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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Carthage (Rise of the Republic) / Units / Sacred Band
Sacred Band Carthage (Rise of the Republic)Carthage (Rise of the Republic) Spear Infantry

Sacred Band

The best and bravest of Carthage trained to fight as hoplites.

The Sacred Band were a phalanx of veteran spearmen, raised in Carthage, and trained and armoured in Greek hoplite fashion. They were unique in that they were drawn from the populace of the city itself, rather than being allies, levied subject peoples or mercenaries; these were the groups that normally made up Carthaginian armies. Chosen from the nobility and wealthy citizens, they were well trained and disciplined. Thanks to their social status they could afford the full panoply of hoplite armour: a bronze cuirass, greaves and helm, and a hoplon shield. In the case of the Sacred Band these were predominately white in colour. Armed with hoplite spears, tipped with an iron head and bronze butt-spike for balance, members of the Sacred Band also carried straight swords. Renowned for their valour, even in defeat, the Sacred Band was expected to fight to the last, and did so at the Battle of the Crimissus in 340BC. Their numbers never recovered and in time the pressure of Carthage’s wars with Rome meant that the Sacred Band was superseded by mercenary armies, paid for by Carthage's trading wealth. These armies still had small numbers of Carthaginian citizens and Liby-Phoenicians, but the Sacred Band of old was no more.

Sacred Band

Unit Name

Sacred Band

Main Unit Key

inv_car_sacred_band

Land Unit Key

inv_car_sacred_band

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Spear Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

1170

Recruitment Cost

1170

Upkeep Cost

200

Melee Attack

42

Weapon Damage

29

├ Melee Weapon

rome_spear_elite

├ Melee Damage Base

24

├ Melee Damage Ap

5

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

20

├ Bonus vs Elephants

20

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

22

Melee Defence

59

├ Base Defence

44

├ Shield

hoplite

└ Shield Defence

15

Armour

105

├ Armour

bronze

├ Armour Defence

60

└ Shield Armour

45

Health

65

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_hoplite

├ Man Health

45

└ Bonus Hit Points

20

Base Morale

70

Abilities

Sacred Band
  • Hoplite Wall
    The unit moves into close wall formation.
    Bracing, melee defence, shield strength
    Acceleration, speed

Attributes

  • Expert Charge Defence
    This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies.
  • Disciplined
    This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
  • Encourage
    This unit provides a morale bonus to nearby allies.
  • 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

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Sacred Band
  • Very good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Good morale
Requires Buildings
Sacred Band Lv. 0 Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(inv_car_military_heavy_4)
Level 3
Garrison Buildings
Sacred Band x 6 Capitoline Hill
Capitoline Hill
(inv_all_capitoline_hill)
Level 0
Sacred Band x 2 Settlement (Amber Collector)
Settlement (Amber Collector)
(inv_car_amber_2)
Level 1
Town (Amber Trader)
Town (Amber Trader)
(inv_car_amber_3)
Level 2
Colony (Amber Road)
Colony (Amber Road)
(inv_car_amber_4)
Level 3
Polis
Polis
(inv_car_city_2)
Level 1
Hadast
Hadast
(inv_car_city_3)
Level 2
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(inv_car_gold_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(inv_car_gold_3)
Level 2
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
(inv_car_gold_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Grain Farms)
Settlement (Grain Farms)
(inv_car_grain_2)
Level 1
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
(inv_car_grain_3)
Level 2
Colony (Grain Estate)
Colony (Grain Estate)
(inv_car_grain_4)
Level 3
Town (Shieldmaker)
Town (Shieldmaker)
(inv_car_iron_armour_2)
Level 1
Colony (Armourer)
Colony (Armourer)
(inv_car_iron_armour_3)
Level 2
Town (Blacksmith)
Town (Blacksmith)
(inv_car_iron_weapon_2)
Level 1
Colony (Weaponsmith)
Colony (Weaponsmith)
(inv_car_iron_weapon_3)
Level 2
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(inv_car_lead_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(inv_car_lead_3)
Level 2
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
(inv_car_lead_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
(inv_car_leather_2)
Level 1
Town (Leather Workshop)
Town (Leather Workshop)
(inv_car_leather_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Leather Workshop)
Colony (Master Leather Workshop)
(inv_car_leather_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Logging Camp)
Settlement (Logging Camp)
(inv_car_lumber_2)
Level 1
Town (Timber Yard)
Town (Timber Yard)
(inv_car_lumber_3)
Level 2
Colony (Timber Trader)
Colony (Timber Trader)
(inv_car_lumber_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
(inv_car_marble_2)
Level 1
Town (Marble Cutter)
Town (Marble Cutter)
(inv_car_marble_3)
Level 2
Colony (Marble Architect)
Colony (Marble Architect)
(inv_car_marble_4)
Level 3
Combat Posts
Combat Posts
(inv_car_military_buff_defence_2)
Level 1
Ephebic College
Ephebic College
(inv_car_military_buff_defence_3)
Level 2
Holosideros Barracks
Holosideros Barracks
(inv_car_military_heavy_2)
Level 1
Hoplite Barracks
Hoplite Barracks
(inv_car_military_heavy_3)
Level 2
Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(inv_car_military_heavy_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Olive Press)
Settlement (Olive Press)
(inv_car_olive_2)
Level 1
Town (Mola Olearia)
Town (Mola Olearia)
(inv_car_olive_3)
Level 2
Colony (Olive Oil Trader)
Colony (Olive Oil Trader)
(inv_car_olive_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Snail Vats)
Settlement (Snail Vats)
(inv_car_purple_dye_2)
Level 1
Town (Dye Works)
Town (Dye Works)
(inv_car_purple_dye_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Dye Works)
Colony (Master Dye Works)
(inv_car_purple_dye_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
(inv_car_silk_2)
Level 1
Town (Silk Market)
Town (Silk Market)
(inv_car_silk_3)
Level 2
Colony (Silk Road)
Colony (Silk Road)
(inv_car_silk_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
(inv_car_spice_2)
Level 1
Town (Spice Producer)
Town (Spice Producer)
(inv_car_spice_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Spice Producer)
Colony (Master Spice Producer)
(inv_car_spice_4)
Level 3
Civil Colony
Civil Colony
(inv_car_town_civil_4)
Level 3
Farming Colony
Farming Colony
(inv_car_town_farm_4)
Level 3
Market Colony
Market Colony
(inv_car_town_trade_4)
Level 3
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
(inv_greek_wine_2)
Level 1
Town (Winemaker)
Town (Winemaker)
(inv_greek_wine_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Winemaker)
Colony (Master Winemaker)
(inv_greek_wine_4)
Level 3
Sacred Band x 4 Metropolis
Metropolis
(inv_car_city_4)
Level 3
Civil Town
Civil Town
(inv_car_town_civil_3)
Level 2
Farming Town
Farming Town
(inv_car_town_farm_3)
Level 2
Market Town
Market Town
(inv_car_town_trade_3)
Level 2