Hello, I'm designing a strategic ancients wargame and I am trying to figure out how war elephant use such as by carthage and epirrus should fit into the strategy.
Considerations would be march speed, terrain disadvantages, and weaknesses to other unit types.
Right now units are divided into 5 categories representing heavy melee infantry(legions), phalanx infantry, light infantry(gaul, briton, etc), slingers/archers, and cavalry.
So my questions are: how should elephant march speed compare to infantry in level ground?
Do elephants become useless if caught in hilly/forested terrain?
Lastly, what are they strong and weak against? I was thinking that their weakness would be light troops and missile troops and they would be strong against cavalry and phalanx infantry which rely on keeping formation but I am not a historian.
Obviously this is a game soI have flexibility but I want it to be believable. Thanks!
Pros:
Elephants are fucking MASSIVE. I remember going to Laos when I was really little and seeing these two giant elephants at this really neat zoo. The two elephants were nice, gentle, and incredibly majestic but their size is something to be respected. With this in mind, elephants imo would make for a great mount animal for the CO the unit since he/she’s in a high and elevated position and can command their troops from atop an elephant, which could also act as a physical biological symbol of to denote the CO’s place as the commander.
Elephants serve as great psychological weapons. Imagine that you’re a poor, conscripted soldier who’s farmed for his entire life up until now. You’re also armed with a simple spear and maybe a shield. You’re standing by waiting to go to war until you see an army marching towards you with an entire line of these giant grey monsters with tentacles coming out of their faces and two giant white spears protruding from out from their faces. It doesn’t help that they make these extremely loud purs, roars, and trumpets and can easily crush you without a care in the world. The largest animal that you’ve seen is maybe a cow or horse but this giant grey monster in elaborate clothing is easily taller than two horses stacked on top of each other. You’re going to shit your pants for sure.
Elephants can serve as a heavy infantry support unit. Their size and ferocity can break through ranks with ease and inflict terror on the enemy. IIRC, in the Indian and/or Southeast Asian kingdoms, they’d get the elephants drunk with alcohol and wine before battle so that when they’re sent out to fight, they can just crush the enemy without much thought or hesitation.
Elephants can also be used as beasts of burden. They could be put in with the logistical units tasked with moving things, building fortifications, etc. I’m pretty sure elephants were used in this capacity up to WWII long after they were retired from combat.
Cons:
Id imagine that elephants are a logistical nightmare. These animals need hundreds of pounds of food and water. They’d also need a dedicated POG soldiers to tend and care for them if they ever get sick, injured, etc. and that could take away from the cavalry and your other soldiers.
Elephants are somewhat easily frightened. IIRC, the Romans dowsed a bunch of pigs (or wash it camel?) in oil, lit them up, and sent them to a bunch of charging elephants. The elephants were frightened and were forced to fall back, crushing their own friendly troops in the process.
Elephants are huge targets. A smart artillery battery would probably focus most of its firepower on the biggest tactical asset that the enemy has (the elephants).