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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Epirus / Units / Pikemen
Pikemen EpirusEpirus Pike Infantry

Pikemen

This tightly packed pike formation is a clenched fist.

A tightly formed phalanx of sarissa-armed infantry presented an almost impenetrable wall of spear points, especially to cavalry. The sarissa itself was a two-handed spear or pike, between four and seven metres long, and was adopted by the armies of Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Successors that followed them. With an iron tip and a bronze butt-spike which provided balance and could be dug into the ground to bolster a defensive stance, it was an effective weapon for mass combat. When advancing in close order against the enemy, each man would occupy a square roughly a metre to a side, with the sarissas of the first five ranks projecting beyond the phalanx. On the defensive the phalanxes would close up, locking together with each man resting his shield on the man in front for greater stability. Such formations sacrificed manoeuvrability, leading to their main weakness on their flanks and rear. Philip II’s employment of the sarissa, and this new Macedonian-style phalanx, developed from earlier hoplite warfare. There is some debate as to whether his wounding by either an Illyrian or Thracian long spear, which killed his mount, may have influenced the sarissa's introduction.

Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen Pikemen
Pikemen

Unit Name

Pikemen

Main Unit Key

Gre_Pike

Land Unit Key

Gre_Pike

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Pike Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

600

Recruitment Cost

600

Upkeep Cost

110

Melee Attack

34

Weapon Damage

24

├ Melee Weapon

rome_pike

├ Melee Damage Base

20

├ Melee Damage Ap

4

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

7

Melee Defence

25

├ Base Defence

15

├ Shield

pikemen

└ Shield Defence

10

Armour

65

├ Armour

spolas

├ Armour Defence

35

└ Shield Armour

30

Health

55

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_heavy_pike

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

15

Base Morale

45

Abilities

Pikemen
  • Pike Phalanx
    The unit moves into a deep, close defensive formation.
    Bonus vs cavalry, bracing
    Limited speed

Attributes

  • Disciplined
    This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
  • Formation Attack
    The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee.
  • 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
Pikemen
  • Good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Normal morale
  • Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings
Pikemen Lv. 0 Holosideros Barracks
Holosideros Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_2)
Level 1
Hoplite Barracks
Hoplite Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_3)
Level 2
Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_4)
Level 3
Garrison Buildings
Pikemen x 1 Village (Amber Shore)
Village (Amber Shore)
(greek_amber_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Amber Collector)
Settlement (Amber Collector)
(greek_amber_2)
Level 1
Town (Amber Trader)
Town (Amber Trader)
(greek_amber_3)
Level 2
Colony (Amber Road)
Colony (Amber Road)
(greek_amber_4)
Level 3
City
City
(greek_city_1)
Level 0
Polis
Polis
(greek_city_2)
Level 1
Megapolis
Megapolis
(greek_city_3)
Level 2
Metropolis
Metropolis
(greek_city_4)
Level 3
Village (Glassware)
Village (Glassware)
(greek_glass_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Glass Blower)
Settlement (Glass Blower)
(greek_glass_2)
Level 1
Town (Glass Maker)
Town (Glass Maker)
(greek_glass_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Glass Maker)
Colony (Master Glass Maker)
(greek_glass_4)
Level 3
Village (Gold Mine)
Village (Gold Mine)
(greek_gold_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(greek_gold_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(greek_gold_3)
Level 2
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
(greek_gold_4)
Level 3
Village (Grain Fields)
Village (Grain Fields)
(greek_grain_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Grain Farms)
Settlement (Grain Farms)
(greek_grain_2)
Level 1
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
(greek_grain_3)
Level 2
Colony (Grain Estate)
Colony (Grain Estate)
(greek_grain_4)
Level 3
Village (Horse Trainers)
Village (Horse Trainers)
(greek_horse_1)
Level 0
Town (Horse Breeders)
Town (Horse Breeders)
(greek_horse_2)
Level 1
Colony (Master Horse Breeders)
Colony (Master Horse Breeders)
(greek_horse_3)
Level 2
Village (Iron Workshop)
Village (Iron Workshop)
(greek_iron_1)
Level 0
Town (Shieldmaker)
Town (Shieldmaker)
(greek_iron_armour_2)
Level 1
Colony (Armourer)
Colony (Armourer)
(greek_iron_armour_3)
Level 2
Town (Blacksmith)
Town (Blacksmith)
(greek_iron_weapon_2)
Level 1
Colony (Weaponsmith)
Colony (Weaponsmith)
(greek_iron_weapon_3)
Level 2
Village (Lead Mine)
Village (Lead Mine)
(greek_lead_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(greek_lead_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(greek_lead_3)
Level 2
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
Colony (Sluiced Mine)
(greek_lead_4)
Level 3
Village (Tannery)
Village (Tannery)
(greek_leather_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
(greek_leather_2)
Level 1
Town (Leather Workshop)
Town (Leather Workshop)
(greek_leather_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Leather Workshop)
Colony (Master Leather Workshop)
(greek_leather_4)
Level 3
Village (Loggers)
Village (Loggers)
(greek_lumber_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Logging Camp)
Settlement (Logging Camp)
(greek_lumber_2)
Level 1
Town (Timber Yard)
Town (Timber Yard)
(greek_lumber_3)
Level 2
Colony (Timber Trader)
Colony (Timber Trader)
(greek_lumber_4)
Level 3
Village (Marble Pit)
Village (Marble Pit)
(greek_marble_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
(greek_marble_2)
Level 1
Town (Marble Cutter)
Town (Marble Cutter)
(greek_marble_3)
Level 2
Colony (Marble Architect)
Colony (Marble Architect)
(greek_marble_4)
Level 3
Village (Olive Grove)
Village (Olive Grove)
(greek_olive_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Olive Press)
Settlement (Olive Press)
(greek_olive_2)
Level 1
Town (Mola Olearia)
Town (Mola Olearia)
(greek_olive_3)
Level 2
Colony (Olive Oil Trader)
Colony (Olive Oil Trader)
(greek_olive_4)
Level 3
Village (Murex Snail Farm)
Village (Murex Snail Farm)
(greek_purple_dye_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Snail Vats)
Settlement (Snail Vats)
(greek_purple_dye_2)
Level 1
Town (Dye Works)
Town (Dye Works)
(greek_purple_dye_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Dye Works)
Colony (Master Dye Works)
(greek_purple_dye_4)
Level 3
Village (Silk Trader)
Village (Silk Trader)
(greek_silk_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
(greek_silk_2)
Level 1
Town (Silk Market)
Town (Silk Market)
(greek_silk_3)
Level 2
Colony (Silk Road)
Colony (Silk Road)
(greek_silk_4)
Level 3
Village (Spice Depot)
Village (Spice Depot)
(greek_spice_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
(greek_spice_2)
Level 1
Town (Spice Producer)
Town (Spice Producer)
(greek_spice_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Spice Producer)
Colony (Master Spice Producer)
(greek_spice_4)
Level 3
Village
Village
(greek_town_1)
Level 0
Civil Settlement
Civil Settlement
(greek_town_civil_2)
Level 1
Civil Town
Civil Town
(greek_town_civil_3)
Level 2
Civil Colony
Civil Colony
(greek_town_civil_4)
Level 3
Farming Settlement
Farming Settlement
(greek_town_farm_2)
Level 1
Farming Town
Farming Town
(greek_town_farm_3)
Level 2
Farming Colony
Farming Colony
(greek_town_farm_4)
Level 3
Market Settlement
Market Settlement
(greek_town_trade_2)
Level 1
Market Town
Market Town
(greek_town_trade_3)
Level 2
Market Colony
Market Colony
(greek_town_trade_4)
Level 3
Village (Vineyard)
Village (Vineyard)
(greek_wine_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
(greek_wine_2)
Level 1
Town (Winemaker)
Town (Winemaker)
(greek_wine_3)
Level 2
Colony (Master Winemaker)
Colony (Master Winemaker)
(greek_wine_4)
Level 3