http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/121456-Beasts-of-War-Pack-announced!?p=1056343#post1056343
Here's a transcript from that page, with the units that are being added in. My question is, were any of these actually ever used in war, and if so when? Is any of this accurate, or is it just complete fiction for gameplay purposes?
• Molossian Dogs
Can be recruited by: Epirus
A heavily muscled beast from western Greece, the now-extinct Molossian is considered to be the predecessor of many of today’s larger breeds, such as the Rottweiler and Great Dane. Used as both a guard dog and in battle, Virgil remarked “never, with them on guard, need you fear for your stalls a midnight thief, or onslaught of wolves, or Iberian brigands at your back.” These vicious dogs do not tire easily, and never lose the scent of an enemy.
• Beehive Onager
Can be recruited by: Rome, Athens, Epirus, Macedon, Sparta, and Syracuse
Whilst large-scale beekeeping for agricultural purposes was a later innovation, the humble honeybee nevertheless held an important place in ancient Greek culture. A trio of mythical nymphs, the Thriae or ‘bee maidens’, were loved by Apollo and Poseidon, bearing their children. Bees also have a practical application in battle, as a swarm of angry bees will always cause troops to stall and panic.
• Scorpion Pot Ballista
Can be recruited by: Pontus, Parthia
Home to the most lethal scorpions in the known world, whose sting can paralyse and kill a man within an hour, it was only a matter of time before a wily Middle Eastern general used them against his enemies. Spare a thought, then, for the Roman emperor Severus; whilst besieging the Parthian city of Hatra, his army was showered with pots of scorpions from atop the city walls. Like Trajan before him, Severus failed to breach the defences, even after two attempts.
• Snake Pot Ballista
Can be recruited by: Carthage
Perhaps the most famous use of potted animals was Hannibal Barca’s tactic against the fleets of Eumenes II of Pergamon. Hurling large clay pots full of venomous snakes onto the decks of Eumenes’ ships; he panicked the enemy fleet and won the day. Any unit struck by writhing, venomous snakes will pause to consider the wisdom of marching onwards!
• Camel Cataphracts
Can be recruited by: Parthia
The Roman general Macrinus was not noted for his experience, although had another fought the Battle of Nisbis in 217 AD, it’s hard to imagine he’d be any less stunned by the Parthian cataphract camels fielded that day. Wearing coats of tough, yet flexible, scale-mail, they made an awesome and terrifying sight as they punched through the frontlines and spooked the Roman horses with their camels’ earthy stench.
• Celtic Warhounds
Can be recruited by: Iceni, Cantiaci, Caledones, Demetae, Dumnonii, Brigantes, and Ebdani
Dogs have always been useful for guard, patrol and scout work. With skilled handlers they can also be used effectively on the battlefield. Attack dogs were specifically bred and trained to ignore the noise and chaos of combat. The Celtic tribes of the late Iron Age put them to great use. Their speed and ferocity made them ideal shock-troops, and perfect for running down fleeing stragglers.
• Mercenary Syrian Armoured Elephants
Can be hired as mercenaries in: Dura, Antioch, Tyros, and Palmeira
Indian elephants first came to the Middle East when Seleucus, one of Alexander the Great’s Successors, invaded India in 305 BC. 500 war elephants were handed over as part of the peace treaty between the Seleucid dynasty and the Mauryans of India, and the Seleucids went on to breed many more from this initial stock. War elephants remained an important part of the Seleucid army until their defeat by the Romans at Magnesia in 190 BC, following which they were forbidden from breeding more.
Well, Hannibal did supposedly order his troops to capture snakes in earthen pots and then cast them onto the enemy's ships, which Cornelius Nepos (10.4) and Justin (32.4.6) mention. It's a bit of stretch, however, for CA to make it a recruitable unit for the Carthaginians, given that Hannibal was working for King Prusias of Pontus at the time after fleeing in exile from Carthage...
EDIT: Different subject and rather unimportant, but there's some disagreement over how many elephants Seleucus actually received from Chandragupta. Although the ancient sources (Strabo 15.2.9 and Plutarch Alexander 62.4) record 500 elephants, W. W. Tarn pointed out many decades ago that the ancient Indians used 500 as a round figure to denote "a great many" or "a large number," and that this would been reflected in sources borrowing from the language of the original treaty between Seleucus and Chandragupta. It is, indeed, an incredibly large number in terms of elephants (a logistical nightmare, I imagine), and no Hellenistic ruler on record ever deployed that many in battle. However, Bezalel Bar-Kochva makes the counterargument in The Seleucid Army that the number could have dropped through attrition.
See W. W. Tarn, "Two Notes on Seleucid History: 1. Seleucus' 500 Elephants, 2. Tarmita," Journal of Hellenic Studies 60 (1940), 84-9; Susan Sherwin-White and Amélie Kuhrt, From Samarkhand to Sardis: A New Approach to the Seleucid Empire (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1993), 12f. (who basically agree with Tarn); Bezalel Bar-Kochva, The Seleucid Army: Organization and Tactics in the Great Campaigns (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976), 76f.
Is it okay to rant here?
Indian elephants first came to the Middle East when Seleucus, one of Alexander the Great’s Successors, invaded India in 305 BC. 500 war elephants were handed over as part of the peace treaty between the Seleucid dynasty and the Mauryans of India
I see this so often it's like Seleucus and Maurya meet on the battlefield, magic happens and Seleucus walks away with 500 elephants. In reality, Seleucus got his ass kicked. Hard.
After the battle, Seleucus was richer by 500 elephants. Chandragupta had gained territories in modern day Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, whole of Pakistan, much of Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia (basically every territory he claimed) Also, a wife, the daughter of Seleucus.
tl;dr: War elephants are true. The description sucks ass.