Help with senario time problem

quintusvarus · Post by **quintusvarus** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:56 pm

Embarrassing admition I'm being beaten consistently by the AI! I have reached the second slave battle, but consistently fail to destroy the slave army in the required 60 minutes. The main problem being that it takes 35 to 40 minutes of the senario to reach the slave army and no matter how I change my troup deployment I can't finish them off in time. Any suggestions? My army has potentially 7 Hasti units (levels 17 - 19), 7 legionary units (levels 1-

4 auxila units (levels1-6) 4 velites (levels 16-18) 1 archer unit (level 1) and three cavalry units (Scouts & nobles level 16-18), so there is plenty of potential, but it just doesn't seem to work, even at normal levels of play. Help needed desperately to proceed!

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:03 pm

I don't remember clearly that scenario. Could you post some screens of the pre-battle deploy screen?

Are you playing normal, hard, very hard...? EDIT: ok, ok...you tried normal too

Anyway, put all your men in attacking position as deep in the map as you can and order them to charge. Be careful with the terrain, though. Auxilia can beat heavy infantry very quickly in rough terrain..try to catch them in the right terrain.

quintusvarus · Post by **quintusvarus** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:33 pm

Duncan

Thanks for the advice, but I have tried that. The time restiction is such that charge is the only option, and the front is fairly narrow so you can only attack in deep formation, the enemy are arrayed (from my perspective as light troops, berserkers, comander, bersekers alast three on rocky ground, light troops & heavy cavalry. The primary problem seems to be isolating the commander to kill him quickly and getting the cavalry to break.

sum1won · Post by **sum1won** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:20 pm

I wedged them in this one- I had my units attack from their sides, not their front, in order to maximize frontage.

spedius01 · Post by **spedius01** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:29 pm

Ave guys,

We're talking about #53 the Battle of Grannacus, AGAIN!!! (CFV = Gain victory in under 60 minutes)

If you care to check, quintusvarus, there have been several topics devoted entirely to this one battle. here & here

quintusvarus, what ever you do stay out of large wooded areas!!!

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

PS. CFV = Conditions for victory

PPS. Varus = Teutoberg Wald

PPPS. Disable Smilies in your post

lcjr · Post by **lcjr** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:25 pm

The scenario is winnable in the time limit on Hard but it's tricky and sometimes luck plays a factor.

Read down through this thread for a few tips and a file posted by Slitherine that gives you 20 more seconds.
http://www.slitherine.com/eslitherine/f ... .php?t=583

Redpossum · Post by **Redpossum** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:37 am

I must be weird or something. The battles like this one and Dogs Heads, that give other fits, I breeze through.

Then I get hung up on one that doesn't seem to trouble anybody else!

sum1won · Post by **sum1won** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:38 am

Same here. It might have something to do with playing styles, either that or build-up techniques.

Redpossum · Post by **Redpossum** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:50 am

sum1won wrote:Same here. It might have something to do with playing styles, either that or build-up techniques.

I suspect it might be that we are both serious fans of combined arms, and well-balanced armies.

IMAO, Quintusvarus has way too much Hvy Infantry, and not enough Lt Infantry and Cavalry. Furthermore, his fourteen Hvy Infantry units are L17-19, while his four existing Lt Infantry units are L1-6? Not trying to be unkind, but that's a recipe for disaster.

The beauty of cavalry in this situation is their speed. They can charge across the field and be in contact while your infantry units are just past midfield.

I think the Hvy Cavalry units are my favorite unit types in this game. They are just so versatile. And it was you, Sum1, who educated me as to the value of Hvy Cavalry

quintusvarus · Post by **quintusvarus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:09 am

Possum & Sum1won

I have tried to retain historical accuracy in the army balance. Roman forces were always light on both light troops and cavalry (and their own cavalry were generally fairly inept - witness Cannae), relying on allies and later auxiliary troops to make up the deficit. The problem with the army as I built from a historical perspective it was not the balance of troop types (heavy vs light/cavalry), but my failure to scroll down and recruit Principi and Triari. I have gone back to the pre Pyrhus period to rebuild. What I am aiming for by c. 100BC is the following.

Scouts 2
Auxilliary Cavalry 2
Hasti 4
Principi 4
Triari 3
Velites 4

I will probably retain the 3 militia for the moment as they tend to be useful in woodland and other broken ground and can double as allies/auxilla.

What do others think of this arrangement? I noted on another string that someone had elephant units - when did the Romans use them, I don't recall in any of my reading coming across Roman elephant units.

A final point does anyone else think that the ability of generals from both sides to survive alone and surround by any troops is totally ridiculous?

quintusvarus · Post by **quintusvarus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:13 am

Spedius01

I was fully aware of the implications of the name - considering the difficulties I was having it seemed appropriate! Perhaps I can restore the hour of the family!?

sum1won · Post by **sum1won** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:24 am

In hard, or when surrounded by tough enemies (ie, legionaires) The general quickly dies.

honvedseg · Post by **honvedseg** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:52 pm

Remember that the scale of the game is not 1:1, the general probably represents his own noble personage along with a dozen or so picked bodyguards. The high stats and survivability represent their abnormal skills and willingness to fight to the death to defend their leader.

Help with senario time problem

Help with senario time problem

Grannacus, again.

Re Varus

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