Defeating an Army of elephants

Ancient Ware-fare


  • Elephants cannot jump; they are too heavy for even their massive bones to absorb the shock of landing. Ditches they cannot step across, but are too steep-sided for them to safely descend or ascend will act as barriers, channelling them into the killing zone. They are vulnerable to pit traps and caltrops.
  • Like almost all animals, they fear fire. Jan Meyer suggested coating a pig with pitch and lighting it on fire, and allowing the burning, terrified animal to run loose. That’s fine, except that there is no guarantee that some of the pigs won’t turn around and run toward the defender’s forces. Human beings don’t hold formation very well when fear-crazed flaming pigs run at them. Fire arrows and fire pots are effective, especially if aimed at the elephant’s trunk. Elephants won’t usually cross a broad line of fire.
  • As several posters pointed out, long spears and pikes can pierce an elephant. Arbalests, specialized crossbows with very high tension arms (often made of steel) that needed special mechanisms to aim, could discharge larger bolts than standard bows, and drive them through the elephant’s hide and any chain mail over it.
Elephants were most effective when combined with an element of surprise. Once the troops have seen them and gotten over their surprise, they can use the techniques mentioned here and in other answers to deal with them.

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