Fighting against British chariots

**deafnblind** · October 22, 2006, 01:18 AM

Hi,

I can't seem to defeat the British chariots using my Roman troops. Would a good idea be to allow them to hit my spearman before charging them in the rear with my Prateorian calvary?

**Soccer1993** · October 22, 2006, 01:42 AM

yes, that's a good idea, the best way to defeat any kind of chariots is to bog them down but you should mass infantry against them 'cause cavalry get's sliced to pieces. This is because chariots have barely any defence stats (usually 2-3 unless they have expierence) and have only 1 hitpoint (varies between 1-4 though). Get light troops to catch up to them and quikly send in heavy infantry.

**hellheaven1987** · October 22, 2006, 02:00 AM

Never, never use your ANY cavalries against ANY chariots!!! Trust me as the nickname for ALL chariots units are "cavalry killer".

The best way to against them is using a huge group of infantries. The weakness of chariots is low HP, so they can't stop or they will face immediately defeat. Infantries are best thing to stop them and then gang fight them.

In the other hand, chariots are ONLY useful in killing cavalries in melee combat, so DON'T let your chariots stop when against infantries - instead you need to run through their formation several time, which cause your enemy rout and you can pursuit them.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · October 22, 2006, 03:50 AM

The only recruitable unit that Romans get to fight chariots are Gladiators. Use them on your flanks and get them to engage the chariots just before hitting your lines. Have some archers with fire arrows to pepper them. With this combo you should have minimal casualties. You can also use mercenary hoplites but it might be a bit far to move them to the front.

Never use cavalry and other Roman infantry may suffer unacceptable losses in bogging them down which you may not be able to retrain.

**Kara Kolyo** · October 22, 2006, 04:15 AM

If you are on the defence put your hastati/principes or later legionaries to fire at will. This way if the chariots come first your units will throw their pilas at them and kill alot of the chariots. use barbarian mercs too, they are better than peasants for bogging chariots down and don't rout as quickly. finally merc elephants are best against chariots, if you have them ofcourse

**Henry of Grosmont** · October 22, 2006, 04:53 AM

My opinoin - skirmishers are the best in close combat, archers form long distanse, especially, when you set one unit to fire "flame arrows".

**Trajan** · October 22, 2006, 06:14 AM

Moved to the Total War Battle Planning sub-forum.

**Cluny the Scourge** · October 22, 2006, 11:07 AM

The main battle chariots are easy to take - any unit will crush them as long as, get this, you don't order them to attack. Just let them stand there and do nothing, and as long as you DON'T have Hold Formation on, the chariots are dog-meat. They will plough into your unit and make a complete mess, throwing everyone around, and kill practically no-one at all - and your men will get up and close in around them like gelatine and destroy them.

The light missile chariots are more of dog's arse. You really just need to missile them right back.

**Emcman333** · October 23, 2006, 12:40 AM

Yeah I wouldn't suggest using cavalry at all, I just use my infantry.

**Erwin Rommel** · October 23, 2006, 02:07 PM

HINT ON CAV they are onl effective in chasing down the chariots in retreat,

**13ig_VV** · October 23, 2006, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Lord Comnenus

HINT ON CAV they are onl effective in chasing down the chariots in retreat,

hah i wish! that's absolute baloney. never, i repeat, NEVER chase down chariots with cavalry. if you want to inflict a few more casualties shoot them with arrows or with infantry if u can get to them somehow. the cavalry will get killed due to the scythes on the wheels of the chariots. I chased them down once with two equite and one general unit and lost about 2/3 of them because of the stupid scythes. the best way to deal with chariots is to make them route. use fire arrows, inflict casualties with missile weapons, and use scare tactics (such as dogs if ur using some country like Rome or use Druids and guys like that) to lower their morale and force them to charge your infantry (which has been massed together). they will get stuck, lose a few men, and route (which is good because they are stuck in your mass and will die without inflicting as many casualties).

**Panzerfaust** · October 23, 2006, 02:18 PM

The best idea is to use spearmen, and let the chariots charge them. After the charge you take other infantry to destroy the chariots that survived. Chariots aren't really hard to kill

**GORE** · October 23, 2006, 03:09 PM

chariots arent much of a problem, they dont inflict to many casualties they just break up formations (provided they arent elite), i usually let them hit my line then overwhelm them with my reserve spearmen which i screen them with. it also helps to let your archers get a few volleys off at them before they reach you.