Sparta Missile Infantry

Helot Archers

An unfree class of non-citizens within Sparta's zone of control, the helots were slaves in most respects. Agricultural labourers, they worked the rich valleys of Eurotas and Pamisos, on which Laconia and Messenia were situated, and were forced to give up half of their produce to the Spartan elite. In addition, helots would also be assigned to Spartan citizens as household servants. Sometimes pressed into military service, helots would be employed as peltasts, and in some cases gained their freedom through such service. Following an earthquake in 464BC which devastated Sparta and possibly claimed as many as 20,000 lives the helots, mainly from Messenia, revolted alongside the perioikoi of Aithaia and Thouria. Cruel and bitter treatment of the helots by their Spartan overlords intensified after this event, and may have led to the tradition of the autumnal krypteia. A declaration of war against the helots made by the ephors, during the krypteia members of the Spartan agoge could prove their skill as warriors. Armed only with a knife, they were expected to live off the land whilst sanctioned to spy on, steal from, and kill the helots. However, this worked both ways, as any young Spartan caught by the helots could be beaten to death for allowing his capture.

Unit Name Helot Archers

Main Unit Key Gre_Helot_Archers

Land Unit Key Gre_Helot_Archers

Naval Unit Key pel_transport

Soldiers 120

Category Missile Infantry

Class Missile Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 250

Recruitment Cost 250

Upkeep Cost 70

Missile Damage 35

├ Missile Weapon rome_bow

├ Projectile arrow_normal

├ Missile Damage 31

├ Missile Ap Damage 4

└ Base Reload Time 12

Accuracy 5

Range 125

Reload 13

Shots Per Minute 6

Ammunition 15

Melee Attack 8

Weapon Damage 24

├ Melee Weapon rome_shortsword

├ 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 3

Melee Defence 12

├ Base Defence 12

├ Shield none

└ Shield Defence 0

Armour 10

├ Armour cloth

├ Armour Defence 10

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 45

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_very_light

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 5

Base Morale 25

Abilities

No Ability

Attributes

• Resistant to Fatigue
  Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
• Hide (scrub & forest)
  This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

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

• Long range
• Average rate of fire
• Good damage but low armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Periokos Camp (greek_military_light_2) Level 1 Skirmisher Camp (greek_military_light_3) Level 2 Mercenary Camp (greek_military_light_4) Level 3

Garrison Buildings
x 2	Skirmisher Camp (greek_military_light_3) Level 2 Mercenary Camp (greek_military_light_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Spartan Rebels Sparta Spartan Gerousia Spartan Secessionists
Imperator Augustus	Spartan Rebels (Imperator Augustus)