A general comment about "battles taking too long". And seriously, I'm going to use strong language, but it's only to make a point. And there's no implications pointed toward those who have broached the issue so far. It's a new game, and you guys just haven't figured it out yet. So we're cool. Now.....
If you think you are just going to charge ahead, line on line, and have it end quickly....well, it won't. There is a discipline called tactics, and people are well advised to learn and use them. Flank attacks can win the battle, but it's not as simple as in EB1 where you just marched a few guys unopposed around the end and hit a few units in the rear and started to roll up the line. The AI is smart enough - usually - to keep some units in reserve and those guys will flank YOUR flankers if you aren't paying attention.
So if the extent of your tactics is "line on line" or "try to flank and fail", well, you suck as a general and will experience painfully long battles. OR....try something different. Ever hear of Cannae? Keep several units in the center of the line well back and have a few hardy units advanced on the wings and a unit or two behind them. When the AI hits the center, send your side reserves right into their flanks. The AI cannot respond in the usual way, and you will probably decimate them. And that's just one idea. The key is to think about ways to gain temporary advantages in small areas and build on those to rout the enemy.
Now city sieges - especially battles in the city SQUARE......well yeah those are ugly. It's the epitome of "line on line". But even here, you have options. Send every unit racing down one street into the center, and battle there? D.U.M.B. Stay down at your end of the street and pelt them with sling stones until they come down, and you can fight one or two at your end of the street. Meanwhile have other units circle around to the other streets. Look for the places you can get the tactical advantages and attack. If you have two heavy infantry, and he has one at that end of the square, have your one engage his and forceclick your second to race past, and then down the first street to take that enemy force in the rear - routing them in seconds instead of what would probably be 5-10 minutes
The key is not to send
your mass charging at
his mass and then come into this forum and whine about how battles take too long. If you aren't willing to learn or use tactics, then just autoresolve and spare yourself the agony of your own incompetence as a general. No offense.
Edit: Another key point. Ancient warfare was - for the most part - the province of large infantry formations coming to grips, with one wresting victory from the other. Cavalry and missile troops had a role, but (horse archers aside), it was usually supportive. That was not true in EB1. You could have large numbers of archers and slingers who would decimate the enemy infantry, often to the point that lesser units could beat elites. That is not true in EB2. Missile units in particular are far less effective - they still have value, but it's more akin to their historical role. Harass the enemy, get them to chase, disrupt the formation, hit from behind, etc. Some of you will like this, others will hate it, but I encourage you to take a deep breath and learn this new way of waging war. Which is also the oldest.