Pikemen
This tightly packed pike formation is a clenched fist.A tightly formed phalanx of sarissa-armed infantry presented an almost impenetrable wall of spear points, especially to cavalry. The sarissa itself was a two-handed spear or pike, between four and seven metres long, and was adopted by the armies of Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Successors that followed them. With an iron tip and a bronze butt-spike which provided balance and could be dug into the ground to bolster a defensive stance, it was an effective weapon for mass combat. When advancing in close order against the enemy, each man would occupy a square roughly a metre to a side, with the sarissas of the first five ranks projecting beyond the phalanx. On the defensive the phalanxes would close up, locking together with each man resting his shield on the man in front for greater stability. Such formations sacrificed manoeuvrability, leading to their main weakness on their flanks and rear. Philip II’s employment of the sarissa, and this new Macedonian-style phalanx, developed from earlier hoplite warfare. There is some debate as to whether his wounding by either an Illyrian or Thracian long spear, which killed his mount, may have influenced the sarissa's introduction.
Unit Name Pikemen |
Main Unit Key Gre_Pike |
Land Unit Key Gre_Pike |
Naval Unit Key greek_transport |
Soldiers 160 |
Category Melee Infantry |
Class Pike Infantry |
Custom Battle Cost 550 |
Recruitment Cost 550 |
Upkeep Cost 85 |
Melee Attack 23 |
29 |
├ Melee Weapon rome_pike |
├ Melee Damage Base 20 |
├ Melee Damage Ap 9 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Large 5 |
├ Bonus vs Elephants 7 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 6 |
58 |
├ Base Defence 37 |
├ Shield pikemen |
└ Shield Defence 21 |
82 |
├ Armour spolas |
├ Armour Defence 52 |
└ Shield Armour 30 |
65 |
├ Man Entity rome_infantry_heavy_pike |
├ Man Health 50 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 15 |
Base Morale 45 |
Abilities
Pikemen- Pike Phalanx
The unit moves into a deep, close defensive formation.
Bonus vs cavalry, bracing.
Limited speed - Steady
Improves the unit's ability to endure enemy charges.
Armour, melee defence
Exertion: fatigue
Attributes
- Disciplined
This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often. - Formation Attack
The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee. - Hide (forest)
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Transport- Very poor hull strength
- Very slow speed
- Weak ramming
- Good defensive unit
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Average attack
- Normal morale
- Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings | |
---|---|
Lv. 0 |
Holosideros Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_2) Level 1
Hoplite Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_3) Level 2 |
Lv. 1 |
Royal Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_4) Level 3 |
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Samnite Wars | |
Hannibal at the Gates | |
Imperator Augustus |