Elephants

[Soulstrider]

So I am playing as Marius in PBEM and noticed I could build elephants. I was really excited until I realized that Elephants cost more than one legion have a combat power of just 50. Am I missing anything special that makes the elephant unique or are they just overpriced mediocre units (which wouldn't surprise me since I saw historians defending that in reality Elephants were useless and provided more trouble than help)

[Florent]

At the marius/Caesar the Elephants were less effective than before either because ill employed and soldiers knew how to fight them.
When properly employed they could be efficient especially agaisnt cavalry. The horses can't bear the noise and smell of the Elephants that trigger the panic and throw on the ground the men.
The elephants had also to be well supported by light infantry.
Generally this is when a leader didn't know how to employ them or were not trained that the Elephants were of no use.

[Soulstrider]

Oh ok, then in gameplay terms they aren't anything special, right? I guess I'll avoid recruiting them and If I need something with more punch in the Numidian front I'll recruit Numidian heavy infantry which cheaper and has more power.

Generally this is when a leader didn't know how to employ them or were not trained that the Elephants were of no use.

I have this book* about Hannibal in which the author keeps ranting about how elephants in warfare were useless beyond their initial shock when the enemy encounter them for the first time. He pretty much says the Mediterranean people obsession with elephants was incredibly dumb and self-harming.
The guy really has a pet peeve against elephants.

*This one http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Cannae-Hannibal-Darkest-Republic/dp/0812978676

[Florent]

Elephants were very good and well used at Bagradas, Heraclea, Cynocephalae (with the romans) and other battlefields.

[Bohémond]

Elephants have some very intersting attributes ; Charge ans disrupt.

It can make you win some battles.


Regards

[Pocus]

Again, combat power is just a first approach on the combat value of a unit. It is a 'bird view' thing that is masking 99% of the subtleties of the engine.

Elephants have these values of interest.
Cohesion = 30
AsltDmgDone = 8
FirstShockCoeff = 200
AsltCohDone = 50

They have a very low cohesion, so rout very easily... But if they hit you in assault, your element is almost killed in one hit (and will be if this is the initial charge, as they apply a x2). I know of no cohort that can sustains 16 hits and 100 cohesion damages...

[Florent]

"They have a very low cohesion, so rout very easily... But if they hit you in assault, your element is almost killed in one hit (and will be if this is the initial charge, as they apply a x2). I know of no cohort that can sustains 16 hits and 100 cohesion damages... "

The reason why a new ability " Leader Elephant " is needed to help the Generals able to understand this type of War, Pyrrhus, Xanthyppus, Hannibal Barca. Their Elephants are unlikely to Rampage (30 % Cohesion only) because of the mastery of this weapon.

Rampage is due to bad Set-up, lack of Cover in light infantry etc... A leader Elephant will be able to reduce these risks and should be able to use those beasts carefully and with good effect !!! like Pyrrhus at Heraclea and Ausculum or Xanthyppus at Bagradas.

[Kensai]

I really like the stats of this unit. It makes perfect sense. Easily scared, but when on a successful assault destructive.

[pakfront0]

Given that we, the player, do not have the tactical control required to make use of such fiddly units, would there be any game-play reason to purchase these?