Greatist millitary unit of all (pregun powder) time

[ballisticwaffles]

It still wouldn't make a difference, the Romans would still be able to defeat them, or at least defend against them until the Roman army could arrive. That being said one of the reasons the Roman empire fell is because of how hard it was to defend.

Blashphemous. Rome fell ... it didnt

The western Empire fell, The Byzantine survived for 1200 more years after the split of the empire

And Rome had not yet one a single engagement against Hannibal. Ever heard of Cannae? that was hannibal. He lacked the propah seige equipment, and several mercenary groups that would have split at the first sign of loss.

But at the time the Roman army was at the south, "Sicily". The city was virtually undefended, and Hanibal's units were fully-trained soldiers, and the most Rome could muster would be last-minute conscripts.

Virtually undefended besides the giant walls and hundreds of fanatical people ready to die for rome.

[The Shaper]

Blashphemous. Rome fell ... it didnt

The western Empire fell, The Byzantine survived for 1200 more years after the split of the empire

And Rome had not yet one a single engagement against Hannibal. Ever heard of Cannae? that was Hannibal. He lacked the proper siege equipment, and several mercenary groups that would have split at the first sign of loss.

Right how could I forget about the Byzantine empire  .

But exactly what are you saying know?

[ballisticwaffles]

Right how could I forget about the Byzantine empire  .

But exactly what are you saying know?

Hannibal kept his army together with promises of loot and plunder. One loss, and he risked loosing the enitre war. If her had seiged Rome, FAbius the delayer could have called for a battle, most likely destroying the army and killing hannibal.

[The Shaper]

Hannibal kept his army together with promises of loot and plunder. One loss, and he risked loosing the enitre war. If her had seiged Rome, FAbius the delayer could have called for a battle, most likely destroying the army and killing hannibal.

So we are agreeing then.

[ballisticwaffles]

So we are agreeing then.

Yes we are. I think. i dopnt know, i have a splitting headache and i barely have a clue what is going on,.

[The Shaper]

Yes we are. I think. i dopnt know, i have a splitting headache and i barely have a clue what is going on,.

Well I said that Hannibal couldn't defeat the western roman empire even thought their army was away, and your last comment proved it.

[Guest SCoatiH]

It still wouldn't make a difference, the Romans would still be able to defeat them, or at least defend against them until the Roman army could arrive. That being said one of the reasons the Roman empire fell is because of how hard it was to defend.

But sti'l, things are nev'r that easy. Roman army was also like, months away. Even with walls and the like, he would ha'e still been able to destroy Rome.

After all, we are comparing a full-army against... well, a bunch of armed civilians.

[ballisticwaffles]

But sti'l, things are nev'r that easy. Roman army was also like, months away. Even with walls and the like, he would ha'e still been able to destroy Rome.

After all, we are comparing a full-army against... well, a bunch of armed civilians.

No, Months is to grand of a scale. Around the same time, when hasdrubal was killed, the army that fought him, commanded by nero, made the march from rome to the apls in less than a week. Seiges take months. hannibal would have been killed.

[Guest SCoatiH]

No, Months is to grand of a scale. Around the same time, when hasdrubal was killed, the army that fought him, commanded by nero, made the march from rome to the apls in less than a week. Seiges take months. hannibal would have been killed.

I doub' that. But still, story shows he never attack'd Rome, so I don't see any reason to bother about how much he failed or won.

[ballisticwaffles]

I doub' that. But still, story shows he never attack'd Rome, so I don't see any reason to bother about how much he failed or won.

Agreed. Im starting a tactics thred in a second anyway.

[Thu'um]

i love the great roman empire (i said it before but i thought i should say it again)

Strength and honour!

It still wouldn't make a difference, the Romans would still be able to defeat them, or at least defend against them until the Roman army could arrive. That being said one of the reasons the Roman empire fell is because of how hard it was to defend.

And, the first plauge hit killing a third of the populace, Soilders were not longer as skilled, Many town, citizens, political leaders, And much more were rebblious. And They were dead broke.

But sti'l, things are nev'r that easy. Roman army was also like, months away. Even with walls and the like, he would ha'e still been able to destroy Rome.

After all, we are comparing a full-army against... well, a bunch of armed civilians.

All male romans had military training from age 17.

[The Shaper]

And, the first plauge hit killing a third of the populace, Soilders were not longer as skilled, Many town, citizens, political leaders, And much more were rebblious. And They were dead broke.

I stand by my decision.

[Thu'um]

I stand by my decision.

well i agree with that but there were other things as well.

[The Shaper]

well i agree with that but there were other things as well.

Yes there were but in the battle they would have won, in the long run yes those would have affected them.

[Robert Monroe]

Just because the Byzantines survived longer than Rome doesn't make it greater. It was already in decline by the time Justinian was gone, and would have fallen much earlier if it wasn't for its godly walls.

[Thu'um]

Just because the Byzantines survived longer than Rome doesn't make it greater. It was already in decline by the time Justinian was gone, and would have fallen much earlier if it wasn't for its godly walls.

Thats a very good point, And there's a lot of reasons they didn't fall at the same time as the WR(western romans)

[Asper Sarnoff]

Yes the war elephants were a force to be reckoned with, but their weakness was the eye. Get a spear in it then the elephant is going down. Another weakness was it was hard to maneuver around small passes and could sometimes be hard to manage.

You forgot the most obvious one of all. One way the enemies of nations often employing war elephants on the battlefield learnt to combat them, was as simple as taking a bunch of pigs, smearing them in with oil or another highly flamable liquid, lit them alight and release them in the direction of the enemy elephants. The pigs high-pitched whines and the flames would drive the elephants to panic, and if one were lucky enough, stampede into each other and their support troops. That's one of the reasons the riders of war elephants often carried with them a long nail and a mallet, so that they could hopefully kill their stampeding elephant by driving a nail into their head before it caused to much mayhem among their own troops.

[The Shaper]

You forgot the most obvious one of all. One way the enemies of nations often employing war elephants on the battlefield learnt to combat them, was as simple as taking a bunch of pigs, smearing them in with oil or another highly flamable liquid, lit them alight and release them in the direction of the enemy elephants. The pigs high-pitched whines and the flames would drive the elephants to panic, and if one were lucky enough, stampede into each other and their support troops. That's one of the reasons the riders of war elephants often carried with them a long nail and a mallet, so that they could hopefully kill their stampeding elephant by driving a nail into their head before it caused to much mayhem among their own troops.

Okay that is a obvious weakness I forgot, I have to keep up on my research, thanks Asper.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

You forgot the most obvious one of all. One way the enemies of nations often employing war elephants on the battlefield learnt to combat them, was as simple as taking a bunch of pigs, smearing them in with oil or another highly flamable liquid, lit them alight and release them in the direction of the enemy elephants. The pigs high-pitched whines and the flames would drive the elephants to panic, and if one were lucky enough, stampede into each other and their support troops. That's one of the reasons the riders of war elephants often carried with them a long nail and a mallet, so that they could hopefully kill their stampeding elephant by driving a nail into their head before it caused to much mayhem among their own troops.

There you go! 

[Thu'um]

You forgot the most obvious one of all. One way the enemies of nations often employing war elephants on the battlefield learnt to combat them, was as simple as taking a bunch of pigs, smearing them in with oil or another highly flamable liquid, lit them alight and release them in the direction of the enemy elephants. The pigs high-pitched whines and the flames would drive the elephants to panic, and if one were lucky enough, stampede into each other and their support troops. That's one of the reasons the riders of war elephants often carried with them a long nail and a mallet, so that they could hopefully kill their stampeding elephant by driving a nail into their head before it caused to much mayhem among their own troops.

Well, you also have to get these gaint elephants Through mountains not easy. But thre romans Wern't very acustemed to fighting Elephants, realy only have facing them once before fighting King Epuphrates who would have lost with out elephants.