Spartiatai Epheboi
(Spartan Youths)Young Spartans, not yet ready to fight in a proper phalanx, are tasked with chasing off skirmishers in battle. Their tactics are one inspiration for the Iphicratean reforms of heavier peltasts. Due to their lighter equipment and extensive training, they are able to catch up with light units of other nations - not many can outrun them.
Toughened by years of training within the agoge, Spartan youths were moulded into warriors from the age of seven, becoming 'paidiskoi', or Spartan reserves, in their later teenage years. Separated from their mothers, the first stage of their training was the 'paides', in which they lived communally in one of the Spartan syssitia mess halls. Here they trained and exercised together, learning from their elders, and were purposefully underfed to toughen and accustom them to hunger, and teach them resourcefulness. This extended to depriving them of clothing too, providing only their red cloak each year. This taught the boys to steal, for which they were severely punished if caught, but for being caught, not for stealing from the helot slave population. At eighteen, they became paidiskoi, joining the army as reservists for two years. Armed with the hoplite spear and hoplon, and armoured in cloth, they would support the older Spartan men in battle. A chosen few would also be inducted into the krypteia, a secret organisation that were expected to spy on, steal from and kill the helots. Seen as both a test of ability and a necessary means of keeping the helots submissive, a declaration of war against the helots was made each autumn, effectively legalising the krypteia’s activity.
Unit Name Spartiatai Epheboi |
Main Unit Key Gre_Spartan_Youths |
Land Unit Key Gre_Spartan_Youths |
Naval Unit Key pel_transport |
Soldiers 200 |
Category Melee Infantry |
Class Spear Infantry |
Custom Battle Cost 576 |
Recruitment Cost 576 |
Upkeep Cost 115 |
Melee Attack 32 |
9 |
├ Melee Weapon spear2 |
├ Weapon Damage 9 |
├ Weapon Deadliness 0 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Cavalry 3 |
├ Bonus vs. Elephants 10 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 18 |
78 |
├ Base Defence 20 |
├ Shield shield6 |
└ Shield Defence 58 |
3 |
├ Armour arm1 |
├ Armour Defence 3 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
20 |
├ Man Entity shoplite_light |
├ Man Health 20 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
Base Morale 55 |
Abilities
Spartiatai Epheboi- Stamina (excellent)
Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat.
Attributes
- Expert Charge Defence
This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies. - 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
- Average defensive unit
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Weak attack
- Poor morale
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Imperator Augustus | |
Macedonian Wars |