Abilities

Introduction

In addition to attributes, there are a number of helpful abilities that can only be utilised by a unit or ship during a battle. Some are enabled by the presence of an attribute, others by researching military technologies in the campaign game. When a unit or ship is selected, the abilities available to it appear at the bottom of the screen. You can mouse over each button to see what it does. Simply click on the appropriate button to activate it. After use, many abilities cannot be used again for a "cooldown" period, so it is important to use them sparingly and only at crucial moments.

Generals' Abilities

The general has a huge influence on his army’s fortunes in battle, not least because the abilities at his disposal can turn the tide in their favour. You can unlock generals’ abilities and develop them in-line with skills and experience, sometimes upgrading them to become stronger or affect more units. There are three attributes that unlock different categories of general’s ability: "Warrior", which is unlocked by high zeal; "Commander", which become available when authority is high; "Strategist", which is dependent on high cunning. As a general or admiral improves each of his three attributes, he will progressively unlock further abilities.

Battle Rhythm (general)

This ability enables your general to target friendly units to improve their combat skills and morale.

Brace (general)

The brace ability targets friendly units to improve their effectiveness for a short time, both in melee and against cavalry charges.

Cantabrian Circle

A unit with this ability can fire outwardly whilst riding in a circle, which enables them to concentrate their fire on a target whilst making them more difficult to hit with missiles.

Cavalry Counter-tactics

This ability increases a unit's defensive capabilities against cavalry for a time.

Cavalry Testudo Formation

Cavalry testudo is a defensive formation ideally used when the enemy is fielding missile units and your cavalry need to be kept close to the frontline without being picked off. Units performing cavalry testudo raise their shields and angle themselves towards their aggressor, which improves their resistance to missile attack whilst still enabling them to break into a charge if desired.

Chant

The ability to chant improves the morale of friendly units within the chanting unit's area of influence.

Diamond Formation

Diamond formation helps cavalry charges break through enemy lines. It was used successfully by Alexander the Great’s army. A unit with this ability moves into a diamond-shaped attack formation designed to break battles lines with its improved charge.

Draco

Use of the fearsome "dragon horn" reduces the morale and defensive capabilities of a targeted enemy against any cavalry unit with the ability.

Flying Wedge Formation

Flying wedge formation is the Roman version of wedge formation. Units with this ability can move into a flying wedge-shaped attack formation designed to break battles lines with their improved charge.

Frenzied Charge

This ability increases the speed of a charge, its damage and the attack capabilities of the unit whilst reducing defensive capabilities for an extended period.

Frenzy

This ability improves both attacking and charging capabilities, but reduces defensive capabilities for a short time and leaves the unit fatigued for a time afterwards.

Headhunt

This ability allows staged increases in the effectiveness of a unit's attacks, but reduces defensive capabilities for a short time.

Hoplite Phalanx Formation

The unit moves into close phalanx formation, reducing its movement speed but increasing its defensive capabilities.

Inspire (general)

This ability enables your general to target a friendly unit to improve their combat skills for a short time.

Inspire Group (general)

This ability enables your general to improve the combat skills of any friendly units within his area of influence for a short time.

Intimidate (general)

This ability prevents a single targeted enemy unit from activating its abilities for an extended period.

Into the Breach (general)

This ability enables the targeting of friendly units to improve their charge and increase the damage caused for a short time.

Kill Elephants

This ability enables elephant drivers to kill their mounts with spikes if they run amok amongst their own lines.

Killing Spree

Units with this ability cause increased damage to their opponents for an extended period of time.

Pike Phalanx Formation

The unit moves into close phalanx formation, reducing its movement speed but increasing its defensive capabilities. The pike phalanx makes pike units effective, so should be used as often as possible.

Precision Shot

A unit with this ability will find their accuracy improved for an extended period, but at the cost of their reloading skill.

Push (general)

The ability to push increases a unit's mass whilst reducing their fatigue levels.

Quick Reload

A unit with this ability will find their reloading skill improved for an extended period, but at the cost of fatigue.

Raise Banner (general)

Raising your army's banner increases your general's area of influence and improves his army's defensive capabilities for an extended period.

Rally (general)

The ability to rally enables your general to improve the morale of friendly unit's within his area of influence.

Rally & Inspire (general)

This ability enables the targeting of friendly units to improve their combat skills and morale for a short time.

Rapid Advance

When this ability is activated both movement speed and acceleration will be increased for an extended period of time.

Rapid Volley

Activating this ability increases a unit's rate of fire for a short time, but there is a cooldown period before it can be used again to prevent exploitation.

Regroup Position (general)

This is your general's ability to determine the position that rallied troops will re-assemble or fall back to. If you click outside his area of influence, your general will ride within range before placing the regroup marker.

Row Hard

Row hard reflects a ship's ability to increase its speed for 10, 20 or 30 strokes.

Screech

This blood-curdling howl reduces the morale of target units.

Second Wind (general)

Once activated, this ability reduces the fatigue of the unit in question and also up to three units within its area of influence. Once exhausted this ability cannot be used again for a period of time.

Second Wind Group (general)

This ability enables you to reduce the fatigue of a targeted unit, allowing them to fight on longer before breaking.

Shield Screen Formation

The shield screen is a static defensive formation ideally used when defending a position or to block city streets, helping reduce its weakness to flanking manoeuvres. Units with this ability raise their shields in a static defensive formation, increasing their defensive capabilities.

Shield Wall Formation

A unit that can form the shield wall moves into a close formation, spears presented with interlocking shields. Movement speed is reduced whilst this ability is active, but defensive capabilities are increased.

Square Formation

This is a close, square formation which increases a unit's defensive capabilities. It is ideally used when you are outnumbered or want to pin down part of an enemy line.

Stampede

This ability improves an elephant unit's charge for an extended period of time.

Stand & Fight (general)

This general's ability calls his bodyguard around him to fight defensively with improved combat skill.

Steady

This ability enables units in pike phalanx to better withstand a charge against them.

Testudo

Units with this ability raise their shields above their heads in a defensive formation, increasing their defensive capabilities. It is ideally used when approaching enemy settlements or navigating city streets.

The Fear (general)

This is your general's ability to prevent any enemy unit caught within his area of influence from activating its own abilities for an extended period.

Trample

This ability improves a heavy cavalry unit's charge for an extended period of time.

Use the Whip

Using the whip improves attack capabilities and resistance to fatigue for a short time before a fatigue penalty kicks in. The unit will also be winded after use, preventing exploitation.

Warcry

Affecting up to four nearby enemy units, this ability heavily reduces their morale, melee defence capabilities and movement speed. Once activated, there will be a cooling-off period before it can be used again.

Warcry (general)

A blood-curdling warcry from your general's unit reduces the morale of the enemy for a short time.

Warcry Group (general)

This is your general's ability to reduce the morale of any enemy units caught within his area of influence for a short time by emitting a terrifying warcry.

Wedge Formation

Wedge formation is a barbarian innovation that helps cavalry charges break through enemy lines. Units with this ability can move into a wedge-shaped attack formation designed to break battles lines with their improved charge.

Character Abilities (Caesar in Gaul only)

In the Caesar in Gaul campaign the personalities of the playable factions’ leaders define some of the gameplay for those factions in the form of the following unique battlefield abilities:

Loyalty of the 10th

During his Gallic campaign, Caesar relied on the renowned loyalty and fighting skill of his crack 10th legion to rally and inspire his other troops on several occasions during difficult situations on the battlefield.

In game, Caesar can target a friendly unit once during a battle, improving their defensive capabilities and making their morale unbreakable for 30 seconds. In turn, the targeted unit has a chance of spreading these effects to other friendly units within a 30 metre radius of their position.

Presence

On several occasions Caesar’s presence close to the action inspired his troops to carry on the fight when the outcome of a battle was uncertain. Knowing this, he deliberately put himself in danger at critical moments, dismounting his horse and joining the melee. The news rippled through the frontlines, spurring his men on to victory.

In game, Caesar can use this ability once during a battle to increase his area of influence to 30 metres. As a result, friendly units within it have the cooling down time needed between use of their own abilities reduced to 60 seconds.

Unity of Tribes

The Arverni leader, Vercingetorix, managed the near-impossible task of unifying many of the Gallic tribes behind his banner in order to challenge Roman hegemony in the region. As a result, his army fought bravely for the idea that a unified Gaul could defeat and drive out the invaders.

In game, Vercingetorix can use this ability once during a battle to slightly increase the morale of all friendly units within a 300 metre radius.

Relentless

Despite being trapped by the Romans inside the walls of the Gallic city of Alesia, Vercingetorix kept up the pressure by constantly skirmishing with the besiegers in an effort to break out and ride for reinforcements. Eventually, this proved successful and a small contingent of cavalry escaped to rally surrounding tribes and attack the Romans from the rear.

In game, Vercingetorix can use this ability once during a battle to reduce the fatigue of all friendly units within a 300 metre radius for a period of 60 seconds.

Pride

The Suebi leader, Ariovistus, settled his people on land taken from the Sequani after he aided their victory over the neighbouring Aedui, something he believed was his right of conquest. A proud man, he believed his Germanic tribes were invincible in battle, and challenged the Romans to remove them from the territory they had appropriated.

In battle, Ariovistus can use this ability once to increase the armour piercing damage caused by all friendly units within a 30 metre radius.

Fast Charge

After surrounding Caesar in the Doub valley, Ariovistus camped nearby, sending out small raiding parties to harass the Romans’ supply lines. Although this strategy worked for some time, eventually Caesar forced a pitched battle, during which Ariovistus’ forces counter-charged with such speed and force that the Romans did not have time to throw their pilae before being forced into melee with the Germans.

In game, Ariovistus can target a friendly unit once during a battle, increasing their speed and the force of their charge for 45 seconds. In turn, the targeted unit has a chance of spreading these effects to other friendly units within a 30 metre radius of their position.

Force Concentration

When Caesar encountered the extremely warlike Belgae tribes of north eastern Gaul, he fell victim to a surprise attack whilst constructing a fort close to the camp of the Nervii leader, Boduognatus. Outnumbering the Romans, the Nervii force smashed into the Roman flank and successfully pushed through their battle line, almost cutting it in two.

In battle, Boduognatus can target a friendly unit once during a battle, increasing their attack capabilities and making their morale unbreakable for 60 seconds. In turn, the targeted unit has a chance of spreading these effects to other friendly units within a 30 metre radius of their position.

Fighting Spirit

As the climactic Battle of Sabis came to a close, many tribes of the Belgic alliance either retired from the fray or did not commit themselves as reinforcements. Conversely, the Nervii themselves fought bravely until they were surrounded and almost all killed, causing heavy Roman casualties in the process.

In game, Boduognatus can use this ability once during a battle to increase his area of influence to 30 metres, in turn increasing the defensive capabilities of all friendly units within it and making their morale unbreakable.