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Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 7:44 pm
by BMAXIMUS
I just bought all the DLCs so I have access to a lots of epic battles.
Are they any which are worth playing and why ? (because they'll teach you about a specific maneuver or how to play this type of troops, etc ...)
I found for example that the battle of marathon was interesting involving basically just one type of troops on each side with some elites.
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:14 pm
by SuitedQueens
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:51 pm
by BMAXIMUS
That's quite a long list
. Which one should I start with ?
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 4:48 pm
by SnuggleBunnies
BMAXIMUS wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:51 pm
That's quite a long list :-). Which one should I start with ?
I suppose it depends on what sort of armies or mechanics you are interested in learning first. I am currently playing them all in order in MP, and the most recent is Trebia... combined with Medieval, I have quite a few still to go. Cannae, Ilipa, and Zama are in progress. I have played them all at least once in SP.
In terms of learning the game, I'm not sure if scenarios are necessarily the best, as they can have special victory conditions or altered unit stats to achieve balance or historicity. Still each DLC has a theme in its scenarios. Rise of Persia is chariot warfare -> horse archers. Immortal Fire is concentrated on Greek and then Macedonian armies against the Persians. Rise of Rome (base game) is the Roman Republic, first vs Carthage and then against Hellenistic armies. Legions Triumphant is a good showcase for first the hard hitting early Imperial Roman army, and then the more defensive and cavalry oriented late Imperial army. Age of Belisarius is very much centered around cavalry armies. Wolves at the Gate's six scenarios are more of a mix.
If you just want to have fun, well I think they're all fun so can't help you too much there. Keep in mind the scenarios tend to concentrated more on the Greatest Hits armies, so if you want to explore more peripheral or less well known forces, skirmishes/campaigns are the way to go - and of course multiplayer when you feel ready and if you are inclined that way.
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:14 pm
by deeter
Slightly off topic: Has anyone ever won Trebbia as the Carthaginians? As a model set piece showing Hannibal's brilliance, it is my favorite Punic War battle. I have played it many times with the best players I could find and no one has ever won as Carthage. Anyone?
Deeter
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:49 pm
by BMAXIMUS
deeter wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:14 pm
Slightly off topic: Has anyone ever won Trebbia as the Carthaginians? As a model set piece showing Hannibal's brilliance, it is my favorite Punic War battle. I have played it many times with the best players I could find and no one has ever won as Carthage. Anyone?
Deeter
Do you mean vs the AI or real player ? I managed to win vs the AI as governor by throwing the cav on the enemy cavs on both sides. Once the enemy cav has been destroyed that leave the remaning cav to flank freely. I tried against human, but that didn't work as expected, he ran away. The games is not finished but I have the advantage at the moment. Do you want to try it on MP ?
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 5:55 pm
by BMAXIMUS
SnuggleBunnies wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 4:48 pm
BMAXIMUS wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:51 pm
That's quite a long list
. Which one should I start with ?
I suppose it depends on what sort of armies or mechanics you are interested in learning first. I am currently playing them all in order in MP, and the most recent is Trebia... combined with Medieval, I have quite a few still to go. Cannae, Ilipa, and Zama are in progress. I have played them all at least once in SP.
In terms of learning the game, I'm not sure if scenarios are necessarily the best, as they can have special victory conditions or altered unit stats to achieve balance or historicity. Still each DLC has a theme in its scenarios. Rise of Persia is chariot warfare -> horse archers. Immortal Fire is concentrated on Greek and then Macedonian armies against the Persians. Rise of Rome (base game) is the Roman Republic, first vs Carthage and then against Hellenistic armies. Legions Triumphant is a good showcase for first the hard hitting early Imperial Roman army, and then the more defensive and cavalry oriented late Imperial army. Age of Belisarius is very much centered around cavalry armies. Wolves at the Gate's six scenarios are more of a mix.
If you just want to have fun, well I think they're all fun so can't help you too much there. Keep in mind the scenarios tend to concentrated more on the Greatest Hits armies, so if you want to explore more peripheral or less well known forces, skirmishes/campaigns are the way to go - and of course multiplayer when you feel ready and if you are inclined that way.
I mainly trying to improve by working at specific points, which I think can be achieved by playing scenario which are strongly "opinionated", i.e. lots of cav, lots of bow, same of the same units etc... I could go through all battle myself but I thought some people might have an opinion and most importantly tell you what to do, or what to practice. For example I saw the battle of Cannae, was one of the first example of envelopment (if not the first) but playing against the AI in governor, there is not enough units to do so.
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 6:03 pm
by deeter
I mean versus a human -- the only real assessment of these battles. Some epic battles are a forgone conclusion while others are quite balanced. Never bothered with Cannae, but the historic winner should be able to win or the scenario is wrong, such as Trebbia. I find Magnesia to be a great multi-player game giving both sides the chance of victory. The best thing about Epic battles is their size which reflects the challenges of managing a real-sized army. Other battles are really skirmishers by comparison. Once gain, has anyone won Trebbia against a human as Carthage?
Deeter
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:01 pm
by BMAXIMUS
I just managed to win Trebia with Carthage, the enemy actually resigned at the 22th turn 25%/40%. I think should give credit more to my opponent that to myself, but a tight victory seems doable. Fancy a MP game ?
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:28 pm
by deeter
I will play you as Rome. I don't count resignations as victories at Trebbia. Post the game and I'll be there.
Deeter
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 11:40 am
by BMAXIMUS
deeter wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:28 pm
I will play you as Rome. I don't count resignations as victories at Trebbia. Post the game and I'll be there.
Deeter
Done, password 'deeter'. Looking forward to playing it.
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 2:19 am
by Aeneas Stator
Bagradas is my favorite battle, playing as the romans. You have to think a sound strategy to beat the elephants and the enemy cav. I enjoy it a lot. I have played it many times and I have always learn something new.
Re: Best epic battles to learn from ?
Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:06 pm
by BMAXIMUS
Bagradas is a nice battle indeed, but I was more thinking of battles focusing on really specific topics, like heavy vs medium, heavy vs bows etc ...
Thanks anyway.