HemlockGrey wrote:200 casualties inflicted by a single Praetorian cohort in the battle to capture the last Numidian city. They lost maybe 20 guys. I love them. I've named them "Eric".
Capturing cities has become much easier on version 1.2, because you can take your time seizing control of the walls once the time limit for campaign battles is disabled. Of course, I say this because I'm currently playing as Rome, and Rome rules at taking walls. I took out an 800-man garrison with a puny 300-man army once, by virtue of his spearmen, peltasts, and archers being brutally cut down by the archery barrage from my siege towers followed by my legionary cohort spilling onto the walls. That one unit of legionary cohort which stormed the walls ended up racking up nearly 400 kills, as the enemy sent unit after unit after unit of inferior close-combat troops up against them in a hopeless attempt to retake their gatehouse.
3rd Impact wrote:Well, one of my equite units just earned it's place in the annals of history by chasing down over 700 pontic infantry. Very Happy Though to tell the truth, I'd have been happier if I hadn't left my flank unguarded and my shiny new post-Marian legionaries hadn't been pasted by a chariot swarm. Well, c'est la guerre.
I hate chariots. They're annoying to defend against because they kill horses so easily, but they're also annoying to use because they seem to run amok so easily.
HemlockGrey wrote:Also, anyone got any good tips for avoiding those annoying bogdowns when attacking wooden walled settlements? You know...your boys bust down the gate, and the AI throws all his troops at you at the gate, and there's ten minutes of slugging at the gate until he invariably gives way and you push in. I used to used hoplites in phalanx formation to try and push through, but I've realized princepes and Praetorian cohorts (I love Praetorians, I've named all my cohorts) did much better, but I'd still like to avoid it. I know rams can punch through wooden walls, but it takes forever.
As others have said, use two or three rams instead of one. This reduces the chokepoint effect. But you'll also want to bring up archers and position them a decent distance back from the walls. Let them arc their fire over the walls and into the city for a while (especially after you've knocked some holes in his walls, which will give them a clearer field of fire); this should drive back his defenders by making them retreat out of range. This not only wears down his defenders but it also gives your infantry precious time to solidify their position, rather than being hit immediately by troops who are waiting right there.
Though to tell the truth, I'd have been happier if I hadn't left my flank unguarded and my shiny new post-Marian legionaries hadn't been pasted by a chariot swarm. Well, c'est la guerre.
