Battle difficulty compared to Napoleon TW

[Jean Lannes]

Hello everyone
So I've played Rome 2 for a while but I always add trouble with battles (i play hard only).
I went away and started playing a lot of Napoleon. Not only i enjoyed it as i was actually really good even at very hard
I also have quite a few knowledge on Napoelon warfare and tactics.
So i wonder, how do you think i can transfer my skills from one game to another? How can i improve at Rome 2 knowing i can easily win on Napoleon?

Kindest regards

[Darklordnj]

Limited playtime with Napoleon TW, but played a lot of Empire TW and, for most army set ups, there is a big difference in tactics. I feel that with Empire TW (and to a similar extent, Napoleon), you mostly have units of line infantry and artillery preforming the majority of the work and are dependent on the placement of said infantry and drawing the enemy to your superior positions if possible (whereas cavalry is mostly used for shock on vulnerable units or run down routing units). Units are vulnerable from all angles unless a defensive structure, like a fence or a building can be found.

In Rome 2, you’re mostly creating a hammer and anvil. Your infantry is used to create the anvil, engaging the enemy’s infantry, and your cavalry and ranged units form the hammer. Ranged units are used to soften up prior to engagement with infantry or flank once your infantry is engaged with the enemies, because thanks to shields and armor, are resistant to ranged attacks from the front and are most vulnerable on the rear (there is an armor penalty to units attacked in the rear). Cavalry is used to either eliminate enemy cavalry, harass ranged units, cycle charge (charge in, pull out, and then charge back in again) infantry in the rear. Artillery is primarily best used for attacking cities or towns where the enemy is relatively static and to destroy structures like towers and walls, but if they have enough experience on them (to boost their accuracy) it is possible to use them for field battles to severely weaken the enemy and force them to your defensively structured army.

[LSD]

On Very Hard, i find Napoleon easier. The game engine wasn't designed for ranged musket and cannon battles, so in Empire/Napoleon, you can easily wipe out some of the AI's troops before they reach your line. That makes the bonuses they get on higher difficulties meaningless, because they've broken and run, or lack the numbers to stand up to yours.

In Rome2, though (and Shogun 2), the AI becomes nigh impermeable to ranged attacks, while your troops melt like butter, so battles are tiresome scenes of micromanaging before the lines meet, before finding your troops can't stand up well to theirs with the VH troop bonuses. So if you fail to get cavalry round in time, you can kiss your troops goodbye.

[2GenL]

AI in rome 2 gets given a lot of stat buffs/cheats.

In normal, hastati can be used full time. In hard or above, hastati will get slaughtered all the time by simple town guards if not careful

[`RV|Pride]

Originally posted by Darklordnj:

Limited playtime with Napoleon TW, but played a lot of Empire TW and, for most army set ups, there is a big difference in tactics. I feel that with Empire TW (and to a similar extent, Napoleon), you mostly have units of line infantry and artillery preforming the majority of the work and are dependent on the placement of said infantry and drawing the enemy to your superior positions if possible (whereas cavalry is mostly used for shock on vulnerable units or run down routing units). Units are vulnerable from all angles unless a defensive structure, like a fence or a building can be found.

In Rome 2, you’re mostly creating a hammer and anvil. Your infantry is used to create the anvil, engaging the enemy’s infantry, and your cavalry and ranged units form the hammer. Ranged units are used to soften up prior to engagement with infantry or flank once your infantry is engaged with the enemies, because thanks to shields and armor, are resistant to ranged attacks from the front and are most vulnerable on the rear (there is an armor penalty to units attacked in the rear). Cavalry is used to either eliminate enemy cavalry, harass ranged units, cycle charge (charge in, pull out, and then charge back in again) infantry in the rear. Artillery is primarily best used for attacking cities or towns where the enemy is relatively static and to destroy structures like towers and walls, but if they have enough experience on them (to boost their accuracy) it is possible to use them for field battles to severely weaken the enemy and force them to your defensively structured army.

yea versus the ai that works, try it on a player it won't. most players will engage cav fights with all their cav which is dumb. but use infantry to fight cav and you win all engagements. the system is a little clunky and not as refined as Rome 1.