Rome Total War 2 is an arcade rts game where winning is based mostly on army composition, micromanagement and tactics. I would say 33% of each, leaving a huge 1% for luck.
This guide will help YOU to understand the basic and advanced concepts of multyplayer battles. It will help you to out play your opponent with better builds and better tactics. Or maybe, it will just help u to have fun by having close battle against your friends without asking him every minute what to do ( i experienced that). This guide will also annihilate what u think are "op and unbeatable" army builds because you don't know how to beat it : AKA "The Noob Effect". Anyway i hope this guide will help you. Enjoy!

1. Cavalry



1.1 Shock vs melee

Shock cav have a high charge bonus and trample ability but most have low melee attack and defense, and thus cannot stay too long in sustained melee. This means they are the more effective on the charge with trample. To get the maximum impact you must "cycle charge", this means send your unit into the charge, retreat and repeat.

Melee cav of course are the opposite, they have higher melee attack and defense and so they can stay in sustained melee but don't have a good charge bonus. They also do not have as good armour penetration.

Overall the shock cav have higher DPM (Damage Per Minute), only when used as described above which of course means more micro on your part.

In a head to head fight the shock cav will win due to the trample ability, if they don't get the charge, the melee cav will win the fight.

1.2 Light Cav

Light cavalry, for exemple: "germanic scouts, sarissa cav, Averni light cav".
Light cav's main capacity is their extremley high speed, giving them good mobility on the battle field.

What are they useful for?

• Scouting the map to find ennemy hidden troops. Their speed protects them from surprise attacks.
  
• Chasing skirmishers. They are the most effective cav to chase skirmishers, from a cost/efficiency view point, due to their low price. Don't be scareed to sacrifice them to get one or two ennemy slingers and then win the distance fight. Their speed alows them to slalom between ennemy units and land pinpoint strikes on ennemy missile units.
  
• Chasing missile cav. They are faster and stronger than most of the missile cav in the game.
  
• Giving the rear charge bonus, and thus encircling the enemy. They can help finishing off units in a close fight but don't rely entierly on them to win your melee fights.
  
• Chase routers. Use light cav to chase routing units will sometimes give you the victory. "A lot of people sometimes forget to chase and they end up being rear charged by the 30 companion they routed early in the battle" . Your using a 400 unit to chase half a 870 unit. Worth it.

What to avoid ?

• Relying on them to do something different than chasing unarmed bowman is always tricky.
  
• Fighting heavier cav, u will just give them Exp. Exept if u cannot do otherwise, then give your cav to an enemy cav to win time. Use it with PRECAUTION.

Army composition :
Taking too many of them is a bad idea. Don't handicap ur build by having too much light cav. They have very select roles. An ideal number would be bewteen 0-3.

1.3 Medium Cav

Medium cav, example: "Averni heavy cav, citizen cav, Noble Blood cav".
They are a mix between heavy cav and light cav."Thanks Sherlock". They are stronger but slower than light.

What are they useful for?

• They can hold or beat heavy cav with some help. They act great in a defensive formation based on inf. You can rely on them way more than light cav.
  
• Like light cav, they crush skirmishers but strugle to catch fast targets or to avoid ennemy units.
  
• They can be the killing blow to win a melee. You can actually rely on them to stay in the melee and cause trouble without routing instantly.

What to avoid ?

• Fighting heavy cav head to head. You will lose and it's not cost effective.
  
• Charging infantry head on. Just No. The javelins thrown by the enemy infantry will make u loose and ur average morale will make u rout. It's not an effective option.

Army compostion:
They will not replace light or heavy cav but they can be a good substitute. Some of them can replace heavy cav in certain situations if you know that you are still cav dominant or if u need to field more cav units. Their number is highly variable and will depend of the factions in your presence, but having 2 medium instead of one heavy is rarely a bad option.

1.4 Heavy Cav

Heavy cav, for example,"Companion cav, cataphract, Ptolemaic cav".
They are strong killing machines with high resistance, high morale, but generally have average speed.

What are they useful for?

• Crushing ennemy cavalry and gaining map domination. (if ur cav is better, of course.)
  
• Giving a head on heroic charge into units. They can blast nearly all average units with a good charge.
  
• They can destroy elite units by charging them on the flanks or from the rear. "Shock cav can cycle charge to increase damage."
  
• They can hold for a long time in melee. With their high resistance and armour, they can block dangerous enemy units and protect the flank of your engaged troops.

What to avoid ?

• Cav wasting, they are really expensive. Do not charge an ennemy skirmisher into sure death or try to block very strong units.
  
• Try to keep them in good fighting situations, don't commit by having ur general too far away to help them. They can rout if charged from multiple sides. Having a unit of 40 companions routing is not fun, even more if they are chased down by a 400 Sarmatian shock cav unit.
  
• Avoid wasting the trample ability. It is your best tool to dominate ennemy cav and to kill infantry.

Army composition:
Heavy cav is the only option if u want the map domination, they can perform in alot of situations but remember they will struggle to kill certain units. Taking heavy cav is never a bad idea, the maximum number would be something like 6. But you can surely use more if u find a good role for the extra ones.

1.5 Shooting/Missile cav

The shooting cav category contains everything that can shoot while on a horse. They are like skirmishers but with the bonus of having a horse.
What are they useful for?

• They can act as independant skirmishers, they are more mobile and infantry will not reach them. Other cav will struggle to engage them too.
  
• They can chase skirmishers and shooters nearly as effectively as light cav.
  
• They can deliver effective back shots into enemy units if you have the map domination.

What to avoid ?

• Charging anything that is not weak. Exept if you are out of ammo and back charging.
  
• Left to inattention (forgetting about them) while being chased by cav. Don't trust the skirmishing button.
  
• Ammo wasting. Don't shoot on the face of the enemy at extreme range. Better shoot on his rear at 15 meters. They can't reach you anyway. Still be carefull of the javelins of sword inf.
  
• Not having the map domination. If you want to use your shooting cav at full effect you need to be able to move on the flanks and behind the ennemy.

Army compostion:
They are a good choice if you need cheap cav to chase skirmishers. But do not rely on them to kill alot of people unless it's bow cav. you can spam them but they will struggle to kill alot of good armored units so prepare a finishing force. Their number will depend on your build and strategy but i would say take 2, if you need a cheap chaser, to 6, if u need good shooting support.

2.Pikes


2.2.Light and Medium pikes

Medium pikes are low fighting stats infantry but they have access to pikes and to the pikes phalanx formation. For exemple"Spartan pikemen, linothorax pikemen, lybian pikemen".

For what are they useful ?

• They can, with the phalanx formation, instakill nearly all charging cav by the front. Meaning that they can protect anything from cav charge or kill a cav by engaging it.
  
• They can obliterate any unit of their range price if they are engaging ur pike front to front.
  
• They can really hurt high price unit if they are engaging ur pike on the front or if u are flanking them.

What to avoid ?

• Attacking ennemy on long distance without good micro. Pikes are easily fainted by some retreating and flanking movement if you attack with them. They are far better at defending or attacking fix targets.
  
• Being contacted with pike down. Be careful of light cav that can contact your units really fast and then leave them vulnerable to charges.
  
• Fighting better pike units head on. It's most likely instant death. Try to flank or attack from several direction.
  
• Fighting elite units. They will hurt them but u need support to win.
  
• Being shooted at in phalanx formation. You will loose more men than out of the phalanx. Be aslo careful of ennemy javelins throws (from melee infantry) that can devastate ur phalanx.
  
• Being flanked. Your pikemen are bad at fighting with swords, try to cover each of their flank.
  
• Rely on them entierly.They are average units, they need moral support from ur general or elite moral boosting aura.
  
• Being out of position. The result is a dead pike. It cannot hold if not correctly agenced.

Army composition:
They always make a good central line or a back up force to counter cav charge and to support ur melee infantry. Just be carefull, they lack mobility. Having pikes is never a bad option but you need to compensate ur lack of mobility and polyvalence with the rest of your build.


2.3. Heavy pikes

Elite version of the medium pikes, they do everything better. For exemple:"Foot companions, hellenistic guards".

For what they are usefull ?

• They can crush every unit on the front even the strongest elites.
  
• They are unmovable wall that will hold ur line perfectly.
  
• Everything the medium pikes do they do it better.
  
• You can rely on them. Their high moral and good defensive stats mean they can do things by themselves.

What to avoid ?

• Same than with the medium pikes. Avoid being caught out of positon because ur expensive unit will be demolished. It matter even more with an elite pike.
  
• Protect the flank even more.
  
• Getting shot. Run away from high concentartion of shooters. Do not imagine keeping phalanx mode while getting shot.

Army composition:
Heavy pikes are always a good choice into an army but keep in mind the more u spend in them the less u will have to protect them from shooting and flanking. They are perfect to act as a crushforce either on a flank or in ur center. U can also use one or two to back up ur weaker pikes. Avoid spam and "noobbox" , you are instantly loosing the map domination and your flexibility.

3.Spear infantry

3.1. Light spear
Light spear infantry are a low quality but cheap unit of melee fighters. For exemple:"Light hoplites, oriental spearmen, young spartans". Their main force is their price and a low price.

For what are they usefull ?

• They act great as a meatshield. To eat the javelins and to get off the ennemy charge bonus.
  
• They can slow down cav effectively. The more lighter the cav gets the more chance u have to win time.
  
• They can be thrown in a cav fight to reduce ennemy health or to get killed in the place of your cav. Don't expect too much from it.

What to avoid ?

• Expecting them to kill cav. It's not gonna happen if the cav is stronger than a light cav.
  
• Expecting them to kill other foot units. The best they can do is hold to get a few seconds.
  
• Insta routing. Try to keep them in range of your inspiring units.
  
• Wasting. Don't waste them by keeping them at the back. Use them to get an advantage.
  
• Don't be afraid to abuse of their abilities. They will not survive enough time to see their counterparts.

Army composition:
They are the spear version of light melee infantry. They will do better against cav and hold a bit longer but they lack any form of damages. Don't take more than you can use on the battlefield. Remember they won't get their price back by themselves but by giving advantages or protections to your other troops. Between 0 and 2 units, they should always have a use.


3.2. Medium spear

They are professional spearmen with good defensive stats. For exemple:"Spartan hoplites, hoplites, Iceni elite spearmen". Their main force is their good defensive capacities for a medium price.

For what are they usefull ?

• Holding positions. They are the best unit to hold the lines against medium price units.
  
• Winning fights. They can face and kill units of their price range or hurt ennemy elites "IF" you get off the charge bonus and the javelins throws.
  
• Abuse of the phalanx mode. Wait that they enter in the melee fight to engage the phalanx formation.
  
• To hold ennemy cav. Carefull of elite cav that can still win the fight easy.
  
• They are the best "price for shooting resitance" units. They can drive away ennemy shooting from your elites.
  
• They are relatively fast and they suffer less from being caught off guard than the pikes and the melee inf. They make a great mobile force on the flanks.
  
• They are great main line units due to their polyvalence.

What to avoid ?

• Getting charged by stronger units head on. You will get destroyed due to the javelins.
  
• Charging pikes phalanx. They usually don't have javelins to weaker the pikes. So try to charge only the back and the rear.
  
• Routing. They have an average moral, keep them in range of your general or of your inspiring units.
  
• Fighting heavy cav alone. You will loose, u need to be helped by other units.

Army composition:
They can fill alot of roles in your amy, they can act as a main line or as support flanking units. Keep in mind they lack the capacity of making alot of damage in a short period of time like melee inf. I would say taht having one on each flank is never a bad idea. And if you need a main line group to drive out shooting and attention from your elites, take between 3 and 6 units. Remember that they are defensive and taht they need support. You can't throw them in like melee infantry.


3.3. Heavy spear

The best spear unit available, they can beat nearly all the units out there. For exemple:" Royal spartans, mercenary veteran hoplites, sacred band". Their main force is their good stats combined with phalanx formation and a good armor penetration.

For what are they usefull ?

• Killing things. They can kill almost every units in the game, even heavy melee infantry if u get off the charge bonus and the javelin throw.
  
• Holding. They can hold for a long time in alot of dangerous situations.
  
• Cav killing. Every cavalry will suffer against them.
  
• They are insanely resistant to normal shooting damages.
  
• Their huge armor make them really good against pikes even if your are not in a good position.
  
• Like their lower price cousins, they make good electron units on the battlefield. Also remember to abuse of phalanx mode.

What to avoid ?

• Charging head on heavy inf. You need a charge and javelins meatshield to win the fight. Otherwise it's not cost effective.
  
• Getting shot. Try to avoid high concentration of shooters and javelins throws.
  
• They are not gods. Know their resistance to help them before they rout.
  
• Getting cycle charged. Try to block ennemy shock cav before it cycle charge. Heavy spearmen hold better against melee heavy cav than against powerfull shock cav that will cycle charge.

Army composition:
They are exeptionnal on the flanks to protect your center from cav charge or flanking. They also doing great in reserve to support your weakpoints during the battle. They can act as the main line but remember to support them. So between 2 and 4 to secure the flanks and weakpoints, to 6 to from a strong frontline. Same than for heavy inf, avoid spamming.

4.Melee infantry


4.1.Light melee infantry

They are the weakest close combat infantry. For exemple:"Egyptian infantry, hill men, club levy".
Their main force is that they are really cheap.

For what are they usefull ?

• They can get off the charge bonus of an ennemy unit. Send one of your cheap unit then send your expensive unit right after and you will have a free charge while the ennemy is bashing your cheap unit.
  
• Serving as a meatshield. They can protect from javelins throws and distract ennemy shooters from your good units.
  
• Winning time. You can send one in to get some precious second for you to run with your skirmishers.
  
• Killing.They can actually kill other units. Charge with it to get a free javelins on the flank of a unit or on pikes in phalanx formation.Then cancel the charge. Wait a bit and do it again.
  
• With a good charge they can actually do a bit of damagese.Try to focus expensive units and rear or flanks.

What to avoid ?

• Relaying on them to win a fight in normal conditions. They can't.
  
• Charging head on a ennemy unit. Charge the rear or the back.
  
• Holding anything. They can't more than 8 sec.
  
• Don't waste your javelins on other cheap units. You only got 2 volleys.
  
• Don't waste them into stupid mooves, they are not free. There is always a good time to use them in a battle. Wait for this moment.
  
• Not using their abilities. They are one shot tools, it's better to use them with their full power.

Army compostion:
They are usefull in every armies. One or two units are always a good and cheap way to disturb your opponent's plans. More can be effective but you will need the micro to keep them effective.

4.2.Medium melee infantry

They are the average melee fighter. For exemple:"Parthian swords, armoured legionnaries, linothroax swords". Their principal force is their multiple use for a fair price.

For what are they usefull ?

• Killing other medium unit types of their price. Their stats are good enough to kill spearmen and pikemen of their price range by themselves.
  
• Surrounding. Due to their better morale and resistance they are better than light melee for surrounding units. They are less vulnerable against shooters and cav charges.
  
• Fixing. Medium melee can "fix" positions, but by fixing i mean running away from pikes and elites. However they are less vulnerable to cav and archers, meaning that they will fix ennemy front line while u can win on other side. And if the ennemy ignores them, they are good enough to make him pay that with a flank/back charge.
  
• They can damage elites with a good javelins throw and a flank or rear charge.

What to avoid ?

• Confronting heavy inf in normal conditions. It's not cost effective to fight them like that.
  
• Overestimating. They struggle agaisnt better units. Sometimes it's better to pull back.
  
• Waisting. Leave that to light infantry. they are not meatshields.
  
• Not using javelins. This is their main force over spear and pikes. Abuse it.
  
• Don't waiste your charge bonus. That is the main difference between win or loose againstgood spears.
  
• Don't be afraid to use their abilities to enhance their figting stats.
  
• Avoid pikes in front charges.
  
• They have an average moral. They will need support for them to hold.

Army composition:
It depend of ur nation and of ur battle plan. U can either take a good number of them to have an average but middle priced middle line. Or get few of them on the flank to get a small number advantage and more flanking possibilities. Don't forget they can't cannot do all the job even if u outnumber the ennemy.


4.3.Heavy melee infantry

The best close combat units in the game. For exemple:"Galatian royal guard, averni oathsworn, royal peltast". They have huge melee stats and they can kill things really fast.

For what are they usefull ?

• Killings things. They can kill every units with a good charge and javelins throw.
  
• Frontal assault. They can enforce an ennemy line by themselves.
  
• Flanking. There is no chance for ur ennemy to escapes from a flank charge from a heavy melee infantry.
  
• Holding. They can hold the lines perfectly with their high moral and crazy melee stats.

What to avoid ?

• Getting shot. They are too expensive to get shot and they have nearly the same resitsance than cheaper inf.
  
• Getting cav charged. Even if they can kill cav by themselves, they doesn't like cav charge that can fix them while they are being charged by other foot unit.
  
• Overconfidence. They are not immortals. Carefull of moral drop caused by the loosing combat statut or rear charge.
  
• Fighting better heavy infanttry by themselves. It's not cost effective u will loose by too much.
  
• Carefull about the use of abilities. Sometimes it's better to not use them so u will keep ur stamina up. Think about what u need to do, either crush fast or hold to get support.
  
• Wasting. Do not make stupid mooves like pikes charging or going too far from your main forces.

Army compostion:
They are always a good choice. You can take them to act as a powerful shock front line or to act as a dangerous flanking force. However, avoid spam that will let u vulnerable against map domination armies and skirmisher kiting.

5.Skirmishers

5.1.Light skirmishers

Light skirmishers are for the most of them, peasant with shooting weapons with no defense stats at all. For exemple:"Nubian archers, oriental slingers, roman levy ". Their force is their cheap price combined with a high damage potential.

For what are they usefull ?

• Making damages on high value targets.
  
• Making a threat on the end game. It force the opponent to take them out with his cav or u will kite him to deah.
  
• Force ur opponent to attack. By shooting him to death.
  
• They can act as meatshield or as a charge blocker. Like light infantry.

What to avoid ?

• Any contacts. Their poor moral mean instant routing with no coming back.
  
• Trusting the skirmisher ability. Keep an eye on them.
  
• Wasting their ammo. Focus the flanks, pikemen into phalanx or valuable units.
  
• Fighting against heavy skirmishers. Try to take them out with cav or to heavy focus while disturbing with cav.

Army compositon:
The number u can take depend of your ability to protect them from cav. If you can protect them, they will do their job. The more mobile and map dominating your army is, the more light skirmisher u can take. From 0 to 10 but 4 is a fair number, they can do enough damage and it's easy to protect them.

5.2. Heavy skirmishers

They are the professional version of their light counterparts. For exemple:"Pontic peltasts, syrian auxilaries, rhodian slingers". They are far more resistant and slightly better at shooting than their light versions.

For what are they usefull ?

• Killing things. Their good shooting stats make them able to kill quickly anything with a good focus.
  
• Win ranged duels. They will usually crush light skirmishers in a ranged duel.
  
• Create hole in the ennemy lines. Their high killing power make them able to create breach into formations by focusing key units.
  
• Their resistance allow them to be played more dangerously. U can shoot next to the enemy without fearing that a javelins throws will take out a third of your unit.

What to avoid ?

• Don't waste them. They are too expensive to get killed early.
  
• Don't get into contact. Even if they usually come back, u can't afford to loose them. A light cav will pay itself by killing one heavy skirmisher. Be prepared for kamikaze charges.

Army composition:
U need to be able to protect them even more than with light skirmishers. You can take 1 or 2 with some light skirmishers to win the shooting duel. You can make a great sniping team with 3 or 4 of them to get the advantage before the fighting. They can aslo act as the body of your army if u take 5 or more of them. Remember that the more you take, the longer u will have to kite to gain advantage, make your army around this tactic.

Shooting abilities: Use them right before shooting otherwise it will interrupt your volley.

5.3.Skirmishers type

5.3.a. Slingers

Caracteristics:

• High reload, with medium ap damage. They do really well against high armoured targets.
  
• High range. They can kite everything, even other shooters.
  
• High ammunition. They can take out alot of ennemies if u let them the time.

Army composition:
Take slingers if u want the range advantage and the more damage possible on the opponent's foot units. Remember they will take longer time to perform so you will need to hold the ennemy or to kite him.

5.3.b. Archers

Caracteristics:

• High normal damage and no ap. They only destroy light armoured targets. They lack the ap damage to finish armoured infantry.
  
• They can shoot over units and they have a fair range. They are easy to protect.
  
• They can beat easily elephants with their flaming arrows. But don't use flaming arrows any other time.
  
• They have medium ammunition. They can take out a unit of medium armourd sodier but don't expect too much.

Army composition:
Take archers if u want to neutralize elephants or to win the shooting duel. They are also polyvalent.


5.3.c. Javelinmen

Caracteristics:

• High normal damage and high ap damage. They can kill anything and they are really good at killing cav and elephants.
  
• Short range. They will be in danger against cav and in bad position against other shooters.
  
• They can shoot over units.
  
• They are cheaper than other skimishers and they usually have the best defensive stats. Allowing them to do better meatshielding and a dangerous playstyle.
  
• They have low ammo. Try to focus flank or rear. They will never finish of units by themselves.
  
• High reload. They are perfect for sniping ennemy elites or key units right before the combat. They deal alot in a quick time but they won't have enough ammo to finish infantry.

Army composition:
Take javelinmen if u want a polyvalent meatshield line that can focus specific units before the fight. They complete well rushing armies. However don't expect them to kill too many units, cause of their ammo and their little range.

6.Special units
6.1.Berserks
Berserks are a small unit of fanatic soldiers with high melee stats and high health. They are special because of their rage mode that allow some new tatctics.

For what are they usefull ?

• With the rage mode on, they cannot flee thus they are great to slow down the opponent's advance or to block his forces.
  
• With the rage mode on, they keep full stamina. This allow you to spam their abilities without fearing any maluses.
  
• Their great melee stats with their small number make them a perfect flanking unit, that do not rely on charge to get kills.
  
• Their fear ability is great to rout average units or to make a big moral pressure on a certain point where your troops are already fighting.
  
  What to avoid ?
  
  • Being shot. They have really low armor and they have a small number of men.
    
  • Charging head on.They don't like javelins and charge bonus due to their low armor and reduced number of men.
    
  • Not having the rage mode on. Try to get the best combat situation to turn on the rage mode the quicker possible.
    
  • Chasing an ennemy unit to the end of the map in rage mode. Try to get a light cav to get the job done faster.
    
  • Pikes. Berserk hates pikes in frontal charges, do not even try a little. Use flanking.
  
  Army composition:
  They are a must have in a Suebi army and they add alot of tactical possibilities. I would say between 2 and 4 to a max of 6. Remember that they need an anvil.
  
  6.2. Elephants
  Elephants are a fast and powerfull shock unit that can also perform well in a long melee. For exemple:"Indian elephant, african elephant, african war elephant".
  
  For what are they usefull ?
  
  • They have a great charge capacity. Try to have them flanking units or charging blocked units.
    
  • They inflict a moral penalty to ennemy units. Always usefull in the central fights. Their good mobility help to increase this fear zone effect.
    
  • They can crush by themselves alot of average and elites units.
    
  • They are the master of combo charge with cav or another elite.
  
  What to avoid ?
  
  • Flaming arrows. They make ur elephants uncontrollable. But please, do not kill them with the assassination ability.
    
  • Pikes. They kill elephants in front too.
    
  • Being charged.Elephants hate javelins and charge bonus due to their low defense and low armor.
    
  • Do not relay on them to hold the line alone. A rout can quickly happen if your unit start loosing too many elephants. They have average morale.
    
  • Charging too strong elites alone. Prefer a combo charge to make the ennemy flee.
  
  Army composition:
  Elephants are a good choice against faction that cannot face them properly like faction without bows or in a smaller way, faction without pikes. Still, you need your army to be build around them so they can be truly efficient. They cost alot, your plan need to be constructed around them to protect them and to maximise their damages. In that way, they can kill entire armies. You can take one only for the fear effect but if u want impact, take 2.
  
  6.3.Dogs
  Dogs are a fast chasing/disturbing units with one major advantage, speed. For exemple:" the teckel, the american staff, the chihuahua".
  
  For what are they usefull ?
  
  • They can instakill a skirmisher unit and chase it to the end of the map.
    
  • They are really fast and they can pass between 2 units to get their target.
    
  • In the tumult of battle they are hardly recognised and it's hard to kill them if u don't have a cav in reserve.
    
  • They can block a unit out of pike phalanx. With a fast strike when ennemy is pulling back or advancing.
    
  • They can ultimatly win time. Twice because u can send the owners too.
    
  • When they finished chasing u can select them another target. Use to kill more skirmishers. No one notice ten dogscoming by the back but they will kill another skirmisher.
  
  What to avoid ?
  
  • Attacking anything that is not a skirmisher or a pike out of phalanx. Do it if u have no other solution. Try to focus targets with low defense anyway.
  
  Army composition:
  They are an alternative to light cav. They aren't really cheap, be carefull when you use them. I would say a maximum of 2 units. 2 is enough to do alot of troubles, more would be wasted money in most of the cases.
  
  6.4.Sword gladiators
  If they share some caracteristics in common with medium inf, they have a special playstyle. They are a shock unit with high damage but low resistance. For exemples:" Maximus Decimus Meridius, Spartacus,Crixus".
  
  For what are they useful ?
  
  • They have the highest attack and damage of all the infantry units. They are awesome at killing low-medium armor and average defense units.
    
  • They are really good at flanking and they make a good second line unit due to their huge damage potential.
    
  • They have several abilities that can boost them and allow them to make even more damage.
    
  • They can inflict great damages to cav due to their high attack stat.
    
  • They can take out elite units if they fight in good conditions.
  
  What to avoid ?
  
  • Getting shoot at, especially by archers. Low health, low armor, low manpower.
    
  • Frontal charge with elites. Gladiator don't like to be charged.
    
  • Pikes. Same reason than for shooting.
    
  • They cannot hold lines alone they need moral support.
    
  • TIme well the use of your abilities and if you aren't sure if it's a good idea, don't do it. A "redleg" gladiator is a dead gladiator.
    
  • They need support in their action. They aren't badass Russel Crowe.
  
  Army composition:
  I think u can take 2 to 4 without worrying about how u will use them. Taking more of them is not a bad idea however, u need to be able to cover so they can perform into the melee fights.
  
  6.5. Chariots

7.The general

7.1. General unit

For each factions u have the possibility to choose the unit where your general will be. For exemple:"shieldbearer, foot companions, companions cav" for Macedon.

For what your general is usefull for ?

• Giving morale to your units by standing next to them.
  
• Using his abilities to win the battle.
  
• Killing people. Like Hannibal Barca himself. In some situations even a weak roman general can kill a skirmisher unit.

To do this , your general needs to be next to ur frontline where the fighting occurs and where his magical powers of lvl2 wizard will be the more usefull such as "fear or moral boost".

What to avoid then ?

• Having ur general in first line where he can die easily.You will get moral penalties and no more magic phase. However don't run out of combat if u know u can win or get free kills.
  
• Having ur general too far away from ur fighting line. Sometimes, just because he's too slow.
  
• Dying. Some unit don't give a damn because of their special ability but for other it will be a bad moral drop.

Army compostion:
Your general unit need to be a tough unit so it will rarely loose combat or rout just by being charged by a random unit. Your unit type will depend of the way your build is working, a foot gen is good in a mostly foot army in tight formation. If u like large manouver and guerilla fighting, you will prefer a cavalry gen to be the more mobile possible and to abuse of his ability all over the map. Avoid general unit that can be tricked like elephants.

7.2 The type of general

You can choose a general type from 3 different ones." The warrior, the strategist and the commander"


The warrior:

• Lowering the moral of an ennemy unit. Don't waste it on green moral units but use it after a good charge to make the ennemy unit flee. In a tight melee where both side can flee, this will be really usefull.
  
• Use the capacity block agaisnt units who need their capacity such as the ennemy general, pikes who aren't in phalanx mode, or in a smaller way, to avoid fighting ability such as headhunt or devastating charge.

The strategist:

• Second wind is really usefull for your cav to keep up their speed or for your elite units to abuse their abilities without negative costs.
  
• You can aslo boost a unit statistic by alot but it will only last a few sec. After this, your statistics are getting lower for a short period. It's a high risk high reward ability to use in certain circumstances. For exemple: To win a charge and a fight agaisnt a similar unit however u must be sure to rout it fast before the malus appear.

The commander:

• The easier gen to use, his ability have no malus and they have a global effect.
  
• Increase ur moral when you see that your troops are wavering or getting into red.
  
• Increase ur defense while your troops are entering into melee combat.

8.Op builds



The build i spammed to reach top ten.
8.1.How to beat them
I'm not gonna give "op" builds here but i will show how to beat them. Post a screen of your supposely "op" unbeatable build in the comment section and i will tell u how to beat it on the army selection and into the battle.

I hope u learned something by reading this guide and that this guide will help u to enjoy the game a bit more.

If u have any question or remark u can add me for a clear discussion, i prefer that than the comment section.

A special thanks to HMG Counterfact, Virus Water and Virus Tom for all the in-game testing and playing that were needed to achieve this guide. I thank RTK Jinx for the great playing and the discussions.

The guide will be updated before every official patch.


If u want a new section to be add (about something we might have missed or something a bit different), just post it in the comments, my team and me will see what we can do.