Hippeis Thessalikoi
(Thessalian Cavalry)These superb heavy horsemen can smash through most opposition on their first charge.
Thessalian horses, Lacedaemonian women and the men who drink from the sacred Arethusa were, according to one oracle cited by Strabo, the three best things in all of Greece. Regardless of whether the last two parts ring true or not, Thessalian heavy cavalry were without doubt a highly disciplined, mobile and esteemed allied unit in Greek armies. Similar in many respects to the hetairoi, the Macedonian companion cavalry, both units used the xyston double-ended lance, but some evidence suggests that at times shorter spears and javelins may also have been used. Their mobility came from the rhombus formation they adopted, reputedly invented by Jason of Pherae, that enabled a unit to turn with cohesion, form up and charge on any of its four points. During Alexander’s campaigns, the contingent of Thessalian Cavalry accompanying him numbered roughly 2,000 men, 200 for every vote Thessaly had in the League of Corinth. They were commonly assigned the left flank, guarding it from enemy cavalry as the right flank spearheaded the attack.
Unit Name Hippeis Thessalikoi |
Main Unit Key AOR_36_Thessalian_Cavalry |
Land Unit Key AOR_36_Thessalian_Cavalry |
Naval Unit Key pel_transport |
Soldiers 100 |
Category Cavalry |
Class Shock Cavalry |
Custom Battle Cost 1956 |
Recruitment Cost 1956 |
Upkeep Cost 391 |
Melee Attack 39 |
9 |
├ Melee Weapon lance3 |
├ Weapon Damage 9 |
├ Weapon Deadliness 0 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Cavalry 0 |
├ Bonus vs. Elephants 0 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 2 |
Charge Bonus 35 |
48 |
├ Base Defence 32 |
├ Shield none |
└ Shield Defence 16 |
12 |
├ Armour carm5 |
├ Armour Defence 12 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
20 |
├ Man Entity heavy_medium |
├ Man Health 20 |
├ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
├ Mount rome_hellenic_horse_lance_h |
├ Mount Entity rome_horse_heavy_shock |
└ Mount Health 0 |
Base Morale 45 |
Abilities
Hippeis Thessalikoi- Stamina (low)
Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat. - Flying Wedge
The unit assumes a wedge formation that increases charge speed and bonus
Attributes
- Fire Whilst Moving
This unit can fire when mounted and moving. - 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
- Good charge
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Weak in prolonged melee
- Average morale
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Samnite Wars | |
Caesar in Gaul | |
Hannibal at the Gates | |
Imperator Augustus | |
Macedonian Wars |