War Elephants

[Seedle]

Originally posted by Theben
Longbows/crossbows with drill/combat II+ charge. Elephants are vulnerable to 1st strikes.

I believe you mean formation, not charge.

[Theben]

whatever. I couldn't remember the name at the time.

[BrotherBiff]

im getting a bit off topic but it seems chariots are actually too weak. there only bonus is 100% against axeman and ive had axeman take my chariots out numerous times. they should maybe be 5 strength instead of 4 our some kind of different trait. anyone agree or disagree ?

[Ming]

I've always thought that the chariots were kind of weak. But their two movement makes them very useful. In most cases they do kill axeman, unles the axman are on good defensive terrain. Unless I'm the Egyptians, I never build many of them. unless I don't have metal.

[BrotherBiff]

yeah the 2 movement is nice i use them to replace scouts once they die or if i didnt build any.

[jnh140]

lordbiff =\= brotherbiff?

Is the 100% bonus only for ATTACKING axemen?

Because my axemen regularly wreck chariots, but chariots regularly wreck my axemen.

[BrotherBiff]

yes the 100% is only axeman
and lord biff is my uncle

[Lord Avalon]

It's 100% attack against axemen, which they didn't even have in vanilla, IIRC.

They're good for scouting, pillaging, and if you give them Flanking II, they're decent arrow fodder - immune to first strikes, 20% chance of withdrawing, and if you lose them, well they've softened up the archers for your axemen.

Also they're a potential medic unit.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by jnh140
Is the 100% bonus only for ATTACKING axemen?

Correct.

[BrotherBiff]

Lord Avalon defiantly put chariots into prospective but i still think there weak

[jnh140]

I seldom use them, but then again, i almost NEVER get horses.

I blame boudica.

[Lord Avalon]

Chariots are only a 30 unit (normal speed), so you can't expect too much. But War Chariot rushes can be fun.

[Blaupanzer]

Chariots are lifesavers if metals are out of reach but horses aren't. Also, you can put them on picket duty at the edge of the empire without fear of them being "caught" by their counter, the spearman. Axemen don't do this as well as they are too slow to intercept in the open. I keep a couple of these in reserve back on the roads. If spearmen come the axes greet them; anybody else meets the chariot.

[Arrian]

War Elephants: they're good, yeah, but they're not so good that I miss them when I don't have ivory. I feel like restarting if I lack horses, or if I lack both copper & iron. Granted, I've never faced Survivorman's Ballistas.

...

War Chariots and Immortals absolutely ROCK, if you get them out early enough. Regular chariots aren't as good, obviously, but they're still useful. Once the spears show up, it's all over of course. ****ing Pacal...

Immortals: 4str, 2 moves, +50% vs. archers, +100% attack vs axeman, get defensive bonuses & can fortify.

War Chariots: 5 str, 2 moves, +100% attack vs. archers.

They're 30 hammers a pop and all you need are horses and The Wheel.

Egypt starts with The Wheel. Research AH. If you have horsies near, you're in business. Persia doesn't start w/the Wheel, so you have two techs to research. But you have a scout, which can help you find horses, might pop tech from huts, and will locate your target(s). And you get to use Darius, who is the #1 leader in the game for dealing with the economic cost of a far-flung empire.

Try it. You might like it... [/pusher]

-Arrian

[Blaupanzer]

In RL, elephants were regarded a a formidable opponent. However, they had a couple of disadvantages. One was the inclination of these bulls to fight one another fairly constantly, making their encampment and logistical movement somewhat inconvenient and occasionally downright dangerous. The other was their occasional tendency to panic and turn and run right thru their own lines. This second tendency made lots of infantry units unwilling to be placed in immediate contact with the elephants, especially behind them.

Possibly the game could reflect this by having an allied unit and the elephant be injured every once in a while instead of the target unit when you attack with elephants.