What happened to the ability for legionnaires to throw pila?

[CacoSteven]

In RTW1, I remember Roman infantry basically had enough ammunition to throw two full pila volleys. How do I do that in this game? Can you even do it? If not, are there any mods that bring this ability back?

[SuperGorp]

Don't EVEN get me started on that. I'm using some Roman troop mods by Akuru that give them that ability but it doesn't deal with vanilla units. And get ready for responses that it's historically inaccurate for Roman infantry to have the fire at will ability.

[TheLittleBuckett]

Melee infantry are able to throw Pila on the charge

[chef]

Yea I use dei and there is kind of an option for it, but its not the same. Its just a shame.

[Berserk Breton]

Originally posted by SuperGorp:

Don't EVEN get me started on that. I'm using some Roman troop mods by Akuru that give them that ability but it doesn't deal with vanilla units. And get ready for responses that it's historically inaccurate for Roman infantry to have the fire at will ability.

+1. Core Rome: Total War feature. For me it's almost unforgivable that this wasn't in the game at release, this is like testudo, and implementing/documenting guard mode or its replacement.

This is stuff that would be understood as core to the battle gameplay, if someone had spent time with people who played Rome: Total War, and watched them play Rome: Total War

[chef]

Originally posted by Berserk Smurf:

Originally posted by SuperGorp:

Don't EVEN get me started on that. I'm using some Roman troop mods by Akuru that give them that ability but it doesn't deal with vanilla units. And get ready for responses that it's historically inaccurate for Roman infantry to have the fire at will ability.

+1. Core Rome: Total War feature. For me it's almost unforgivable that this wasn't in the game at release, this is like testudo, and implementing/documenting guard mode or its replacement.

This is stuff that would be understood as core to the battle gameplay, if someone had spent time with people who played Rome: Total War, and watched them play Rome: Total War

Dont forget forward march! smh.

[CacoSteven]

Well that sucks. So basically the only way to make use of the pilum is by playing the Romans in a barbarian fashion, i.e. aggressively charging and breaking formation. That's NOT how the Romans fought. The Romans fought similar to what you see in modern riot police, but obviously on a much larger and brutal scale with more specialty tactics and deadly training.

I remember in RTW1, having large armies lined up with hordes of barbarians charging at my front line while they threw their pila first, then braced for impact. The pila also proved useful against the Greek factions. Such fun memories :(

[Wylf]

Originally posted by Cacodemon:

Well that sucks. So basically the only way to make use of the pilum is by playing the Romans in a barbarian fashion, i.e. aggressively charging and breaking formation. That's NOT how the Romans fought. The Romans fought similar to what you see in modern riot police, but obviously on a much larger and brutal scale with more specialty tactics and deadly training.

I remember in RTW1, having large armies lined up with hordes of barbarians charging at my front line while they threw their pila first, then braced for impact. The pila also proved useful against the Greek factions. Such fun memories :(

The Pilum was pretty much an offensive weapon though. Its whole point was to break open the enemy formation, so that the legionnaires had an easier time going in. They also carried only one, maybe two, instead of the significantly larger amount they have in game and they were designed in such a way that they would bend on impact, to make it impossible for them to be thrown back at the roman line and cause them to easier get stuck in shields (again to disrupt the enemy line. A shield with a spear stuck in it isn't all that useful anymore, thanks to the added weight), so once they were thrown they weren't really reusable.
Aside from that you can charge in formation, if you're trained in doing so :P

That all being said, it is rather silly that there isn't a "throw pilum" button or key binding.

[ReturnOf7heKing]

"Roman soldiers typically carried two pilum and they would throw them as they charged their enemies to cause death, discarded shields and confusion among the ranks of their enemies."

http://www.ancientmilitary.com/roman-weapons.htm

[SuperGorp]

But, but, but, but, but it was more FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNN to be able to control the throw and have fire at will.

[Alpharius]

gets back to the fun vs realism argument...

[SuperGorp]

Yeah but realism to this here commander-in-chief is I tell my boys when, where, and how to fire and attack, know what i mean.

[Hannibal Barca]

you didnt hear? they let an intern pick the features of Rome2

[Wylf]

Originally posted by SuperGorp:

Yeah but realism to this here commander-in-chief is I tell my boys when, where, and how to fire and attack, know what i mean.

Yeah, it is a tad silly that they didn't include a button or key bind for it. *shrugs* I guess you could still kinda make them throw it by charging, waiting until they throw and pulling them back again? Not the most elegant solution, but...

[Hannibal Barca]

Originally posted by Wylf:

Originally posted by SuperGorp:

Yeah but realism to this here commander-in-chief is I tell my boys when, where, and how to fire and attack, know what i mean.

Yeah, it is a tad silly that they didn't include a button or key bind for it. *shrugs* I guess you could still kinda make them throw it by charging, waiting until they throw and pulling them back again? Not the most elegant solution, but...

doing that for 10 units against 10 enemy units is almost impossible

[Wylf]

In Multiplayer? Probably, yes. In Singleplayer? Nah, that's what the pause button is for.