Roxolani Shock Cavalry

Roxolani Royal Lancers

These heavy Roxolani cavalry are an elite lancer cavalry force, especially adept with the kontos lance.

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 armor 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. Particularly, the Roxolani were well-versed in the use of the kontos lance. The scale armor 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 53 BC, 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.

Abilities

Roxolani Royal Lancers

• 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.
• Resistant to Cold
  This unit tires less quickly in snow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport

• Very poor hull strength
• Very slow speed
• Weak ramming

Roxolani Royal Lancers

• Very good charge
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Weak in prolonged melee
• Good morale

Roxolani Units
General (5)
1.Noble Horse Archers
2.Steppe Noble Lancers
3.Sarmatian Royal Lancers
4.Roxolani Royal Lancers
5.Royal Guard Macemen
Melee Infantry (11)
6.Young Axes
7.Sarmatian Sword Band
8.Sarmatian Axe Marauders
9.Steppe Swordsmen
10.Royal Guard Macemen
11.Siracene Swordsmen
12.Steppe Axemen
13.Steppe Armoured Axemen
14.Sarmatian Royal Swordsmen
15.Sarmatian Axe Band
16.Chosen Sarmatian Infantry
Missile Infantry (2)
17.Steppe Archers
18.Royal Guard Archers
Spear Infantry (7)
19.Steppe Spearmen
20.Tribesmen
21.Chosen Sarmantian Spearmen
22.Royal Guard Spearmen
23.Steppe Armoured Spearmen
24.Sarmatian Veteran Spears
25.Spears of Tabiti
Melee Cavalry (3)
26.Sarmatian Horsemen
27.Sarmatian Riders
28.Sarmatian Light Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (3)
29.Armoured Horse Archers
30.Steppe Horse Archers
31.Noble Horse Archers
Shock Cavalry (6)
32.Steppe Armoured Lancers
33.Steppe Lancers
34.Steppe Noble Lancers
35.Sarmatian Royal Lancers
36.Sarmatian Armored Lancers
37.Roxolani Royal Lancers
Field Artillery (2)
38.Steppe Bastion Ballista
39.Steppe Ballista
Admiral (2)
40.Medium Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
41.Heavy Raider - Steppe Spearmen
Melee Ship (4)
42.Medium Assault Raider - Young Axes
43.Persian Assault Teteres - Steppe Spearmen
44.Heavy Raider - Steppe Spearmen
45.Assault Raider - Tribesmen
Missile Ship (3)
46.Greek Missile Penteres - Steppe Archers
47.Medium Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
48.Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
Artillery Ship (1)
49.Roman Light Artillery Quinquereme - Eastern Ballista (Ship)