit's shield. Max value is 31 and everything higher will be considered 31.

... and it's reasonably plausible.

Originally Posted by kirinji

That's too bad. I'm too far in my campaign...

XSamatan didn't say that it screws up the campaign. It does make battles somewhat more challenging, as the +4 attack for the AI can be viewed as all AI units starting of with a 'silver only-attack chevron'. Well, the A'i' can do with the help imo. I mostly play my campaigns with battles on hard (sometimes medium). Never try very hard, that's simply ridiculously difficult.

Originally Posted by kirinji

Well, mostly I'm fighting against Arche Seleukid. I can't recall they phalanx units, but I do have problems even with units without bronze shields/swords. But I know that they mostly have better generals and now I know that this is importance.

If the units have high experience, say two silver chevrons (= +6 attack/defense), plus the +4 attack for hard battles, plus say +3 attack because of a six-star AI general that adds up to +13 attack and +6 defense even without weapon/armour upgrades.

Upgrades and Chevrons (no liability assumed):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

That said, maybe you can do with some tactical tips for playing battles in EB. You could have a look here...
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...or-New-Players
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...ameplay-Guides
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumd...uides-and-AARs

Perhaps someone else knows a good guide for playing Makedonia / using phalanxes? You could also have a go at my recently released 'Extended Unit Info Mod' if you like. The link is in my signature, you can hardly miss it

.

**Casual Tactician** · December 06, 2011, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by kirinji

Thank you for quick answer. Hmmm, so it was them- rebels, well there's only one solution...

Oh, and by the way, can you tell one more thing:

Phalanx (I'm playing Makedon)- when enemy phalanx attacks my phalanx units ( I'm using Ageraspides with one/two/three bronze chevron, sword, shield) they are just like lumberjacks in forest cutting down trees. My phalangitai are always in guard mode. After such battles i've terrible losses in my phalanx units. I'm playing H battles. What I'm doing wrong?

It's difficult to tell why that is happening. Does the enemy's phalanx simply have better stats (enter 'phalanx' here and compare; although the Argyraspides are one of the best)? Has the enemy's unit got better upgrades, more experience? Are you fighting uphill, which is a major setback? Are you inside a forest, which means -5 attack for Argyraspides phalangitai due to their stat_ground modifier (the enemy's phalanx will have a similar malus in the forest though)? and so on...

Other factors you should be considering:
- at battle difficulty hard the AI gets +4 attack (easy -4, medium +/-0 and very hard +7 attack), so if all other factors are equal you will always lose a head on fight unless you use superior tactics
- an AI general's command increases the moral of units +1 for every star and adds +1 attack per 2 stars (works also for your general's though); afaik it only takes effect if the general is somewhat near the unit though
- your phalangitai (and all other units) only get their maximum/total defense stats if attacked from the front, so make sure the enemy's phalanx isn't eating away at your side; especially the right flank of your phanlanx is vulnerable (see inside spoiler for details)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The best way do deal with enemy phalanxes is to keep them busy from the front using your own phalangitai or other spear units in guard mode amd then attack from the rear or side (the enemy's right flank if possible) with heavy cavalry/infantry for example. Using armour piercing slingers and/or raining down flaming, morale draining arrows from the side/rear is also a good away to break the enemy line.

Hope that's somehow helpful.

**Entropy Judge** · December 06, 2011, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by Casual Tactician

+++Skill+++:
"represents a units/soldiers capability to parry or dodge strikes in melee combat"
> only taken in to account in MELEE
> and only against attacks from the FRONT or RIGHT side

Are you sure about that? The EDUs only say that Skill isn't used when being shot at.