Elephant Tactics Thread

[Sun Jetzu]

Hey guys so I made this thread as the title says. To share your Elephant tactics.
I was thinking of a few ways that I personally will use these tanks!
First Thought : I was thinking of dividing the elephant unit mixed with spears and melee infantry.
Kinda like WW1/ WW2 tanks. where infantry would walk next to them. I was thinking this might be a decent strategy because if these Elephant/warrior squadrons met the enemy. I could simply send in the elephant to disrupt their units and send in my infantry once their out of position.
Second though : I could have the Elephants in the front of my army as a whole. Then send them in to disrupt and follow up with infantry or cavalry.
Last thought : Be able to use my archers and my elephants in squadrons Getting my archers much closer to the enemy without worrying about cavalry charges that might cripple them.
Because my Elephants would be able to repel them. Not sure if Cavalry beats Elephants but if it isnt decisive then it wouldn't be a bad plan.

So how are you gonna use your elephants? I'm excited to see if I can use similar Tank tactics with these beasts, making them very versatile.

[SacredPie]

Usually when i have elephants i weaken my infantry line and strengthen my cavalry. Then i use the infantry to hold up the oponents infantry lines while i focus on matching my oponent on one flank and then i want to dominate them on the other. When i have broken one of my oponents flanks i look to swing my elephants around and sweep up their infantry line. And that should be the end of the battle for my oponent.

[Sun Jetzu]

Usually when i have elephants i weaken my infantry line and strengthen my cavalry. Then i use the infantry to hold up the oponents infantry lines while i focus on matching my oponent on one flank and then i want to dominate them on the other. When i have broken one of my oponents flanks i look to swing my elephants around and sweep up their infantry line. And that should be the end of the battle for my oponent.

Thats Awesome!
It literally reminded me of rolling up a rug lmao
Just violently roll up the exposed flank with your tanks!
Hey have they mentioned if Elephants will cause friendly fire? Like friendly trampling?

[SacredPie]

Thats Awesome!
It literally reminded me of rolling up a rug lmao
Just violently roll up the exposed flank with your tanks!
Hey have they mentioned if Elephants will cause friendly fire? Like friendly trampling?

Exactly!

It's super awesome

[Frost, colonel]

Usually when i have elephants i weaken my infantry line and strengthen my cavalry. Then i use the infantry to hold up the oponents infantry lines while i focus on matching my oponent on one flank and then i want to dominate them on the other. When i have broken one of my oponents flanks i look to swing my elephants around and sweep up their infantry line. And that should be the end of the battle for my oponent.

This works a treat, although I wipe out their missile troops first, don't get them bogged down against spears. Be careful of the Romans, if they have any pila left (only having thrown 1 volley before melee)they will give them to the nellies. We will have to see if the AI marks them as a prioity target.

[SamueleD]

From Lusted Q&A

Can chariots and elephants cause casualties to friendly units if they run through them?
Yes they can. Best to move them around other units rather than through them.

So don't mess up with them

Elephant tactics: not much, just throw them in and let them do their job, just avoid phalanxes and javelin throwers.
Anti-elephant tactics: javelin throwing light cav (I do so hope the Gauls will have them), javelin throwers, fire arrows, flaming pigs

[Sun Jetzu]

From Lusted Q&A


So don't mess up with them

Elephant tactics: not much, just throw them in and let them do their job, just avoid phalanxes and javelin throwers.
Anti-elephant tactics: javelin throwing light cav (I do so hope the Gauls will have them), javelin throwers, fire arrows, flaming pigs

So would you throw your elephants first head on?
Or would you save them for a critical moment in the battlefield.
Kinda the way I use Rockets in Shogun. I wait till I need to turn the tide of an engagement then fire away!
Hey do elephants cause morale shock on their own?

[SamueleD]

So would you throw your elephants first head on?
Or would you save them for a critical moment in the battlefield.
Kinda the way I use Rockets in Shogun. I wait till I need to turn the tide of an engagement then fire away!
Hey do elephants cause morale shock on their own?

They seem like the kind of unit to be used as a morale shocker and finisher, so critical moment. You could use them to disrupt formations like phalanxes early on, but I think it would be a waste of money, since they would probably die.

But personally I'm not much of a special units guy, with elephants, chariots, and such, I prefer the good old cavalry, infantry and missiles. I can still make elephants useful, but don't give me chariots, they are just too cumbersome for me, I hated using them in Rome I.

[Master.Mind]

Hey guys so I made this thread as the title says. To share your Elephant tactics.
I was thinking of a few ways that I personally will use these tanks!
First Thought : I was thinking of dividing the elephant unit mixed with spears and melee infantry.
Kinda like WW1/ WW2 tanks. where infantry would walk next to them. I was thinking this might be a decent strategy because if these Elephant/warrior squadrons met the enemy. I could simply send in the elephant to disrupt their units and send in my infantry once their out of position.
Second though : I could have the Elephants in the front of my army as a whole. Then send them in to disrupt and follow up with infantry or cavalry.
Last thought : Be able to use my archers and my elephants in squadrons Getting my archers much closer to the enemy without worrying about cavalry charges that might cripple them.
Because my Elephants would be able to repel them. Not sure if Cavalry beats Elephants but if it isnt decisive then it wouldn't be a bad plan.

So how are you gonna use your elephants? I'm excited to see if I can use similar Tank tactics with these beasts, making them very versatile.

On the example of a Carthagenian army against a roman one:
First idea sounds good only instead of using the elephants against infantry I will use them against the enemy cavalry (historically that worked quite well) and support them with my own cavalry.
Second Thought: Could disrupt the enemy line before the attack of the main body of the army. However if the enemy somehow manages to scare your elephants into running back right through your own units...
and especially against romans (where literally almost every infantry unit they have can throw a javelin) this could turn out badly

[Sun Jetzu]

On the example of a Carthagenian army against a roman one:
First idea sounds good only instead of using the elephants against infantry I will use them against the enemy cavalry (historically that worked quite well) and support them with my own cavalry.
Second Thought: Could disrupt the enemy line before the attack of the main body of the army. However if the enemy somehow manages to scare your elephants into running back right through your own units...
and especially against romans (where literally almost every infantry unit the have can throw a javelin) this could turn out badly

The Romans I forgot about lmao
I guess what I would do there is send phalanx straight into the romans. Then try and outflank them with my elephants.
I would more likely use my Cav to protect my elephants from other cav. Do Cav have an advantage against Elephants?

my tactics would heavily rely on how the line of sight system works with elephants, its easier to hide a man than it is to hide an elephant (for obvious reasons )

I would use them in flanks and in attacks on the rear, so as to really shock my enemies

I think Elephants should have a farther Eye of sight range cuz the guys are on top of elephants. But then the elephants would be also easy to spot for the enemy.

[kamikazee786]

my tactics would heavily rely on how the line of sight system works with elephants, its easier to hide a man than it is to hide an elephant (for obvious reasons )

I would use them in flanks and in attacks on the rear, so as to really shock my enemies

[Hazelnut]

Can elephants replenish in any region or is it limited to North Africa and the likes?

[The Juggernaut]

In Rome I would throw them in just as the main body of my infantry was about to engage, typically at the strongest point in the enemy line (unless that was a phalanx!) No normal infantry unit is going to be able to hold out for long against an elephant charge, and I usually don't let my elephants get bogged down, just keep giving them attack orders, sometimes cycle them between two units so they're constantly charging someone. In the meantime cavalry or infantry exploits the gap, and by neutrailizing the strongest enemy position I've basically ruined the entirety of his plan (who battle plans for their weakest units to spearhead the assault??) My favorite tactic is to leave the elephants i the enemy's rear, so even if they do go crazy, they have to go through him first!

[Sun Jetzu]

My favorite tactic is to leave the elephants i the enemy's rear, so even if they do go crazy, they have to go through him first!

haaha yea if they route they better do it through the enemy. I wonder also if they will rage like they did in Rome.
Elephants would be good for a rush army, and I hope they have a special ability like warcry or something.
I wouldn't leave them in prolonged combat through. I would charge then run them away.

[Geuvesa]

Against swords or skirmishers I do a full out charge followed very closely by an infantry charge, like a one two combo. Against spearmen, Infantry attack and if the Elephants have towers, set them behind the enemy and let them toss javelins into the enemy rear ranks.
Against a Phalanx, a nice heavy charge to the flanks feels just about right, in tandem with light infantry/heavy skirmishers (Peltasts)

[Dominian]

I would use them like a cavalery unit most likely. Deploy behind your frontline's flanks and as soon as the infantry fights against other infantry try to circle the battle and come in crushing from behind. As they wlll probably have a huge charge bonus it might be important to keep them on the move or hit and run all battle long. I like the addition of those kinds of super heavy cavalery. It is something that Shogun 2 lacked. But from a balance standpoint Elephants are cool because they aren't as good at eliminating those unguarded archers, but give you a great tool against heavy infantry. Also they go rampage instead of fleeing which is super fun.

[Little Legionaire]

I'd not risk them by using those beast as vanguard of my army instead if i have two units of them.

• Heavy infantry in center.
• Cavalry and Elephants at flanks.
• Counter enemy cavalry with your own direct elephants to enemies reserves to break their sustainable combat efficiency. If the odds goes well i'd join them with my cavalry and finish my enemy from the rear.

The point is evading enemies missile fire as top priority, suppressing the enemies missile troops with my own ones, let the infantry do their work, cavalry their and elephants cause havoc.

Frontal attacks could be easily counter by heavy missile fire or solid rock Phalanx formations. That'd be a huge risk.

Hence my playground with the elephants would be the rear ranks of rival army.

My battle order would be basicly:



* Blue /Cavalry, Grey/ Elephant, Red/ Infantry, Green/ Skirmishers

[111289]

have a army of stong heavy infantry. When they are fighting run my elephants throug their line from the side from left all the way to right.

[Smiling Hetairoi]

Well I'd put my elephants on the left flank with a unit of skirmishers to protect them.

[Bearnation54]

I'm more of a heavy infantry kind of guy so I would send as many elephants as I could right now the middle and have them disrupt their line and have my heavy infantry come in and finish them off