Caesar II

Becoming Emperor isn't easy; sooner or later, you're going to have to go to war. It pays to know your enemies, so read up.  

Find your foe on the tribe list below: 
 

Greeks Egyptians Parthians
North Africans Phoenicians Mediterraneans
Turkish Slavics Iberians
Gauls Germanics Britons
Picts Alamanni Arabs
Numidians Vandals Visigoths
Huns Saxons Carthaginians

 
 

Carthaginian

Tribe Carthaginians
Home Province Carthage
Troop Types Light infantry (spearmen) and war elephants
Threat Level Moderate. This is a professional army, and a large one.
Tactics Carthaginians attack in good order, light infantry in front of elephants. Roman tactics: Have lots of slingers concentrate fire on the nearest elephants, who will balk and eventually run amok. Then you can cut the light infantry to pieces.

 

 
 

Greek

Tribe Greeks
Home Province Achaea
Troop Types Heavy infantry (pikemen); light infantry (pikemen); missile troops (slingers)
Threat Level Dangerous
Tactics Light infantry usually attacks ahead of the heavy Hoplites, and those pikes have a long reach. Your chances of victory are slim unless your troops are numerically equal or superior.
Roman Tactics If your slingers can disrupt their light infantry's line, the Greeks may halt to reorganize before the Hoplites can engage. A Roman charge, timed perfectly, may rout them. Try to hit their slingers, too, if you see an opening.

 

 
 

Egyptian

Tribe Egyptians
Home Province Aegyptus
Troop Types Heavy infantry (spearmen); light infantry (swordsmen); missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Fairly high; these are big formations of disciplined regular troops. Man for man, however, they are mediocre fighters.
Tactics Egyptians like to try flanking attacks, formed in columns, while their bowmen concentrate on the threatened wing of your army.
Roman Tactics Pre-empt the flanking maneuver by striking the Egyptians while they're in motion. Use the largest columns of heavy infantry and auxiliaries you can muster. Keep out of range of their bowmen as long as you can until their supporting infantry is tired, then attack the bowmen using the tortoise formation.

 

 
 

Parthian

Tribes Galatians, Armenians, Parthians
Home Provinces Cappadocia, Armenia, Mesopotamia
Troop Types Cavalry/missile troops (horse-archers); light infantry (swordsmen)
Threat Level Very dangerous.
Tactics Light infantry will attack first, usually trying to turn one of your wings. They are clad in mail armor, which makes them dangerous in close combat.
Roman Tactics Deal with the light infantry first, even if you must turn your entire wing against them. The horsemen will rarely dismount and come to their aid. Once the light infantry have been neutralized, attack the cavalry in front with two units in tortoise formation, then smite them on the flank with heavy infantry. (Special note: Unless you're experienced and have a very large force, your chances of victory are actually better if you turn command over to the computer!)

 

 
 

North African

Tribes Mauri, Blemmyes
Home Provinces Mauretania, Cyrenaica, Africa Proconsularis
Troop Types: Heavy infantry (spearmen); Light infantry (swordsmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Low
Tactics Mass attacks that often result in confusion.
Roman Tactics Enter tortoise formation and let them come. Send a column or two after their bowmen, then turn your columns on the infantry mass and strike them in the rear. As soon as the bowmen break and run, order "pursuit."

 

 
 

Phoenician

Tribes Judians, Phoenicians, Cypriots
Home Provinces Judea, Syria, Cyprus
Troop Types Light infantry (swordsmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Low
Tactics Rudimentary
Roman Tactics About the only blunder you can make is a premature charge at the bowmen, who tend to be numerous. Cut down as many of the light infantry as possible to lower morale, then go all-out for the bowmen. Victory should be yours.

 

 
 

Mediterranean

Tribes Macedonians, Thracians, Cretans, Seleucids
Home Provinces Campania, Macedonia, Creta, Caria, Thracia
Troop Types Heavy infantry (pikemen); Light infantry (pikemen); Missile troops (slingers)
Threat Level Moderate to High
Tactics Their pikemen are very dangerous in defense. Tie them down with light infantry formed in tortoise, then strike their flank with heavy troops. You can usually ignore their slingers, who are neither numerous nor very good. If you're outnumbered, just form all units into tortoise defense and let the enemy wear himself out. Mediterranean armies rarely try flanking maneuvers, so you can extend light units out from your flanks, in effect boxing them in. 

 

 
 

Turkish

Tribes Cilicians; Bithynians
Home Provinces Lycia Et Pamphylia, Bithynia Et Pontus
Troop Types Heavy infantry (spearmen); Light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Low to Moderate
Tactics Their infantry tend to spread out when attacking; don't break your line with flanking maneuvers until the Turks are heavily engaged -- the very chaotic nature of their movements makes them unpredictable, and they will take advantage of any openings.
Roman Tactics When the Turks are committed fully, flank them with your auxiliaries, then order a methodical advance with your heavies; keep your slingers behind them and advance them in step with the heavies.

 

 
 

Slavic

Tribes Dalmatians, Scordiscans
Home Provinces Illyricum, Dacia
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); Light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (axemen)
Threat Level Pushovers
Tactics Disorganized attacks, often aimed at slinger units.
Roman Tactics Just remember to protect your slingers with an infantry screen, and they'll wreak havoc at close range.

 

 
 

Tribes Celtiberians; Sicilians
Home Provinces Hispania Tarraconensis, Baetica, Lusitania, Sicila
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); Light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Low
Tactics They'll attempt to outflank you, but usually get disorganized in the process. They tend to appear in large numbers, however, so don't get lazy.  
Roman Tactics As soon as the Iberian flanking movement loses cohesion (their troops will more or less mill around aimlessly), smash them with columns of heavy infantry. Station a century of infantry behind your slingers, and move them to intercept any threatening Iberians.

 

 
 

Gaulish

Tribe Gauls
Home Provinces Gallia Narbonensis, Gallia Lugudunensis, Aquitania
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Generally low, but their ferocity can make them dangerous
Tactics Reckless, precipitate attacks. Flanking attempts quickly become disorganized, but their numerous heavy infantry can go berserk and do lots of damage.
Roman Tactics Keep your wings strong and you should be all right. You might also consider a "sucker play" -- withdraw just before the Gauls make contact -- the farther they have to advance, the more confused they become.

 

 
 

Germanic

Tribes Pannoniae, Chatti, Frisians
Home Provinces Pannonia, Germania Superior, Germania Inferior
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); Light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (axemen)
Threat Level Moderately dangerous
Tactics They will close quickly and charge with their axemen.
Roman Tactics Form your men with a couple of columns on each wing -- light infantry will do, if you can't spare any heavies. Move one column out to intercept flankers, use the other to hit the enemy center when it's still two-three squares away from contact; hopefully, this will take the steam out of the axemens' assault. If you're greatly outnumbered, form all units into a tortoise and move the whole cohort off-center, throwing the Germans off-balance.

 

 
 

Briton

Tribe Britons
Home Province Britannia
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); light infantry (swordsmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Extremely high
Tactics British armies are disciplined and skilled tacticians, and are quite adept at flanking maneuvers. Their bowmen are both numerous and lethal and tend to appear in large numbers.
Roman Tactics Brave as they are, they're still barbarians, and they tend to become disorganized. Your best bet is to hit them in the flanks before they can hit you in the center. Despite the rain of arrows you must endure, avoid direct attacks on their archers until you've broken their infantry.

 

 
 

Pict

Tribe Picts
Home Provinces Caledonia, Hibernia
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); light infantry (swordsmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Deadly
Tactics The Picts are bad news; they can outflank, they like to mount quick sorties against your missile units, and they fight like demons.
Roman Tactics If you're in Brittania, hire lots of Mauri bowmen and try to thin out the Pictish ranks as they advance. Use light infantry in tortoise to break up their charge, then deliver short, sharp ripostes with your heavy formations. Always protect your slingers -- Picts are drawn to them like iron filings to a magnet. And don't even think about attacking their archers until you settle the hash of their heavy infantry. Your only real advantage against this valorous foe is the fact that they can't maintain a tight formation. Capitalize on that in any way you can, but be ready for a brutal engagement.

 

 
 

Alamanni

Tribe Alamanni
Home Province Noricum Exterior
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); Light infantry (spearmen); Missile troops (axemen)
Threat Level Moderate
Tactics They'll try to close with their axemen, and if you let them, there will be great slaughter and loss of morale.
Roman Tactics Try shallow flanking attacks to slow them down, but put the center of your line in tortoise formation. If you can avoid the full impact of their axemen, and can inflict even moderate losses, the Alamanni tend to loose heart very quickly. When their morale declines, deliver another flank attack.

 

 
 

Arab

Tribe Arabs
Home Province None -- they appear along the silk trade routes in many areas.
Troop Types Heavy infantry (spearmen); Light infantry (spearmen) Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Very Dangerous
Tactics Arab armies tend to have huge contingents of archers. Very dangerous at a distance, the bowmen are also impetuous and tend to break formation.
Roman Tactics Of course, when the archers are moving, they aren't shooting. Keep your men out of range and wait for that moment. Without their bowmens' support, Arab infantry can be crushed.

 

 
 

Numidian

Tribes Numidians
Home Province The sea; they are pirates
Troop Types heavy infantry (spearmen); Light infantry (swordsmen)
Threat Level Variable, but usually high
Tactics The large number of heavy infantry and high level of zeal makes the Numidians formidable raiders.
Roman Tactics Unless you have absolute numerical superiority, let the computer handle these battles.

 

 
 

Vandal

Tribe Vandals
Troop Types Cavalry/missile troops (horse-archers); Heavy infantry (swordsmen)
Threat Level Variable
Tactics Their swordsmen usually attack first, but tend to retreat when counterattacked by heavy infantry.
Roman Tactics Tortoise formations will blunt their attacks. Once you've broken their infantry, try to surround the horse-archers from all sides, advancing your units in tortoise formation.

 

 
 

Visigoth

Tribe Visigoths
Home Provinces Dacia Exterior, Asia Exterior
Troop Types Cavalry/missile troops (horse-archers); Heavy infantry (swordsmen)
Threat Level High
Tactics Visigoth tactics are basically similar to those of the Parthian regulars. Any maneuver a regular army can perform, they can perform, so expect anything. 
Roman Tactics Fortunately, you won't encounter them often until you're promoted to Emperor; if you choose to invade one of their home provinces, expect a long, arduous campaign. Since their own tactics are so flexible, and their fighting proficiency so great, your best option is simple numerical superiority.

 

 
 

Hun

Tribe Huns
Home Province None -- they can appear anywhere along the silk trade routes.
Troop Types Cavalry/missile troops (horse-archers); Heavy infantry (swordsmen)
Threat Level Murderous
Tactics The Huns are very skilled at combined-arms operations, mixing archers and infantry, keeping formations, timing their moves with uncanny skill.
Roman Tactics Better let the computer handle these encounters. If your ego demands personal control, however, form a line and a column to deal with their swordsmen, form the rest of your men into a compact mass, in tortoise formation, and try to cut through to their horse-archers just as soon as they start firing.

 

 
 

Saxon

Tribe Saxons
Home Province Germania Exterior
Troop Types Heavy infantry (swordsmen); Light infantry (swordsmen); Missile troops (bowmen)
Threat Level Extremely Dangerous
Tactics Saxon armiefs combine the ferocity of a barbarian army with the discipline of seasoned regulars.
Roman Tactics Bring along as many archers/slingers as you can. Saxon missile formations tend to be small and can be smothered with Roman firepower. Meet their infantry attack with strong formations on both wings, and extend them early in the fight. If you can distract them with these flanking attacks, your heavy infantry, in the center, may -- and I emphasize "may" -- be able to push them back. Once again, numerical superiority is highly desirable, but a fight with the Saxons is always going to be a desperate and dicey enterprise.