Jorvik Spear Infantry

Spear Hersir

When the Vikings first set out to pillage the coasts of Europe in the eighth century, those who led the raiding parties were not kings, earls, or jarls, but a lesser rank of war leaders known as hersirs. They were superior warriors who commanded small bands of men, organising them into the shield walls used to defeat the armies that opposed their early incursions into places like Britain. In the Norse context, a hersir was typically an independent landowner or chieftain, but by the tenth century their role had changed into something much less autonomous with many becoming regional military servants of Scandinavian kings and nobles. Many also still gave their military services to earls and jarls as battlefield companions, making them the rough equivalent to the huscarls of the late Anglo-Saxon period.

Being military commanders, hersirs typically donned superior equipment to the men they led on their raids. Armed with spears, they were arguably wielding the oldest purpose-built weapon in existence. Given its comparative cheapness and ease of construction, the spear was one of the most commonly used weapons among all classes of fighting men before and throughout medieval times. Its notable advantage was the longer reach it afforded its bearer, enabling effective engagement with a larger or mounted enemy who might otherwise be out of reach. The Viking tendency to emblazon spears with ostentatious decorative carvings indicates that some were primarily used for thrusting rather than throwing, reducing the possibility of losing what were obviously prized weapons.

Unit Name Spear Hersir

Main Unit Key vik_spear_hersir

Land Unit Key vik_spear_hersir

Naval Unit Key vik_dreki

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Spear Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 650

Recruitment Cost 650

Upkeep Cost 200

Melee Skill 35

Melee Damage 32

├ Melee Weapon vik_spear

├ Melee Base Damage 22

├ Armour-piercing Damage 10

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 25

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 24

Melee Defence 65

├ Base Defence 35

├ Shield vik_medium

└ Shield 30

Armour 22

├ Armour vik_mail

├ Armour Defence 22

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_med

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 47

Abilities

• Shield Castle
  "Heads down, lads, things are about to get a little hairy around here!"
  Units cannot move in this formation.

Attributes

• [[col:yellow]]Expert Charge Defence[[/col]]
  This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies.
• [[col:yellow]]Disciplined[[/col]]
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses

Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade From
Upgrade
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade To

Faction Availability
Thrones of Britannia	Dene Dubgaill Finngaill Haeden Jorvik Nordmann Norse Viking Rebels Viking Usurpers Wicing