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Thorax Pikemen BaktriaBaktria Pike Infantry

Thorax Pikemen

A phalanx armed with pikes presents a formidable threat.

Historically, the Macedonian phalanx innovated the use of the fearsome sarissa: a pike of up to 21 feet in length. First introduced to the army by Alexander the Great’s father, Phillip II, the sarissa was cumbersome but created an almost impregnable phalanx formation. Presenting a wall of pikes from five files of men, it protected more of the front ranks and created a much bigger killing zone than the traditional hoplite phalanx. Defensively, the Macedonian phalanx could not only withstand and repel any cavalry or infantry charge to the front, it could also deflect incoming arrows, as the back rows kept their pikes vertical until needed. Arrows were caught up in the raised pikes and fell harmlessly to the ground, where they could be repurposed by the deadly Cretan archers fielded to support the pikes. Thusly, the Macedonian attack, whilst slow-moving, could also be unstoppable: if coordinated and disciplined, it simply steamrollered its enemies from the field. Following his untimely death, the 'Diadochi' - Alexander's 'Successors' - continued to use and further refine pike phalanx combat.

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Thorax Pikemen

Unit Name

Thorax Pikemen

Main Unit Key

Gre_Thorax_Pike

Land Unit Key

Gre_Thorax_Pike

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Pike Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

740

Recruitment Cost

740

Upkeep Cost

130

Melee Attack

39

Weapon Damage

24

├ Melee Weapon

rome_pike

├ Melee Damage Base

20

├ Melee Damage Ap

4

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

9

Melee Defence

33

├ Base Defence

23

├ Shield

pikemen

└ Shield Defence

10

Armour

70

├ Armour

mail

├ Armour Defence

40

└ Shield Armour

30

Health

55

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_heavy_pike

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

15

Base Morale

55

Abilities

Thorax Pikemen
  • Pike Phalanx
    The unit moves into a deep, close defensive formation.
    Bonus vs cavalry, bracing
    Limited speed

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