Spartan Pikemen
Spartan traditions and Macedonian pikes, combined to deadly effect.When Cleomenes III succeeded his father, Leonidas II, as King of Sparta in 235BC, he attempted to return Sparta to its former glory, reintroducing the traditional Spartan military system to bolster the city’s dwindling population, even raising some perioikoi to full citizenship. He also improved the weapons and battle tactics of his existing forces, equipping his hoplites with long sarissa pikes, replacing the shorter hoplite spears that had been used for the last 500 years. The Spartan army that took to the battlefield after his reforms was comprised largely of citizen recruits well-versed in the tactics that had dominated Greek warfare since the rise of Macedon 100 years before. Its Macedonian-style phalanx was employed with some success, as Cleomenes’ forces initially countered the rising power of the Achaean League, but they were eventually defeated at Sellasia in 222BC. Cleomenes fled to Egypt, where he was eventually forced into taking his own life after a failed coup to conquer Alexandria.
Unit Name Spartan Pikemen |
Main Unit Key Gre_Spartan_Pike |
Land Unit Key Gre_Spartan_Pike |
Naval Unit Key pel_transport |
Soldiers 160 |
Category Melee Infantry |
Class Pike Infantry |
Custom Battle Cost 720 |
Recruitment Cost 720 |
Upkeep Cost 100 |
Melee Attack 41 |
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 9 |
28 |
├ Base Defence 18 |
├ Shield pikemen |
└ Shield Defence 10 |
65 |
├ Armour spolas |
├ Armour Defence 35 |
└ Shield Armour 30 |
70 |
├ Man Entity rome_infantry_spartan |
├ Man Health 50 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 20 |
Base Morale 60 |
Abilities
Spartan 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
- Good defensive unit
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Average attack
- Normal morale
- Very vulnerable when not in phalanx
Requires Buildings | |
---|---|
Lv. 0 |
Hoplite Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_3) Level 2
Royal Barracks
(greek_military_heavy_4) Level 3 |
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Imperator Augustus |