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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Spartan Gerousia / Units / Helot Archers
Helot Archers Spartan GerousiaSpartan Gerousia Missile Infantry

Helot Archers

A slave can pull a bowstring as well as any free man.

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.

Helot Archers Helot Archers Helot Archers Helot Archers Helot Archers
Helot Archers

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

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Helot Archers
  • Long range
  • Average rate of fire
  • Good damage but low armour penetration
  • Very weak in melee
  • Very poor morale
Requires Buildings
Helot Archers Lv. 0 Periokos Camp
Periokos Camp
(greek_military_light_2)
Level 1
Skirmisher Camp
Skirmisher Camp
(greek_military_light_3)
Level 2
Mercenary Camp
Mercenary Camp
(greek_military_light_4)
Level 3
Garrison Buildings
Helot Archers x 2 Skirmisher Camp
Skirmisher Camp
(greek_military_light_3)
Level 2
Mercenary Camp
Mercenary Camp
(greek_military_light_4)
Level 3