Rome Total War Tactics - The NON-cheese variety

[Sean Manning]

Has anyone managed to make javelin skirmishers worth the trouble? They hardly have any time to throw before they have to run away because the AI isn't smart enough to have them throw so that the enemy will run into the javelins. In the base rules, archers have better range, more shots, and the same attack value. In EB, this is still true if you have access to decent (missile attack 4+) bowmen. They don't even get a better defense due to their shield any more! Their ability to hide in long grass is pretty specialized.

I'm playing EB as Armenia right now. I like a line of Caucasian Spearmen and Pandotopoi Pikemen on a hilltop in the center, with an equal number of units of slingers and composite bowmen providing ranged support in front. Some horse archers harrass the unweildy Ptolemaic and Seleucid forces, and bodyguard cataphracts smash into their flanks when they finally engage after being shot and worried to pieces or kill their general if I can lure him into chasing my light horse.