Commanding Elephants

[CiaranG]

I'm always angred when commanding elephants that they dont live up to my expectations. Ive tried them in many different roles close infront of my infantry to break enemy formations, on the flanks attacking from the side once the infantry engages, behind infantry bursting through even operating with my cavalry as like standard horsemen. But I always dissapionted that the rout or rampage prematurely or are simply cut down by units the should be very effective against (heavy sword infantry)

I want to know how you utilise your elephants and the most effective way to use them faction specific (carthage, selucid)

[Hader]

I dont use elephants much, but when I do I usually put them on my flanks and send them in first. Usually against the AI this makes them commit some units to fight the elephants, and this gives me time to charge in my other forces (or at least reposition them) while the enemy is occupied.

[Hyungoku]

i consider the elephants more as a bulldoser rather then a fighting unit. so instead of ordering them to kill other units, i just tell them to charge right through the ennemy line which usually they will plow through with no problem at all unless its a phalanx unit. and once the elephnats break their battle line, i just charge with my other foot units.

[Zuwxiv]

i consider the elephants more as a bulldoser rather then a fighting unit. so instead of ordering them to kill other units, i just tell them to charge right through the ennemy line which usually they will plow through with no problem at all unless its a phalanx unit. and once the elephnats break their battle line, i just charge with my other foot units.

That's what I do. Prolongued fighting without close infantry support will make them run amok. Either keep some of your units close, or get them up to very high levels of experience. Once they have silver/gold chevrons they won't rout as easily and will cause massive, epic damage. In one battle, triple-silver elephants killed about 45% of the enemy on their own. But I got a perfect run straight down their entire army.

Tell them to run past the enemy, not to merely attack it. If it is just one unit, then they can attack, but running through can be safer in my experiences.

Also, once the enemy units are all mixed up, they are a prime target for infantry charge. Or merely having the elephants nearby scares the enemy into routing quicker.

[Hyungoku]

Tell them to run past the enemy, not to merely attack it. If it is just one unit, then they can attack, but running through can be safer in my experiences.

Also, once the enemy units are all mixed up, they are a prime target for infantry charge. Or merely having the elephants nearby scares the enemy into routing quicker.

yup i find thats the best and only way to use elephants.

they just suck at hand to hand combat becoz they run amok so easily unless like u said they are highly experienced units.

[Kraut]

I always keep my Elephants well away from my infantry battle line. This to prevent them stomping down my soldiers when running amok.

I use them either to disrupt the enemy formation approaching, or (if am outnumbered) to attack the strongest point in the enemy formation (which I expect to be the spearhead of the attack), making it hard for the enemy to deal the decisive blow with this part of his army, thereby spoiling his battle plan.

[Trajan]

When I used to use elephants in my armies, I would use them just like cavalry. I always had 3 elephant units so I placed two on one flank and one on another. After my infantry successfully pinned down the enemy lines, I would use my elephant units to flank them on both sides and finally meet in the middle. If all went well, and it usually did, what was left of the entire opposing army would be in rout.

[penance_of_discord]

When I used to use elephants in my armies, I would use them just like cavalry.

lol, 9k gold for 3 squads of cav? yikes.

with elephants, i usually use them as another morale negative to the enemy. just keep them on the flank, no big attacks, lots of support. then, when they start to break, its massive charge time! that is usually enough to massacre the entire army. saves me enough lives to be 'almost' worth the cost.

[Professor420]

Have your elephants on your flanks, and just as your battle lines clash, have your elepahnts run laterally straight across the enemy line. They'll hit every unit in melee, and your infantry will roll up the enemy immediately. Once you get some elephants, having any battle with more than 30 seconds of combat is unneccsary.

[LodewijkP]

I shower the enemy mid with a Mass of javelins and then let the elefantas rush after that, if i need flank protection form cavalry il put them on both flanks.

I use them mostly for breaking up a formation or a clean up procedure when my other units are exhausted.
Whats also effective : let the elefants take mid with light infantry(also work with cavalry ) behind them ( prefer close combat , swords etc) and put phalanxes on their flanks and rush.