Elephants instant rage?

[Habeas Dorkus]

Are elephant units now designed to lose control as soon as they engage the enemy, regardless of the unit type they are facing?

[DeVrie]

Yes. I think I read they can't hurt our units though. I rarely use them, but if I do, I just plunge them into the enemies flank and let them rage. Driving spikes through them just makes me sad lol.

[KAM 2150]

Yes,they will auto target enemy units like berserkers. You will regain control when the fight gets less intense.

[Habeas Dorkus]

Ahhh. Good to know! Thanks!

[T.G]

I think elephants are interesting units now; I don't mind the instant-berserk mechanic.

But I'm not sure that berserk status avoids friendly casualties. I'm fairly certain that I've had friendly units suffer pretty nasty casualties when engaging enemy units on which my elephants were berserking...

The reason I think this is the case is because I recently set an elephant unit on a unit of shattered enemy who were fleeing; I also sent a unit of light cavalry to help mop up. The elephants berserked (which I expected, even on routed enemy), but when my cavalry arrived they suffered nasty casualties, very quickly. Luckily I spotted it in time and pulled them back.

So, be careful using your elephants. I'm not so sure that berserk (as opposed to amok) is any real protection from friendly casualties.

I treat my elephants like hand-grenades now

~TG

[Ygraine]

I think elephants are interesting units now; I don't mind the instant-berserk mechanic.

But I'm not sure that berserk status avoids friendly casualties. I'm fairly certain that I've had friendly units suffer pretty nasty casualties when engaging enemy units on which my elephants were berserking...

The reason I think this is the case is because I recently set an elephant unit on a unit of shattered enemy who were fleeing; I also sent a unit of light cavalry to help mop up. The elephants berserked (which I expected, even on routed enemy), but when my cavalry arrived they suffered nasty casualties, very quickly. Luckily I spotted it in time and pulled them back.

So, be careful using your elephants. I'm not so sure that berserk (as opposed to amok) is any real protection from friendly casualties.

I treat my elephants like hand-grenades now

~TG

Fleeing enemies sometimes kill tons of your units when you try to chase them down for some weird reason. I had one instance where a group of enemy light cav butchered around 140 of my men, while it was fleeing and I chasing. One of the most silly things I've seen so far!!

[T.G]

Fleeing enemies sometimes kill tons of your units when you try to chase them down for some weird reason. I had one instance where a group of enemy light cav butchered around 140 of my men, while it was fleeing and I chasing. One of the most silly things I've seen so far!!

Hmm, maybe you're right, but the only instance of this happening to me was the example with elephants I mentioned above. Perhaps it was what you described and only coincidentally while my elephants were beserking.

To be honest, I've got no problem with elephants causing friendly casualties, actually at any time. I'd even be happy to see them if I charged my elephants into any combat line; the idea that an enormous beast like that would be able to selectively crush one man from another seems unrealistic. Much more believable that the casualties would be awful, and entirely indiscriminate.

Like I say... now I have to carefully decide where to lob my hand-grenades

[DeVrie]

It could be one, the other or both to be honest.

I'm not completely sure elephants cause friendly casualties, but I only mentioned it because I'd read it somewhere on the forums, I've been too careful with my elephants to notice any significant friendly fire. I completely agree with T.G. If they do cause friendly casualties it's only logical. Which I guess is why I remember reading it.

On the other hand, fleeing units DO cause casualties, which is a complete surprise to anyone who enjoyed chasing people down in previous games. Not horrendous casualties, but they can bring a scratched unit to yellow. I don't know if it's because of the 1 on 1 system, but I doubt it, because Shogun 2 had 1 on 1 and I never saw any casualties from chasing units down.

Personally, I kinda use elephants as hand grenades as well. I throw them into the enemy when I see it's clear of spear-pike units and mine aren't close, or at least none of mine I care about. If it's mercs or a levy then they can go in with the elephants and contribute to the chaos. Elephants are also useful by just being there on the flank, behind the enemy, peppering them with javelins and having the scare passive ability; that is until you decide where to use them. Don't use them to chase routing units, they aren't that fast and they are very few in number so they can easily suffer from chasing malady (enemy fightback, missile units with fire at will engaged).

For those of you playing as Carthage, I find them extremely useful fighting in the Iberian peninsula againts units of sword and board, like Scutarii, of which the Iberian tribes field many. They are ok against skirmishers, as long as you catch them distracted or are already very close, same thing with light cavalry, but I've rarely been able to catch up with them unless they engage the elephants or get partially stuck by one of my units. Then you disengage your unit and leave them with the elephants.

Hope some of this is helpful to someone.

[FlashHeart07]

I believe the reason why routed enemies still is able to inflict casualties is because of the matched combat that takes place and the fact that I dont think that they actually lose their stats. So high tier inf will still be quite deadly even though they are routing.
This is a game mechanic otherwise it would have been changed in the mod.
Though I have never seen my troops suffer any real casualties chasing down enemies. Even chasing down the enemy general which are often some kind of heavy inf or cav I suffer almost no casualties.

[snowguy417]

Elephants should cause friendly casualties for all the reasons mentioned above. Not to mention it can be an effective strategy when fighting against elephants to pepper them with arrows and get them to turn on their own forces.

Personally I have always found elephants most effective as a moral crusher when heavily outnumbered by something like levy units. Nothing routs and enemy horde faster than smashing their flank (or even standing nearby) with elephants. Used this method often when defending small cities. Lure the enemy into the streets and hit them while they are packed together.

[Habeas Dorkus]

I'm totally fine with the instant-berzerking, both mechanic-wise and the explanation behind the mechanic. I just wanted to be sure my elephants didn't have the 28 Days Later disease.