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Roxolanoi Xistophoroi Massalia (Hannibal at the Gates)Massalia (Hannibal at the Gates) Shock Cavalry

Roxolanoi Xistophoroi

(Roxolani Lancers)

These are hard men, almost-fearless shock cavalry, bred for war on the harsh steppes.

Developed from the cavalry skills of their ancestors, the steppe lancers of the Scythian, or Saka, tribes and the Sarmatians were a type of heavy cavalry comparable to their Hellenic counterparts. They wore scale armour to protect themselves and their mounts, and used a long lance known as a kontos. This enabled them to deliver devastating charges in a fashion comparable to the Alexandrian Companion cavalry. The scale armour was made from horn, or later metal, and allowed the wearers to run down their western counterparts. They were still vulnerable to dense pike or spear-armed formations. Archery provided a solution: sustained volleys from skirmishing foot and horse archers were used to thin and spread out the enemy. At the Battle of Carrhae in 53BC, the tightly-packed Roman infantry were forced to spread out by Parthian archers, which enabled their cataphracts to charge and break an overconfident Roman force four times their number.

Roxolanoi Xistophoroi

Unit Name

Roxolanoi Xistophoroi

Main Unit Key

AOR_27_Roxolani_Lancers

Land Unit Key

AOR_27_Roxolani_Lancers

Naval Unit Key

barbarian_transport

Soldiers

100

Category

Cavalry

Class

Shock Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost

2053

Recruitment Cost

2053

Upkeep Cost

411

Melee Attack

34

Weapon Damage

9

├ Melee Weapon

alance2

├ Weapon Damage

9

├ Weapon Deadliness

0

├ Armour Piercing

Yes

├ Bonus vs. Cavalry

0

├ Bonus vs. Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

2

Charge Bonus

39

Melee Defence

42

├ Base Defence

26

├ Shield

none

└ Shield Defence

16

Armour

18

├ Armour

carm9

├ Armour Defence

18

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

20

├ Man Entity

medium_heavy

├ Man Health

20

├ Bonus Hit Points

0

├ Mount

rome_scythian_horse_lance_h

├ Mount Entity

rome_horse_heavy_shock

└ Mount Health

0

Base Morale

50

Abilities

Roxolanoi Xistophoroi
  • Stamina (average)
    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.
  • Resistant to Cold
    This unit tires less quickly in snow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Roxolanoi Xistophoroi
  • Very good charge
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Weak in prolonged melee
  • Good morale
Recuitment Requirement
Maximum Number 6
Unit Resouces DEI_Steppes
Requires Buildings
Roxolanoi Xistophoroi Lv. 0 Hellenistic Kleroukhia
Hellenistic Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_3)
Level 2
Hellenistic Metropolis
Hellenistic Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_4)
Level 3
Hellenic Garrison Kleroukhia
Hellenic Garrison Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_fort_3)
Level 2
Hellenic Fortified Metropolis
Hellenic Fortified Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_fort_4)
Level 3
Hellenic Trade Kleroukhia
Hellenic Trade Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_trade_3)
Level 2
Hellenic Economic Metropolis
Hellenic Economic Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_trade_4)
Level 3
Faction Availability
Grand Campaign



Samnite Wars
Caesar in Gaul
Hannibal at the Gates
Imperator Augustus