Tarantinoi Leukaspidai
(Tarantine White Shield Pikemen)A phalanx of pikemen, the white shields are modelled on their hoplite forebears and, subsequently, the Alexandrian pike reforms. Their most distinctive feature, and the one which gives them their name, is their white painted shield, emblazoned with the name of their king.
During his final years on campaign, Alexander the Great renamed his elite hypaspist infantrymen argyraspides or 'Silver Shields'. Following Alexander’s untimely death, his generals fought each other for territory and the enormous power that came with it. When the smoke cleared, the former 'commander-in-chief of the camp', Seleucus, controlled Babylon and several other eastern satrapies, proclaiming himself king in 306BC. His territory became known as the Seleucid Empire, and the Silver Shields formed the elite of its armies from the very beginning. Throughout most of their tenure they were equipped in the Macedonian fashion and trained for phalanx combat like their illustrious forebears. However, following their catastrophic defeat at Magnesia in 190BC by the Romans, the Seleucids began to re-model the Silver Shields on the impressive Roman legionaries who defeated them, certainly in equipment if not in tactics. It is thought that the 5000 men at the head of the Daphne Parade in 166BC were Silver Shields equipped in this way.
Unit Name Tarantinoi Leukaspidai |
Main Unit Key AOR_44_Tarantine_White_Shield_Pike |
Land Unit Key AOR_44_Tarantine_White_Shield_Pike |
Naval Unit Key pel_transport |
Soldiers 256 |
Category Melee Infantry |
Class Hoplite/Pike Infantry |
Custom Battle Cost 1023 |
Recruitment Cost 1023 |
Upkeep Cost 205 |
Melee Attack 33 |
9 |
├ Melee Weapon pike3 |
├ Weapon Damage 9 |
├ Weapon Deadliness 0 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Cavalry 3 |
├ Bonus vs. Elephants 8 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 10 |
60 |
├ Base Defence 19 |
├ Shield shield4 |
└ Shield Defence 41 |
12 |
├ Armour arm7 |
├ Armour Defence 12 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
20 |
├ Man Entity medium_heavy |
├ Man Health 20 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
Base Morale 50 |
Abilities
Tarantinoi Leukaspidai- Stamina (average)
Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat. - Pike Phalanx
The unit moves into a deep and close pike phalanx formation that increases frontal defense and attack but movement speed is reduced and the unit is vulnerable to flanking attacks.
Attributes
- Disciplined
This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often. - 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
- Very good defensive unit
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Average attack
- Good morale
- Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Samnite Wars | |
Caesar in Gaul | |
Hannibal at the Gates | |
Imperator Augustus |