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African Pikemen Punic RebelsPunic Rebels Pike Infantry

African Pikemen

These armoured pikemen form a powerful phalanx that can push back enemies.

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.

African Pikemen African Pikemen African Pikemen
African Pikemen

Unit Name

African Pikemen

Main Unit Key

Car_African_Pike

Land Unit Key

Car_African_Pike

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Pike Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

700

Recruitment Cost

700

Upkeep Cost

130

Melee Attack

38

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

10

Melee Defence

25

├ Base Defence

15

├ Shield

pikemen

└ Shield Defence

10

Armour

70

├ Armour

mail

├ Armour Defence

40

└ Shield Armour

30

Health

55

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_heavy_pike

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

15

Base Morale

55

Abilities

African 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.
  • Resistant to Heat
    This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
African Pikemen
  • Good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Normal morale
  • Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings
African Pikemen Lv. 0 Hoplite Barracks
Hoplite Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_3)
Level 2
Royal Barracks
Royal Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_4)
Level 3