Two questions, help please

[phil74501]

How do you beat elephants? I played one battle that took me forever, and alot of casualties, to beat them.

And how do you make your units stay put? I had all of mine lined up on my side of a river. I was going to make them attack me across the water. But my troops took off across the water to attack them. I have noticed that any time an opposing unit gets close they attack. It makes it impossible to keep my units in formation.

Thanks for any help

[sum1won]

Elephants can be beaten in several ways. First of all, all skirmishers and light infantry can be given anti elephant abilities at lvl 5 or so. This makes them do criticals against elephants. Second, heavy infantry with good concuss can beat elephants, though they take heavy losses doing so. To make your units stay put, sheild them with a wall of peasents or something, or use halt/disengage if they approach an enemy you dont want them to.

[Redpossum]

Yeah, like Sum1won said. The button with the 2 little green feet on it means "STOP!", and that can be useful.

Elephants. OK, I am in the minority on this subject, be warned, but here's my opinion.

Don't waste your promotions on anti-elephant.

Focus on Swordsman, Drill, and Feint. Take Disciplined Formations at L6, if levelling a unit that gets it. Take Trample at L8 if levelling a cavalry unit. Take Frenzy if you can get it, usually at L13 if you follow the plan I am outlining here. Stop developing Drill when you get to Expert Drill.

Just swarm the Elephants with about 3 melee units, and focus 3 or 4 fire units on them.

Good Archers massacre Elephants.

Buy your units at least Weapons 1 by the 7th or 8th battle. Most people like to fill their roster before buying any equipment, but I don't agree with this. Good weapons and armor are an investment that pays off very well.

Heavy Cavalry, if properly trained and equipped, works very well against Elephants.

Oh yes, and at Heraclea and Asculum, just ignore the Elephants and kill normal units to get your required number of kills.

[phil74501]

Well I'm new to the game. I have been using my lvl gains on all kind of things. I have used dodge and block alot. And buy armor before weapons. I have tried in several battles to put my units in a good formation on terrain that gives me an advantage. But they always leave it to attack. It really frustrates me.

[lcjr]

I line up one of my best heavy infantry opposite each elephant with a unit of Velites positioned directly behind them. Infantry engages while the Velites shoot. Works quite well.

I have tried in several battles to put my units in a good formation on terrain that gives me an advantage. But they always leave it to attack. It really frustrates me.

Either set your units deeper in the terrain or like on some maps "behind" it. That way when they attack they'll either still be in the rough or charging into it.

[Redpossum]

I line up one of my best heavy infantry opposite each elephant with a unit of Velites positioned directly behind them. Infantry engages while the Velites shoot. Works quite well.

Exactly. Elephants are not that tough once you get the knack.

I did a Roman campaign in which I purchased two Archer units early. By the time they were L12-15, they slaughtered Elephants with ease.

[zedeyejoe]

Shoot the elephants. They don't shoot so you kill them at no loss.

[*Lava*]

I have tried in several battles to put my units in a good formation on terrain that gives me an advantage. But they always leave it to attack.

Phil,

What situation are you referring to.. 1) when the enemy is upon you or 2) at the beginning of the battle?

I think most people assume you are talking about situation No.1 and are probably correct. But just to make sure, for situation No. 2, remember you can give your army a "short" or "long hold" order prior to the battle to keep them in place.

Ray (alias Lava)

[phil74501]

#1 I can set my units up in a line. And I use the long hold. I'm trying to keep them in formation, and hold a solid line. So I am on advantageous terrain and won't get flanked. But as soon as any unit comes close they take off after it. I have to say that it's not very realistic. The Romans were known for standing shield to shield and receiving an attack. Or attacking shield to shield and cutting down their opponents.

[fatetriarrii]

You could try removing them a short way from the river (back them up a bit ). Then, when the enemy crosses the river, your front line will charge just as they step over it.

But it is true that so far, a good deal of the strategy in the set-up is timing all your units's charges and advances and retreats so they mesh perfectly. Very hard.

[sum1won]

You could try removing them a short way from the river (back them up a bit ). Then, when the enemy crosses the river, your front line will charge just as they step over it.

But it is true that so far, a good deal of the strategy in the set-up is timing all your units's charges and advances and retreats so they mesh perfectly. Very hard.

It is indeed. Thats why I often concentrate more on disrupting my opponent than keeping my guys straight. I do some of each, but I prefer to screw around with then.

Also, screens and reserves are both vital to keeping your battleline intact. Try using militia to deal with disrupters, and keep a unit or two in reserve so that any holes can be instantly filled.

The romans were reknowned for keeping a straight battle line. They did so by using layers. Try using a frontline of hastiti, and fill in gaps with principe, while your velites rain death. If you see a gap, fill it. Merely lining up your troops never works- when I see someone try that in multiplayer, I cringe. Then slaughter. Doubleing them together is slightly better, but the best is to have waves. Only advance the second when the first is faltering.

[cristos]

I have had a lot of sucess against elephants sending Auxillary cavalry with skirmisher support.

For controlling your units, try waypoints.

[honvedseg]

Each unit has a "zone of control", and if an enemy unit enters it, the unit will attack, regardless of orders. The trick is to arrange it so that your unit and the enemy unit will meet where you want them to. If one or the other stops to throw ranged weapons, that will affect the final contact point.

I use archers or Velites to "soften" incoming elephants, and then double-team the remainder with a widely spaced "V" of heavy infantry, so they face one, and get attacked in flank or rear by the other.

Taking a charge at the halt is generally a bad thing, so most infantry formations would probably have counter-charged at the last moment to offset the enemy's momentum. The zone of control in LA is probably quite a bit larger than would be historically accurate, but does at least reflect a real situation. The easy breaking of the line, with units turning every which way, is a problem, however.

[sum1won]

cristos, cavalry will not work in multiplayer, except as a sacrifice to hold elephants in place. caalry are one of the few things elephants can hurt.