Elephants in Roman Service

[quintusvarus]

I queried whether the Romans ever used elephants in war as opposed to triumphs (e.g. Claudius in Britain) or in the circus in my previous thread. Since then I have done a bit of quick research, apparently they did, but not very successfully in Spain, where on one occassion they became distressed and attacked the Roman forces using them! One of the classical authors suggests using pigs covered in flaming oil as an anti-elephant weapon. Now there's and idea for a weapon with a difference....

[duncan]

One of the classical authors suggests using pigs covered in flaming oil as an anti-elephant weapon. Now there's and idea for a weapon with a difference....

Better not. This idea has been used in RTW and Slitherine has enough troubles with those stupid "RTW-clone" to make matters worse. BTW, I never used pigs in RTW, by the time I got pigs Cartaghe was already gone.

About the dumbos, I have used them in LA with same success as romans did in their time, luckily they haven't killed any of my soldiers!

[honvedseg]

I understand that the Romans used camels briefly in Caledonia as a scare tactic against the locals, I'm not sure about those big gray "fire and forget" torpedoes.

My brief usage of them in the game convinced me that they were too brittle and undependable for my style of play. I don't use them.

[Redpossum]

Umm, yeah, I used elephants some in a roman campaign.

I was majorly unimpressed, to be honest.

[lcjr]

The flaming pig's are debatable but possible. Already been done long before RTW try finding a copy of GMT's SPQR board/wargame. If you want a real laugh search for info on Russian tank dogs in WW2.

The best use of elephants was in training your horses to be familiar with them. Something not modeled in Arena. Camels also had the same effect. The horse's didn't recognize them so they wouldn't go near them.

Anyone remember the old PC/Sega game Centurion? I loved seeing elephants in front of my enemies armies because I knew soon as I broke them they'd go stampeding through their own troops. Again another thing not modeled in Arena.

Wouldn't call elephants "fire and forget" weapons. More like fire and hope they don't come back on you.

[Redpossum]

Supposedly, Claudius used both elephants and camels in his conquest of Britain.