Kingdom of Mercia (Age of Charlemagne) Spear Infantry

Select Spearmen

The 'fyrd' was, in the simplest terms, a levy of ordinary farmers - 'freemen', in the parlance of the times, meaning those not tied to a lord as vassals. The infrequent but bloody struggles between the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms during the early Middle Ages, and the Viking threat that followed, meant that the process of levying troops to fight was still necessary. If people are fighting for their very homes and livelihoods - not just a distant figurehead of a monarch - they tend to have a sense of purpose and urgency. Courage can come later, bolstered by massed ranks in the mean time, as can proficiency - there was rarely much time set aside for training amateurs before a battle. Originally, every able man was recruited to fight but this revealed a flaw in that if a war or struggle became protracted, or if too many people died, then there would be nobody to work the fields at its conclusion. To this end, the Anglo-Saxons developed what we now call the "select" system, where only those deemed most able would be chosen to join the fyrd. The remainder would stay at work, creating a surplus of provisions and equipment for both the marching army and those left behind in order to sustain the realm and improve the army's chances of victory. In practice, the majority of men were not levied, so many were expected to service the war machine in other practical ways. The fyrd were called upon on many occasions during the years of the Viking invasions, most famously to fight the Norwegian king Harold Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, just weeks before the cataclysmic Saxon defeat at Hastings.

Unit Name Select Spearmen

Main Unit Key cha_eng_select_spear

Land Unit Key cha_eng_select_spear

Naval Unit Key cha_longship_transport

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Spear Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 250

Recruitment Cost 250

Upkeep Cost 75

Melee Attack 28

Melee Damage 32

├ Melee Weapon att_spear

├ Melee Base Damage 24

├ Armour-piercing Damage 8

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 20

├ Attack Against Elephants 20

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 18

Melee Defence 61

├ Base Defence 36

├ Shield cha_round

└ Shield Defence 25

Armour 10

├ Armour cha_cloth_helmet

├ Armour Defence 10

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity cha_infantry_medium

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 36

Abilities

• Spear Wall
  The unit moves into close wall formation.

Attributes

• Expert Charge Defence
  This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses

Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Cost 100 Upgrade From

Garrison Buildings
x 2	Church (cha_bld_church_1) Level 1 Minster (cha_bld_church_2) Level 2 Small City (cha_bld_city_1) Level 1 City (cha_bld_city_2) Level 2 Court (cha_bld_court_1) Level 1 Royal Court (cha_bld_court_2) Level 2 Guardhouse (cha_bld_garrison_1) Level 0 Garrison Encampment (cha_bld_garrison_2) Level 1 Garrison Quarters (cha_bld_garrison_3) Level 2 Manor (cha_bld_manor_1) Level 1 Manorial Court (cha_bld_manor_2) Level 2 Market Village (cha_bld_market_town_1) Level 1 Market Town (cha_bld_market_town_2) Level 2
x 3	Cathedral (cha_bld_church_3) Level 3 Trade City (cha_bld_city_3) Level 3 Palace (cha_bld_court_3) Level 3 Grand Manor (cha_bld_manor_3) Level 3 Great Market Town (cha_bld_market_town_3) Level 3

Faction Availability
Age of Charlemagne	Kingdom of Kent (Age of Charlemagne) Kingdom of Mercia (Age of Charlemagne) Kingdom of Northumbria (Age of Charlemagne) English Rebels (Age of Charlemagne) English Separatists (Age of Charlemagne) Mercian Separatists (Age of Charlemagne) Kingdom of Wessex (Age of Charlemagne)