| War Elephants | |
|---|---|
| |
| Belongs to | Mughal Empire, Mysore, Maratha Confederacy and Punjab |
| Type | Melee Cavalry |
| Weapon(s) | Lance |
| Soldiers in each unit | 30 |
| Melee Attack | 25 |
| Charge bonus | 25 |
| Defense skill | 9 |
| Morale | 10 |
| Tech requirement | None |
| Produced from | Army Vizirate |
| Special abilities |
|
| Cost | 1340 |
| Upkeep | 330 |
| Turns to Train | 3 |
| Unit Cap | None |
War Elephants are a type of melee cavalry in Empire: Total War.
Description[]
These troops ride into battle on the back of elephants, beasts who very presence spreads terror throughout enemy ranks.
Like many animals, elephants can be trained to ignore the sights, smells and, above all, hellish noises of a battlefield. They can also be trained to fight, goring men with their tusks and trampling others underfoot. Elephants make superb platforms for men to fight from, giving them an automatic height benefit over many opponents.
There are risks to using elephants in warfare. They do panic, and if they stampede they will cause terrible damage to everyone, friends and foe alike. Indian elephants, however, are relatively tractable beasts, and there is a long history of using them as beasts of burden.
There is also a long history of using unusual animals in combat, from elephants to war dogs, and even seals and dolphins in more recent times. Elephants at least stand a chance of survival, unlike the Russian mine dogs of the Second World War, who were trained to look for their dinners under enemy tanks. This doesn’t sound too bad, until you learn that the dogs were carrying explosive packs on their backs. Dinner time on the battlefield was always terminal for the dog and his target tank.
General Information[]
War Elephants rely on their devastating charge to disrupt and break enemy lines. Due to their high defense (including a hidden modifier for elephants), they can even demolish enemy Square Formations with relative ease. In a melee, elephants are extremely difficult to kill. However, they are very vulnerable to musket and artillery fire.