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Thessalikoi Phalangitai Messene (Macedonian Wars)Messene (Macedonian Wars) Hoplite/Pike Infantry

Thessalikoi Phalangitai

(Thessalian Pikemen)

This tightly packed formation of pikemen is a potent clenched fist aimed at an enemy line.

A tightly formed phalanx of sarissa-armed infantry presented an almost impenetrable wall of spear points, especially to cavalry. The sarissa itself was a two-handed spear or pike, between four and seven metres long, and was adopted by the armies of Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Successors that followed them. With an iron tip and a bronze butt-spike which provided balance and could be dug into the ground to bolster a defensive stance, it was an effective weapon for mass combat. When advancing in close order against the enemy, each man would occupy a square roughly a metre to a side, with the sarissas of the first five ranks projecting beyond the phalanx. On the defensive the phalanxes would close up, locking together with each man resting his shield on the man in front for greater stability. Such formations sacrificed manoeuvrability, leading to their main weakness on their flanks and rear. Philip II’s employment of the sarissa, and this new Macedonian-style phalanx, developed from earlier hoplite warfare. There is some debate as to whether his wounding by either an Illyrian or Thracian long spear, which killed his mount, may have influenced the sarissa's introduction.

Thessalikoi Phalangitai

Unit Name

Thessalikoi Phalangitai

Main Unit Key

Gre_Pike_Thessaly

Land Unit Key

Gre_Pike_Thessaly

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

256

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Hoplite/Pike Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

995

Recruitment Cost

995

Upkeep Cost

199

Melee Attack

32

Weapon Damage

9

├ Melee Weapon

pike2

├ Weapon Damage

9

├ Weapon Deadliness

0

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Cavalry

2

├ Bonus vs. Elephants

6

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

8

Melee Defence

45

├ Base Defence

14

├ Shield

shield2

└ Shield Defence

31

Armour

12

├ Armour

arm7

├ Armour Defence

12

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

20

├ Man Entity

light_heavy

├ Man Health

20

└ Bonus Hit Points

0

Base Morale

45

Abilities

Thessalikoi Phalangitai
  • Stamina (low)
    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

  • 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
Thessalikoi Phalangitai
  • Good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Normal morale
  • Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings
Thessalikoi Phalangitai Lv. 0 Muster Field
Muster Field
(rom_HELLENIC_military_main_1)
Level 0
Holosideros Barracks
Holosideros Barracks
(rom_HELLENIC_military_main_heavy_2)
Level 1
Hoplite Barracks
Hoplite Barracks
(rom_HELLENIC_military_main_heavy_3)
Level 2
Thessalikoi Phalangitai Lv. 1 Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(rom_HELLENIC_military_main_heavy_4)
Level 3