How Pharaoh's Guards Fare Against Roman Infantry Roster in OG Rome: Total War?

[@jackychen6261]

You know youre screwed as a nation when the enemy’s staple unit wins from what is supposed to be your god king’s personal guard 😂

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Agreed on that :) Thanks for the comment.

[@WanderingCoyoteXVII]

In fairness, the Guard are only meant to hold long enough for Pharaoh's Bowmen and the chariots to do the real damage...

[@napoleoncomplex2712]

Making this comment before I watch the whole thing, but the fact that they couldn't even hold formation against the auxilia is not a good sign.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Indeed :) Thanks for the comment.

[@wawaweewa9159]

The stupid unit always tries to reform after engaging in combat, i dont remember this behaviour in the early days of rome

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. I am not sure, but it could be that the huge unit size contributes to that :)

[@rorschach1985ify]

That bug really screwed over the Triarii. They performed worse then Auxilia for god's shake just for that bug happening.

[@Xander77Ru]

Those triarii are just sad.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Yea, the reforming bug hit them rather hard :)

[@JP-le8qc]

No match for Marius reformed Rome troops. They barely got by the Principes. The Urban Cohort Pila throw was devastating, there were 30 bodies lying on the ground before they engaged🤪🤪🤪

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Maybe that could teach them to bring a shield to battle :)

[@liszarezo3658]

To be fair, Principes are elite.

[@JP-le8qc]

@liszarezo3658 You're right, they are a bad ass unit. Tough as nails.

[@lastlast2078]

No shields.

[@infantilepillock1687]

Take that, bronze age!

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Haha :D Thanks for the comment.

[@warbossgrotsmasha23]

actually the egyptian faction in rome total war is one of the successor states that rose from alexander the great's old empire, they're not in the bronze age, they haven't been in it ever since the persians conquered egypt xD

[@infantilepillock1687]

@@warbossgrotsmasha23 Tell that the bronze age unit roster. There is a mod where Ptolemy Egypt actually has Diadochi units. It's called Greek mod or something.

[@Warmaker01]

@@infantilepillock1687 Yeah. Guys is talking about Ptolemy led Egypt. That's correct but that's not what the unit roster in Vanilla RTW represent. There's historical flavor mods like RTR and EB that replaces Egypt with the Ptolemy faction plus proper troops. Even when RTW released it was strange seeing bronze age Egyptian units for the game's setting. They didn't belong, it was historically very wrong.

[@brandonlee934]

@@Warmaker01 EB1 is great, I haven't tried EB2 in a while but I'm assumings it's good (it's nice that they programed in factions resurrecting)

[@shorkan1000]

The Pharaoh's guard are good troops with their pikes, but when they have to draw out that tiny dagger of theirs and their formation gets disrupted, they're screwed.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Agreed. Imo their problem is also the weakness vs. missiles :) Thanks for the comment.

[@littleblackcat2273]

The Pharaoh's Guards seem to start off well, but things turn for the worse once their spears are broken and they are stuck with small blades to battle the enemy.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Agreed on that. Imo they are also hurt quite badly by the lack of shield :) Thanks for the comment.

[@pingouin3664]

Imagine being an elite fighter who has trained for countless years and assigned with the honor of guarding the Pharaoh only to be stabbed in the face by some unkempt auxilia with a dirty spear

[@qualityoldgames7721]

A sad fate :) Thanks for the comment.

[@aragorn767]

Yeah mean, the Romans here had like 2000 years of armor and weapon improvements on these bronze age guys.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

It shows :) Thanks for the comment.

[@liszarezo3658]

They are rich nation with poor, but large as hell, army. The last time I played vs them...this was like zombie horde wall with all this naked guys with bronze garden tools. Dogs did good job on anythink other than chariots.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Agreed though Pharaoh's Bowmen and Chariots are rather good imo :)

[@iguy6571]

It always disappointed me that egypt was designed as this weird bronze age faction when it could have been the hellenic ptolemic faction it historically was

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Yea, that is a bit weird. My guess is that they wanted to have a bit more variety with factions :)

[@micahbonewell5994]

@@qualityoldgames7721partially faction variety, but as far as I know the major reason is the put together the Bronze Age Egyptian faction for a history tv episode and didn’t want that work to go to waste.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@micahbonewell5994 :D Thanks for the comment.

[@nukesomething5518]

yeah shields are really important vs pila as the shield value is not halved by effective vs Armour atrribute pharaoh's guard really were designed as legion fodder

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Well put :) Thanks for the comment.

[@grantrobinson5046]

I would try this in the deserts, that is where most battles are fought against the Egyptians and may give a more accurate assessment

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will add that to TO-Do list :)

[@genericcommenter1267]

But when Egypt encounters Rome, chances are that they've moved out of dessert areas

[@grantrobinson5046]

@@genericcommenter1267 most of the Middle East and North Africa are deserts. If you are a player as Rome you will be fighting Egypt in desert combat

[@Manschier-0816]

I always trust Early Legionnary First Cohort , Legionnary First Cohort and Urban Cohort - their melee combat ability . Not only this , this three unit's loyalty were much better than Praetoerian Cohort .

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Agreed on that :) Thanks for the comment.

[@nickanderson141]

Yeah missing a shield is tough idk why they’re designed that way, makes no sense

[@qualityoldgames7721]

True :) Thanks for the comment.

[@janehrahan5116]

because they are in a faction that starts in the highest pop region (so you get them earlier), also they are balanced around pharos bowmen who are the best trainable archers in the game (imo overall, forresters are trying their best tho)

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@janehrahan5116 Yea, having top-notch pikes would make the faction rather op :) Thanks for the comment.

[@Warmaker01]

You didn't let them fire off both Pila salvos 🙂 It was also a bad sign when the Auxilia spear light infantry was able to break through the spear wall. It's just the early units didn't have the armor and offense to make the Pharaoh's Guards pay for that. The Roman factions were really something due to the Marian Reforms and Imperial troops. The Republic era troops with Hastati, Triarii, Princepes are good troops, I carved a lot of conquest with them. But they're not at the same level of stronk as the Imperial units. I've done lazy campaigns with the Romans by going a bit slow on the conquests and "feeding" a key city for population growth and fast track it for the Imperial Palace -> Marian Reforms. Then you get the EZ Mode with OP units to conquer with. Pharoah's Guards are good troops. Republic era heavy infantry are good units, there's factions that would kill to have the likes of Princepes. The PG handled them well 1-on-1. But Imperial units literally powered through, tanked the spear wall, and got to slice & dice range, carving up the PG.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Yea, only 1 volley because e.g. no backspace allowed for the Phalanxes either :)

[@pyrhusofeprius]

Egypt in Rome 2 is one of my favorites. In Rome 1 I never liked it. It’s just so weird and underwhelming.

[@micahbonewell5994]

Their units are trash (besides pharaohs bowmen) but as a faction they’re op because of the Nile wonder. They often end up being my end game boss because of it.

[@micahbonewell5994]

Also Dessert Axemen and Dessert Calvary are actually top tier cab for their price/availability

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. In Rome 1 Chariots and Pharaoh's Bowmen are rather good imo :)

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@micahbonewell5994 Valid points :) Thanks for the comment.

[@Thongger]

You wouldn’t be able to tell it from this showing - but in competitive multiplayer , especially 15k cwb games , Rome has zero chance against Egypt ; or pretty much any faction that has chariots and good archers

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Based on my experience in a couple of multiplayer matches, I can believe it really well :) Btw. can the phalanxes, e.g. Pharaoh's Guards hold back the Romans in those?

[@Thongger]

@@qualityoldgames7721 usually no, urban stomp every phalanx but quite convincingly . They don’t have a counter to chariot archers though (spefically , slingers) , and regular chariots will mow down praetorian cav easily . After that the Roman infantry will just get surrounded and cut to pieces

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@Thongger Thanks for the elaboration :)

[@aulus3792]

Egypt is trash on anything high denarii, the only reason egypt is strong on cwb is because these battles only allow skirmish where real army is too expensive

[@GeroldLive]

1:31 wtf happened with that guy on the right side?

[@Lord_Laskov]

Didnt even notice that lmao

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Hmm, perhaps he was overjoyed of victory? :D Thanks for the comment.

[@gurugru5958]

I was right! Pharaoh's Guards were never particularly great.

[@lisboah]

What did you expect from units that: a) Lack shields b) Seemed to have traveled across at least five hundred years to the future in order to face better equipped units.

[@ЭдуардЯляев]

@@lisboah и все же они имеют 12 атаку это 2 место вместе с священным отрядом , хорошие доспехи и хороший бой на мечах для фаланги ,но в этой игре щит играет сильную роль . непонятно почему у них нет даже мелкого щита как у сариссофоров,ведь у них маленькое копье )

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Imo the lack of shield is a major issue :) Thanks for the comment.

[@Rakiael07]

Should the backspace + attack be regarded as a tactic? If not, I'd suggest using it in the upcoming tests.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Imo it is. Because then the Romans should do something different as well :)

[@Xander77Ru]

What is that?

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@Xander77Ru They take up the spears again and start poking :) Thanks for the comment.

[@napoleoncomplex2712]

An elite unit losing to the early legionaries... a phalanx no less. *Ouch.* Stick to arrows and chariots Egypt. Or maybe I'll get a rude shock when it's the silver shields' or Royal pikemens' turn.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Yea, that was rather embarrassing for the guards :) Thanks for the comment.

[@ЭдуардЯляев]

Еще почему то они скверно держат фалангу в этих боях ,у меня такого нет и они дают равный бой даже первой когорте)

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Hmm. Interesting. Do you make the battles vs AI? And do you hold still? :) Thanks for the comment.

[@sarmatiancougar7556]

I demand you redo the test I am sorry friend but your phalanx VS legion tests are COMPLETELY botched Turn the stupid guard mode off and and press stop every time they drop the pikes so that they switch back That way Pharaohs Guards will trash the praetorians no problem In multiplayer nobody with half a brain will leave their phalanx to fight without pikes I say this because you made sure to always use maces in your tests involving the cataphracts but that is no less micro than reforming the phalanx; if you let one unit fight to it’s full potential you should let all of them do the same

[@qualityoldgames7721]

Thanks for the comment. Agreed regarding multiplayer. At the same time, nobody would use Roman units like this in MP: 2 pila throws, attempt to flank etc. Also would the turning GM Off cause more harm as they will push harder and leave the flanks more open? Regarding the Catas, they are ordered to attack with alt-attack :)

[@sarmatiancougar7556]

@@qualityoldgames7721 two pila throws are debatable but the alt attack IS micro too you can’t deny it Also no Turning the guard mode off does no harm for the pikemen You are confusing them with spearmen Pikemen have a long reach letting all the lines attack the enemy at the same time That’s their main strength and you are taking it away by only letting some of them attack Pressing p when pikes aren’t used is not the same as flanking with the cohort Flanking requires maneuvering and reforming the phalanx is literally just pressing one button

[@qualityoldgames7721]

@@sarmatiancougar7556 Thanks for the comment. We are making a test for different approaches between Legionaries and spear phalanxes and pike phalanxes. But imo Pharaoh's Guards are spear Phalanxes :)

[@ДушанПоповић-т6н]

Egypt has the worse units in the game.

[@qualityoldgames7721]

At least some of them. Others are rather good imo :) Thanks for the comment.