Quick vanilla R:TW question

[Agent Fisher]

Cool. I just took all of spain. And I dont really like micromanging my cities. I'm a general, not a politican.

[Alferd Packer]

Here's a tip regarding the plague: It can be a good thing! Let's say a plague hits one of your cities. Simply train a bunch of spies. They'll all be plague bearers. Send them off to enemy cities and wreak havoc! I eliminated the Egyptians in my Armenian game by sitting some plague-bearing spies in their last two cities. After half a dozen turns, they simultaneously revolted, eliminating the faction. After that, the populations and garrisons were so pathetic that I waltzed right in and took over. Now I'm unleashing the plague on the Scipii.

BTW, Roman infantry has got nothing on my cavalry. Cataphracts = death for the Romans. Which is good, because I don't want Roman infantry tearing mine to shreds, if I can help it.

[Surlethe]

Here's a tip regarding the plague: It can be a good thing! Let's say a plague hits one of your cities. Simply train a bunch of spies. They'll all be plague bearers. Send them off to enemy cities and wreak havoc! I eliminated the Egyptians in my Armenian game by sitting some plague-bearing spies in their last two cities. After half a dozen turns, they simultaneously revolted, eliminating the faction. After that, the populations and garrisons were so pathetic that I waltzed right in and took over. Now I'm unleashing the plague on the Scipii.

That's brilliant! I'm going to try that against the Scipii and the Julii in the next 15 turns or so.

Right now, I'm crushing Dacia as the Brutii. I sodomitically destroyed Egypt with a four-pronged assault on its empire. I will be marching on Rome shortly; I've four full-banner armies sitting on the southern half of the boot waiting to burn and pillage north. The only thing I'm afraid of is Scipii naval dominance; I'm not entirely sure how to combat that.

However, I'm rather hurting for cash, so it's going to be sack, burn, loot, and pillage my countrymen for several turns.

[Vympel]

Having four stacks on the southern part of Italy is probably too high a concentration of force- don't you have naval superiority? You could simultaneously land in the North with one or two stacks and come at Rome from both ends, that's what I did.

[Surlethe]

Having four stacks on the southern part of Italy is probably too high a concentration of force- don't you have naval superiority? You could simultaneously land in the North with one or two stacks and come at Rome from both ends, that's what I did.

The idea I'm currently tossing around is -- since I will have Dacia by the end of three or four turns -- solidifying my control, move one or two stacks up to Noricum, and simultaneously sweeping up from the coast, and attacking south into Patavium. The extra stack in Noricum will be in case the Julii decide to attack from Gaul.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/ ... iiPlan.png


What I'm afraid of are the Scipii and Julii ships; you can see them clustered around Sicily and Sardinia:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/ ... titled.gif

Should I delay and take two or three turns and build up my navy in the Aegean, so I can counter their naval superiority, or should I just proceed as I plan?

[Darth Wong]

Here's a tip regarding the plague: It can be a good thing! Let's say a plague hits one of your cities. Simply train a bunch of spies. They'll all be plague bearers. Send them off to enemy cities and wreak havoc! I eliminated the Egyptians in my Armenian game by sitting some plague-bearing spies in their last two cities. After half a dozen turns, they simultaneously revolted, eliminating the faction. After that, the populations and garrisons were so pathetic that I waltzed right in and took over. Now I'm unleashing the plague on the Scipii.

I've heard of this tactic before, but it always seemed cheap to me. Like assassinating enemy generals rather than killing them in battle.

[Alferd Packer]

I've heard of this tactic before, but it always seemed cheap to me. Like assassinating enemy generals rather than killing them in battle.

Oh, it's undeniably cheap, especially when I already had Egypt on the ropes. Of course, I wasn't exactly relishing the idea of attacking a full-stack top-tier garrison behind epic stone walls, so... But I am in a ridiculously good position. I have over 500K in the treasury, maximum possible upgrades to all my cities, excellent garrisons, and a pretty massive navy. So this biological warfare tactic is definitely cheap.

Then again, if I were playing as Dacia or Numidia (or some other faction that starts out in a crap position), this tactic might be the only way to carve out a decent power base in the early game, or at least keep your enemies nearly as weak as you.

[Bill Door]

Any suggestions on how to deal with scythed chariots as Parthia?

[Darth Wong]

Any suggestions on how to deal with scythed chariots as Parthia?

Against scythed chariots, cavalry-heavy armies are ... not in good shape. But even crappy infantry is more effective against chariots than cavalry is. I like to go heavy on archers and spearmen against chariots. Use a cheap fast-moving throwaway unit to stop the chariots' movement, and then rush heavy spearmen toward the traffic congestion to take them down before they can break free. Archers are also fairly effective against chariots.

For those playing BI, archer-heavy armies are the way to defeat barbarian hordes too. I recently attacked some barbarian horde armies with an army consisting of ten units of archers, four units of spearmen, two generals, and one unit of Sarmatian cavalry. I actually used the archers to form the main battle line, with a smaller number of spearmen behind ready to rush forward in the event of a cavalry charge, and the horses farther back. It's a crazy-ass army that you would never use against a normal opponent, but it works surprisingly well against barbarian hordes without costing a lot of money.

[Vympel]

Speaking of BI, has anyone had a game where the barbarian hordes actually stayed alive and became powerful rather than getting their horde wiped out by the civlizied factions?

[Fire Fly]

In my first BI game where I was still getting used to the nuance, the Vandals ran through Northern Italy and conquered Burdigala and Massilia. Also, in order to have peace with the Franks, I gave them two of my frontier Rhine provinces and 10,000 denarii.

But in my current game, my armies are more dominated by calvary units. I usually have four Sarmatian auxillia, two Sagitarii units, and four Carriage Ballistas. I once was able to take out three full horde armies and in another battle where I was guarding a bridge crossing, the AI decided to place its enitre army in a column and try to cross the bride. My 2500 or so army killed the entirety of the AI's Roxalani army of 2900 some and I walked away with 13 causalties, half of whom recovered.

[Vympel]

In general I'm reluctant to stuff my stacks with two much siege equipment-I normally stick with 2x Heavy Onagers and 1x Carriage Ballistae as my siege outfit, and stuff the rest with infantry and cavalry. I'm too afraid of being caught unawares by some huge Hun horde or some such on disadvantageous ground and not having enough men and horse to hold them. Watching carriage ballistae get caught is not fun.

[Fire Fly]

My standard army stack will consist of my general, one 1st cohort, 6 plumbatarii, 2 palatinae axuillia, 4 Sarmatian auxillia, 2 Sagitarii horse archers, and 4 carriage ballista. Very expensive and lengthy to train, but its well worth it when its faced against any army. But, as you did say Vympel, carriage ballistae are rather vulnerable to archer fire, which horde armies are fond of using.

I normally will manuever my Sarmatians into such a position that when I being charging at the AI's horse archers, they get pinned down and trapped. Normally, as the AI's horse archers are approaching, I'll send one unit on a wide flanking manuever while I position the other three at a distance apart from each other. I'll charge one unit and then as the AI reacts, I'd readjust the others so I can pin it down.

After I eliminate the AI's horse archers or at least clear the main battle area of them, I then deploy my carriage ballistae to take care of the enemy infantry. As the AI's battle line approaches mine, my plumbatarii's darts will normally keep them at bay before they can even come into contact and when they do, their numbers are already low and their morale on the verge of collapse.

As I conquer barbarian settlements, I've found that some of their religious buildings have a +3 to experience. I've been able to build several +3 expereinced armies from two such settlements. Currently, I have silver chevron armies all over the place.

[Vympel]

My standard army stack will consist of my general, one 1st cohort, 6 plumbatarii, 2 palatinae axuillia, 4 Sarmatian auxillia, 2 Sagitarii horse archers, and 4 carriage ballista. Very expensive and lengthy to train, but its well worth it when its faced against any army.

No heavy onagers? I find their fire to be, while relatively inaccurate compared to ballistae, long ranged, safe from counterattack and devastating when using fire pots- they're also great for taking enemy cities with no siege work required- just bust open their gates (after they take out the gatehouse so there's no boiling oil) and march on in- usually my armies are strong enough to force any issue of street fighting with only light acceptable losses. It also bypasses the towers (and the onagers allow me to destroy any of them that are a problem too) though I usually march a unit to capture the ones along my line of advance to the town anyway. The carriage ballistae serve to skewer any infantry unit sitting in front of the broken gates.

Often times, in field engagements, my two heavy onagers will annihilate elite units of the enemy before they even come in contact, and also kill the enemy general as well.

I normally will manuever my Sarmatians into such a position that when I being charging at the AI's horse archers, they get pinned down and trapped. Normally, as the AI's horse archers are approaching, I'll send one unit on a wide flanking manuever while I position the other three at a distance apart from each other. I'll charge one unit and then as the AI reacts, I'd readjust the others so I can pin it down.

After I eliminate the AI's horse archers or at least clear the main battle area of them, I then deploy my carriage ballistae to take care of the enemy infantry. As the AI's battle line approaches mine, my plumbatarii's darts will normally keep them at bay before they can even come into contact and when they do, their numbers are already low and their morale on the verge of collapse.

Hrm- can't relate to the WRE yet- I love the ERE too much- the cavalry are just devastating

As I conquer barbarian settlements, I've found that some of their religious buildings have a +3 to experience. I've been able to build several +3 expereinced armies from two such settlements. Currently, I have silver chevron armies all over the place.

What does the Awesome Temple of Mithras get you? I wouldn't know, the vast majority of the ERE is Christian, my captured WRE cities include one maxed out pagan city (I think it's Ravenna or something) with an Awesome temple, but I don't recall if it gives two chevrons or three.

[Fire Fly]

Awesome Temple of Mithras gives you +2 chevrons. Is ERE calvary really that good? I know they have armoured cavarly, but how do they compare with the Scholae Palatinae (who are the next best, after Sarmatian auxillia).

[Vympel]

Awesome Temple of Mithras gives you +2 chevrons. Is ERE calvary really that good? I know they have armoured cavarly, but how do they compare with the Scholae Palatinae (who are the next best, after Sarmatian auxillia).

I don't remember the exact stats, but I only have three Scholae Palatinae in my entire Empire anyway- one in Constantinope, one in Rome (since they're the two capitals of the now reunited Empire, I figure having two palace guard units is appropriate) and one with the faction leader's army (not his army anymore, the disloyal fuckwit- see my bug thread if you haven't already).

IIRC, Catafracti and Clibinari are more well protected than Sarmatian auxilia even though their attack isn't as strong- given that they have all that extra armor and weight, I'd suspect their charge should be higher, but I'm unsure- either way, they take very few casualties in a typical engagement and seem to ride right *over* any enemy in a way that Scholae Palatinae, Imperial Household Guard and Sarmatian Auxilia don't seem capable. That could be just imagination though, but the armor is definitely worth it. Clibinari aren't meant for the charge, they're meant for melee on horseback (hence they have maces instead of spears), and they can easily school any heavy infantry unit or spear armed unit when they attack (spear units from behind only of course)- as well as making short work of lancers and similar spear equipped cavalry if they get in first.

Besides- there's something about that wall of metal that just screams: cool. And they don't take jack crap damage from archers either.

[Darth Wong]

I have experience only on the receiving end when it comes to ERE cavalry, but I'd agree that the clibinarii are a bitch when it comes to stopping them. I've discovered that the best heavy cavalry for the WRE is actually a general's unit, which is normally not done because generals are difficult to replace but it becomes much more feasible when you have numerous cities with Circus Maximus structures. I've built armies with a half-dozen generals before, which I maneuver as a group. They generally pound the shit out of whatever they hit, and are vulnerable only when they stay still and the enemy mobs them with a combination of spearmen and heavy cavalry (or when they get exhausted).

[Vympel]

I've yet to simply hire a general- I know they don't become part of your family in that the sons don't succeed and they can't marry, but do they enter the family tree screen so you can at least find them?

Also, I noticed with WRE general units on my screen that the spears they're carrying, at least on my PC, seem to be blunt or bugged graphically somehow- it happens with no other spear, which is really odd. Anyone else get this?

I've also noticed a mercenary unit called Bucellari or something, which appear to use small crossbows, and from what I understand, seem to be able to be recruited when playing as the WRE- are they any good, or a waste of space?

[Fire Fly]

A waste of space, in my opinon. They have a really short range and are outclassed by standard WRE archers. I think they are supposed to be able to punch through armour a little better, but a little better isn't really much in the big picture of the battle. You might as well have a cavarly unit instead, who can score four times the kills or more compared to a bucellari.

[Vympel]

Hmm too bad. I got flashbacks of my time as the Holy Roman Empire in Medieval, fighting the Golden Horde. I'd dismount my Chivalric Knights so they'd fight as foot-knights, place them behind units of Pavisse Arbalsters (armored guys with massive crossbows who reload behind a big shield) in a forest, and pick off the Mongol heavy cavalry at range. As the horse entered the forest, my foot knights would absolutely massacre them (due to massive negative nerfs on cavalry in forest, as is right and proper). I slaughtered thousands ... then I'd send in my own cavalry who hadn't dismounted to fight them on the field, and good-bye golden horde.

They gotta make Medieval 2.

[Darth Wong]

Surlethe's unnecessarily and pointlessly large graphics have been turned into links in order to fix the formatting.

[Captain Cyran]

This is a Rome: Total Realism issue.

FUCK YOU SARMATIA AND YOUR BULLSHIT ARCHERS!

These guys are a pain in the ass because not only are they good archers, but they are also not half-bad infantry (Offense somewhere around 10, defense 11), so they can sit and pelt you forever and any charges are going to be met by actual resistance while the rest of their archers run away and then pump arrows into the back of your line. And cavalry charges are absolute suicide, even when their backs are turned to you.

So does anyone have an idea on how you can actually kill these fuckers without suffering extreme losses to your own troops? All I can think of is make an archer heavy army then have my archers sit behind my front line troops and pelt at them.

[Agent Fisher]

I have figured the prefect stack set for going against barbarian rebels and nations in R:TW vanilla.

7 Legionary Cohorts
8 Archer Auxi
4 Legionary Cavalry
1 General

I have lost count of the number of rebel bands and random barbarian armies I have crushed. One thing I have noticed. When you are attacking a city with more than one stack, your other armies will just rush in without firing their ranged weapons until they run dry.

After a long and slow going campaign, all that remains of the Britons is their capital on the mainland. The Germans fell to before the Britons and the Brutii. Right now, I have four of my full stack legions, I call them the Felix Legions, using my setup surrounding and laying seige to their last city. Soon the Felix Legions will be victorious and the north shall enjoy the wonders of Rome.


ROMA VICTOR

[Agent Fisher]

Word from the FELIX LEGIONS!

Briton has fallen, along with Dacia and three Rebel settlements. However, trouble is brewing in Spain. The I FELIX has been dispatched to deal with the uprisings, while the II, III, IV FELIX head to the coast to be transported to Africa to take what they can.

ROMA VICTOR

[Soontir C'boath]

I would replace two Archer units with Auxilias in sorted formation with the remaining archers. Just in case any cavalry manage to slip in.