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Pikemen PontusPontus Pike Infantry

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.

Pikemen

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

Weapon Damage

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

Melee Defence

58

├ Base Defence

37

├ Shield

pikemen

└ Shield Defence

21

Armour

82

├ Armour

spolas

├ Armour Defence

52

└ Shield Armour

30

Health

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
Pikemen
  • Good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Normal morale
  • Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings
Pikemen Lv. 0 Holosideros Barracks
Holosideros Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_2)
Level 1
Hoplite Barracks
Hoplite Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_3)
Level 2
Pikemen Lv. 1 Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_4)
Level 3