This tactic works very well to rout the enemy, but what if the enemy routs one of your units of Eles? Your forces are in such close proximity, that one rampaging elephant can give you some serious losses--especially in cavalry--before you can kill them.

May I also suggest the screening charge- while your men advance, you charge your elephants in a suicide/desperate battle. Then you rush your infantry in and hope to god that your elephants don't rout. A variation on this is to charge, pull the elephants out, and put the infantry in, pull them out and charge the elephants in and pull out, then charge both in together.

If you fear that they enemy will be able to rout your elephants through archers and pigs or whatever, then just do as EOJ suggested. Rush your elephants in right away! While they are charging in, rush your cavalry around the sides to scrape up any routers or the enemy general. Or if you want to give the elephants a rest, charge the cav in, after the ele's have done much damage ofcourse!

NOTE: Remember these are Armoured War Elephants I suggested, which helps with routing defense.

Knowing your love and devotion to the game, I must strongly suggest RTR, you'd love it!

in River Trebia, I was almost winning until my Elephants routed when one elephant died, cleared a path through my Sacred Band for the enemy.

I think someone said that the key to elephants is to keep them moving. That's right, once the elephants hit the selected target, select a new one, and repeat.

nice thread, hopefully no one will send their elephants straight on while the rest of the army is still behind .

misplacedgeneral :: Thanx man, I've always thought about trying it out...

carlo098 :: I might of miss-understood you, but...This formation if hit by an archer equiped enemy will suffer none to minor casualties if you follow all the steps, but by first charging in Elephants from the sides with the Cav support. By the time your Elephants are at that point where they are just about done, and ready to retire, by following the steps, your Sacred Band Infantry will be right up behind, waiting to spear the rest of the enemy as you order your Elephants to fall back. Or order the Elephants to fall forward, toward the enemies retreat point, and then charge your Cav on the mangled enemy. Wooh,, that was tiring.

Whether it be tactics down to lower levels, amazing units and factions, and the ability to build units outside your factions resources.

Great stuff though. I'm learning so much in this forum!

TWF :: I always forget to mention that these are for Single Player. And if you practice this formation enough, there is no need for pausing, so would it not work? Theoretically speaking ofcourse...

Unde