Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

smoke · Recruit Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 48

please help with recommendations on list production for a 2000 pt polybian roman army to take against an alexandrian imperial army. please comment if you can on tactics for this list vs the elephants as well as the companion cavalry with the nasty breakthrough list rule. if i need to post some of this on the tactics list let me know

Noel White · Recruit Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 62

Well, I can give you a few ideas...
I'm no tactical master, but I play an Alexandrian army and I often face Polybian Romans. I can tell you what they do to me.

Against elephants, the choice of loose troops with JLS are many!
I often have to face "regular" Thracians with 2HCW and JLS. Good old greek peltasts (LTS and JLS) are good in a pinch too. I think the idea is you shoot the elephants to a standstill (2CPF) and then charge them at a halt, with massive factors.

With my companions, I look for a HTW unit that isn't protected by LTS triarii in the rear, and charge them to breakthrough ... the phalangites then follow-up. So take some triarii and keep 'em in the rear to threaten the breakthroughs. Some archers will also keep those sheildless companions from getting too close.

I think what you really need to fear is the Bactrians and Saka/Skythians. They will make short work of your Cav and light troops.

Noel.

smoke · Recruit Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 48

appreciate your response. who usually wins your roman imp alex matchups?

Terry Dix · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:19 am Post subject:

Noel White · Recruit Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 62

Well Mr smoke,

I'd say against the Polybian player, my Macedonians usually come out on top.
But my buddy is having trouble with that list, he's much better with "shooty" roman armies. He plays with the IrrD elephants with bow, and loads up on peltasts, spanish and thracians.

Now I play Alexandrian Macedonian, so no elephants and no horse archers.
When I say fear the Bactrians, I mean the ones integrated into the alex-Imp list, in combo with elephants and hypaspists.

The trouble with the Polybian romans, I find, is that to be deadly in the "historical way" they need lots of ranks and second-line units, and with the high points cost of HI you can't afford it -- Camillan romans might have an easier time with that.

Right now the Romans are few, but with the list rules, very very deadly.

Noel.