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Equites Rome (Samnite Wars)Rome (Samnite Wars) Melee Cavalry

Equites

The cavalry elite of Roman society can be among its most effective defenders.

Recruited from the gentry and lower aristocratic classes of Roman society, the equites were the cavalrymen of the royal and early Republican Roman armies. To be a member of the equestrian class meant that a man was rich enough to keep a horse, and provide his own armour, shield and spear. There were usually some 300 equites in each Republican Legion, organised into ten turmae of thirty horsemen each under the command of three decuriones. One of these men would be the praefectus, or commander, of the squadron. Mostly drawn from the young sons of elite society, these were men keen to show their courage. Showing prowess on the battlefield was an important step towards gaining political office and prestige for their families. Mundane duties such as patrol or reconnaissance would be the work of the equites extraordinarii of the Socii, the Romans’ collected Italian allies. During the Samnite and Punic Wars, the equites’ ranks were opened to first class commoners. Although they received none of the equestrians' social and political powers, they eventually replaced the aristocracy in the ranks of the Roman cavalry, allowing the equestrians to become senior officers in the newer Marian Legions.

Equites

Unit Name

Equites

Main Unit Key

Rom_Equites

Land Unit Key

Rom_Equites

Naval Unit Key

roman_transport

Soldiers

90

Category

Cavalry

Class

Melee Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost

520

Recruitment Cost

520

Upkeep Cost

70

Melee Attack

24

Weapon Damage

29

├ Melee Weapon

rome_spear_cav

├ Melee Damage Base

19

├ Melee Damage Ap

10

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

10

├ Bonus vs Elephants

12

└ Bonus vs Infantry

10

Charge Bonus

26

Melee Defence

69

├ Base Defence

34

├ Shield

cavalry

└ Shield Defence

35

Armour

87

├ Armour

mail

├ Armour Defence

57

└ Shield Armour

30

Health

105

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health

55

├ Bonus Hit Points

10

├ Mount

rome_horse_spear_shield_m

├ Mount Entity

rome_horse_medium

└ Mount Health

40

Base Morale

40

Abilities

Equites
  • Draco
    Reduces the effectiveness against mounted units of any nearby enemies for an extended time.
    Bonus vs cavalry, bonus vs elephants, bracing
  • Cavalry Testudo
    The unit raises their shields and turns towards the aggressor.
    Protection against missiles
    Can't move
  • Flying Wedge
    The unit moves into a flying wedge-shaped attack formation.
    Charge bonus, melee attack
    Acceleration, melee defence

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
Equites
  • Average attack
  • Weak defence
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Poor morale
Upgrade
Required Technology Professional Soldiery Cost 300 Upgrade To Legionary Cavalry
Requires Buildings
Equites Lv. 0 Manipular Barracks
Manipular Barracks
(rome_military_main_2)
Level 1
Cohort Barracks
Cohort Barracks
(rome_military_main_3)
Level 2
Civil Town
Civil Town
(rome_town_civil_3)
Level 2
Market Town
Market Town
(rome_town_trade_3)
Level 2
Equites Lv. 1 Legionary Barracks
Legionary Barracks
(rome_military_main_4)
Level 3
Civil Colonia
Civil Colonia
(rome_town_civil_4)
Level 3
Market Colonia
Market Colonia
(rome_town_trade_4)
Level 3