Tactics questions thread

[The10thLegion]

yes this is basically the opposite of Cannae tactics

 

[Steven the Victor]

yeah, i wouldn't recommend this. maybe vs. rebels. but that's it.

 

[avesta]

Yeah it's a bit risky to have weak flanks, but it's also risky having a weak center, especially in a Greek army where the units aren't really mobile enough to fill in a breach so quickly.

At the battle of Marathon, the Greeks used a weak center with super strong flanks. The Persians punched through the center creating a breach in the Greek line. The persians all went inside that breach hoping to cause further casualties but this eventually meant that the the strong Greek flanks would envelope that mass of Persian infantrymen in the center, which is exactly what happened and the persians got surrounded.

I wonder if anyone's been able to recreate this tactic against the AI. This is the only mod I've seen where the AI (sometimes) concentrates his attack with all his troops on 1 single point in your line trying to breach. I guess if you know he's going to do this, you can try the marathon tactic by having lots of units on your flanks. But how do you know when he's going to do this?

The only battle that I remember where the AI tried to breach my line with all his troops was a battle where I attacked him I think. Here's what he did:

He moved his army backwards and formed 1 single long line (which I've never seen the AI do), no reserves, no extra flank protection, just 1 line, and he had no cavalry. I thought he was waiting for me to come to him. But he decided to move forward after building that 1 single line, and then charged like hell at the center of my line!! And my center was weak so he breached it, but I don't remember exactly what happened after. Anyone else experience tactics like this with the AI?

 

[Militiades]

You guys dont get it when i say weaker inf does mean that they are weak they are weaker that the center Example Spartans in the center Armored Hoplites at the flanks or Merc inf . Catalaves?

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

oke with the weaker units you mean the sword hoplites thy are fine flank protectors.

 

[Militiades]

oke with the weaker units you mean the sword hoplites thy are fine flank protectors.

for example ,or bastarnae are nice

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

bastarnae? whats that don t know them.

 

[S u l l a]

bastarne are cool - sometimes I add one of those. I put the in front of my legion, loose formation and they hold their line quite well

 

[24Gamer]

bastarnae? whats that don t know them.

They are something like superior thracian warriors

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

They are something like superior thracian warriors

haaaaa oke thx man

 

[The10thLegion]

barstanae and other barbarian units are good reserve units. The warcy scares the heck out of units anyways and when trouble comes just send your barstanae on that flank and the units will rout

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

gonne try that one but will take a while only 20 turns away from imperial palace.

 

[The10thLegion]

sweet

 

[Valerius Tiberius]

hmm, i think moderators should make it so that the creator of a thread that gets 10 pages or more auromaticly gets +rep, this would be fair for the creator of this thread

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

hmm, i think moderators should make it so that the creator of a thread that gets 10 pages or more auromaticly gets +rep, this would be fair for the creator of this thread

i think you will get a lot of spams. any one got nice tacticks for me?

 

[Elodman]

on 4TPY:
Thanks everyone for info!!!

(happy that both 2 scripts are activated simultaneously)

Lame me..

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

hehehe yeah lucky for the people who forget to activate them

 

[avesta]

i think you will get a lot of spams. any one got nice tacticks for me?

i have tons of tactics. wanna hear the weaken-the-one-strategic-flank tactic or weak-unit-rout tactic? these are my 2 favorites.

 

[Valerius Tiberius]

let them hear, never enough info to gather

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

sure put you tactics in this thread man we are allways intressted to see some tactics.

 

[S u l l a]

i have tons of tactics. wanna hear the weaken-the-one-strategic-flank tactic or weak-unit-rout tactic? these are my 2 favorites.

ya, pls share. always interesting to see how others are playing

 

[avesta]

Alright here's my weak-unit-rout tactic. Note that I don't play by house rules, but you can still perform this tactic anyway. You will require legionnaries, archers, and cavalry. This works best if the enemy is attacking you.

Set your front line legionnaries in guard mode+fire at will, and your second line legionnaries in fire at will mode. Keep 1 unit on each flank to deal with a flanking attack, but do not use cavalry for this, you will need your cavalry to be free later on. It's best to put your cav behind your army so the AI doesn't try to target it.

Let his front line charge your front line, and make sure you block any flanking attack quickly with an infantry unit.

Next, you need to identify his weakest unit that is fighting in melee against your front line. Normally, against the Greeks, they send a milita hoplite unit to engage in melee. Then put your archers on flaming ammo, and concentrate fire on that weak unit until his morale lowers to 'steady'. Remember, do not fire on a weak unit that isn't engaged. Pick out the weakest unit that is engaged in melee and shoot the flaming arrows at him.

As soon as that unit's morale drops, take guard mode off from your legionarry unit that is engaging it. Then send in the second line legionnary unit to attack that weakened unit as well. Now you got 2 legionnaries charging at that weak AI unit. At this point, it is time to quickly send your cavalry behind the enemy's rear, trying your best to dodge any units which try to engage you on the way. I would normally use 3 cav units for this, since the AI uses a lot of units on his flanks and rear. By the time your cav units get near the vicinity of the enemy's rear, that weak unit should have routed by now. This rout should affect the other units' morale as well, so have a look around at which units have dropped morale, and shoot flaming arrows at it, and make your decisive cavalry charge at it. The rest should be a piece of cake.

The tricky part really comes down to the cavalry charges. By using 3 cav units, you can throw 1 of them into melee against a unit that keeps trying to block your path to the rear, allowing the other two to become free and charge at weakened enemy units.

 

[MasterAdnin]

Alright here's my weak-unit-rout tactic. Note that I don't play by house rules, but you can still perform this tactic anyway. You will require legionnaries, archers, and cavalry. This works best if the enemy is attacking you.

Set your front line legionnaries in guard mode+fire at will, and your second line legionnaries in fire at will mode. Keep 1 unit on each flank to deal with a flanking attack, but do not use cavalry for this, you will need your cavalry to be free later on. It's best to put your cav behind your army so the AI doesn't try to target it.

Let his front line charge your front line, and make sure you block any flanking attack quickly with an infantry unit.

Next, you need to identify his weakest unit that is fighting in melee against your front line. Normally, against the Greeks, they send a milita hoplite unit to engage in melee. Then put your archers on flaming ammo, and concentrate fire on that weak unit until his morale lowers to 'steady'. Remember, do not fire on a weak unit that isn't engaged. Pick out the weakest unit that is engaged in melee and shoot the flaming arrows at him.

As soon as that unit's morale drops, take guard mode off from your legionarry unit that is engaging it. Then send in the second line legionnary unit to attack that weakened unit as well. Now you got 2 legionnaries charging at that weak AI unit. At this point, it is time to quickly send your cavalry behind the enemy's rear, trying your best to dodge any units which try to engage you on the way. I would normally use 3 cav units for this, since the AI uses a lot of units on his flanks and rear. By the time your cav units get near the vicinity of the enemy's rear, that weak unit should have routed by now. This rout should affect the other units' morale as well, so have a look around at which units have dropped morale, and shoot flaming arrows at it, and make your decisive cavalry charge at it. The rest should be a piece of cake.

The tricky part really comes down to the cavalry charges. By using 3 cav units, you can throw 1 of them into melee against a unit that keeps trying to block your path to the rear, allowing the other two to become free and charge at weakened enemy units.

It's much easier than that. Here is my Post-Marius Legion set up.

Key:
L=Legionary
LLLL=One Unit of Legionary
----=Space
CC=Cavalry
AAAA=Auxillia
MMMM=Missile Unit
G=General
LGFC=Legionary First Cohort


----------LLLL----LLLL----LLLL----LLLL----LLLL--------------
-----AAAA----LLLL----LLLL----LLLL----LLLL----AAAA--------
AAAA---CC----MMMM--MMMM--MMMM----CC------AAAA
--------------------------G------------------------------------
------------------------LGFC----------------------------------

This set up is surprisingly helpful. All you have to do is wait for you the enemy to engage your Legionaries. If cavalry tries to flank from the sides, you can use your spear Auxiliaries to take care of them, then send your cavalry around the flanks and attack either the missile units, or the weakest infantry unit your enemy has. Also, if the enemy sends infantry around the flanks, just send a Legionary unit from the second line to take care of it. Coupled with cavalry and two units of spear Auxiliaries, the infantry unit should not be a problem.

Salaam,
Adnan

 

[68 Powers]

nice formation admin. ill have to use that sometime.
nice tactic also avesta!

 

[S u l l a]

nice formation admin. ill have to use that sometime.
nice tactic also avesta!

agree, nice stuff from both of you.

 

[24Gamer]

@MasterAdnin

There must be a mistake anywhere, cuz now you have 21units on the field...

 

[S u l l a]

@Sulla

There must be a mistake anywhere, cuz now you have 21units on the field...

i think you mean @ MasterAdnin, right?

 

[24Gamer]

i think you mean @ MasterAdnin, right?

Yes

 

[Hesus de bodemloze]

@MasterAdnin

There must be a mistake anywhere, cuz now you have 21units on the field...

yups 1 auxilia to much

 

[The10thLegion]

i always keep my first cohort in my front line to provide moral boost