Masaesyli Spear Infantry

Desert Vigiles

Numidia had a fierce warrior tradition, partly because the eastern Massylii and western Masaesyli had a history of bitter feuding and internal warfare. They took, and changed, sides in the Punic Wars to suit their own agendas, only emerging as a single state after the cataclysmic Battle of Zama in 202BC. The defeat of Carthage allowed the Numidians to expand their lands, eventually leading to the Jugurthine War of 112-105BC against Rome. Numidia’s king, Jugurtha, was only defeated when he was betrayed by his father-in-law, Bocchus. While the Numidians were famed as cavalrymen, their infantry forces were also quite effective. The historian Suetonius mentions that there were Numidian 'legions', a term reserved for Roman troops, when passing comment on Julius Caesar’s speech regarding Juba’s march to aid Scipio before the Battle of Thapsus in 46BC. This suggests that some Numidians were fighting in the Roman style, and were possibly equipped in the same manner. The Numidians also adopted other tactics and war gear, such as the thureos-style shield and hoplite-like spears.

Unit Name Desert Vigiles

Main Unit Key dk_num_desert_vigiles

Land Unit Key dk_num_desert_vigiles

Naval Unit Key pel_transport

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Spear Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 240

Recruitment Cost 240

Upkeep Cost 50

Melee Attack 15

Weapon Damage 25

├ Melee Weapon rome_spear

├ Melee Damage Base 20

├ Melee Damage Ap 5

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 20

├ Bonus vs Elephants 20

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 15

Melee Defence 52

├ Base Defence 22

├ Shield scutum

└ Shield Defence 30

Armour 45

├ Armour cloth

├ Armour Defence 10

└ Shield Armour 35

Health 45

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 5

Base Morale 30

Abilities

• Square
  The unit moves into a close square formation.
  Bracing, morale, melee defence
  Can't move

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.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Very poor hull strength
• Very slow speed
• Weak ramming

• Average defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Weak attack
• Poor morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Roman Military Camp (dk_num_military_roman_3) Level 2 Roman Barracks (dk_num_military_roman_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Masaesyli Massaesyli Tribal Council Massaesyli Secessionists