Best Elite Phalanx

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Name what you consider the best Elite Phalanx in the game. By this I don't mean just sheer punching power, but cost effectiveness, AOR, availability and hidden factors such as tightness of formation and discipline, especially resilience against attack from unexpected areas like the rear or the flanks. And of course just your own inclinations and their look.

I'm fairly sure that people experienced with the Successors already know most of the phalanxes, but you can always consult the Documentation for technical info. The contenders are:

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/makedonia/mak_argyraspidai.gifhttps://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/arche-seleukeia/seleukid_argyraspidai.gif
Argyraspides

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/ptolemaioi/ptol_kleruchikon_agema.gif

Kleurochon Agema

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/epeiros/epe_chaeonian_agema.gif

Chaonion Agema

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/pontos/pon_chalkaspidai.gif

Chalkaspides

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/units/kart-hadast/kar_elite_african_pikes.gif

Elite African Pikemen

[Andy1984]

If you listed the hysteroi phezetaroi, they'd be my choice because of their AoR. They may not be the very elite, but they'll do exactly what one wants.

Chosing between the true elite: argyraspides. Their AoR allows me to train and retrain them not too far from the borders, which is important because it reduces upkeep costs. Their attack values, compared to their massive armour makes them superior over most units you'll encounter in the east. Not too mention the looks...

[gamegeek2]

Elite African Pikemen, highly cost efficient and looks damn cool. The Chaonion Agema is the best looks in my book by far, though.

[miotas]

Elite African Pikemen. Playing as the romani they are a royal pain in the backside. When ever the Karthies invade sicily they always bring along at least one of them. They are the karthie unit I fear most, elephantes go down easily in a hail of pilum, but fighting those pikeman is like assaulting a wall. Plus they look incredible.

[Kevin]

The Kleurochon Agema looks the best but the Chaonion Agema seems better combat-wise

[Jebivjetar]

As i play with Carthage mostly i vote for Elite African pikemen. Anyway, IIRC, they are the only elite pikemen without "good stamina".

My favorite Hellenic pikemen are Chaonion Agema: i won many great victories thanks to them. And they have really cool voice: A-GE-MA!!

[Alsatia]

Those Argyraspidai make me shake to my knees. It may not be so cheap but they are quite formidable.

[Hax]

I like the Chaonion Agema best, because they're Epirote.

[option]

The Chaonion Agema. Morale is through the roof, and they look damn cool. Never had one rout in my own Epirote campaigns, and even fighting Epeiros as the Seleukids I've seen them withstand multiple Hetairoi rear charges while butchering my Pezhetairoi. Plus, you get to wield them alongside one of history's biggest badasses, Pyrrhos Aiakides.

[Head Casse]

I voted for the Argyraspidai.

I'm playing as a phalanx based faction for the first time really and those fellas have saved my noob sauce Makedonian butt on several occasions already. Truely formidable and a great skin to boot.

I'll second the chappy who thought the Epirote Chaonions look the best - they're really sweet and damn tough too. I was continuing my Romani campaign last night and had a dust up with Epiros. The little swine are a tough nut to crack and the AI had spammed a fair few as well. :sweatdrop:

[Fluvius Camillus]

I voted Kleurochon Agema.

When I encounter them in an enemy ptolemie army they are the guys I watch out for. They are extremely annoying. Can fight to the last man even when surrounded and just won't die when not using AP!

Also when I deploy them they always do the job, even when all is lost I can still have them fight to the very end!

They may have limited AOR and high costs, but their fighting makes up for it magnificently.

~Fluvius

[Julius Augustus]

The Chaonion Agema. I personally find Argyraspidai cooler, but that's cause I love Makedon. Statwise, however, there is no phalanx better than the Chaonion Agema. They also look so badass.

[fleaza]

ayrgyaspids are damn good. they dont have the best stats. i know for sure that the makedon argyraspids have higher stats but they have the biggest AOR out of them all(i think) and they look pretty sweet. they do what they do extremely well and i dont think ive ever regretted buying them because theyre so price effective.

[godsakes]

haven't really used them all but of the ones i have the Elite African Pikemen, despite being outclassed stats wise by most of the top tier Phalanx units they are very good value

[Head Casse]

In all honesty, every unit the OP listed are the kind of units you really want to recruit, but you don't particularly want to fight against.

It's come a little late, but I'm finding that phalanx love.

[Ca Putt]

well, speaking as KH player and thus mostly encountered all of them(tho the Malkedon one not too often ;) ) I have to say I fancy the Epirote ones most dangerous. It may just be me (or the fact that I had to fight them with haploi, Sphendotai and Hippakontistai whereas I fought the others with Spartans, Rhodians Thorakitai and Thrakioi Prodromoi :embarassed: ) but they seemed to stand out much more from the Pezhetairoi/Pantadopiai masses who fall much faster, you could practically hear my Soldiers warning each other to stay clear of those guys.

[DaciaJC]

Meh, all the units listed fall easily beneath the blade of a falx... I picked the Elite African Pikemen because they remind me of black widows. :skull:

[Head Casse]

Meh, all the units listed fall easily beneath the blade of a falx

I'm pretty sure we're all aware of how dangerous a falx armed unit can be to close ordered armoured infantry.

I'm also pretty sure the OP wasn't asking for opinions about that.

[athanaric]

The Chaonion Agema. I personally find Argyraspidai cooler, but that's cause I love Makedon. Statwise, however, there is no phalanx better than the Chaonion Agema. They also look so badass.

I have to agree with that.

[DaciaJC]

I'm pretty sure we're all aware of how dangerous a falx armed unit can be to close ordered armoured infantry.

I'm also pretty sure the OP wasn't asking for opinions about that.

No, but if you bothered to look past the obvious, you might have realized that in mentioning the falx, I spelled out my opinion on which is the best elite phalanx: there is none, for all are equally vulnerable when facing the falx [or other AP weapons]. A different perspective, is all.

And to top it all off, I did pick a "best elite phalanx", the EAP, whom I chose merely because of their colors.

[Apázlinemjó]

Chalkaspidai, not because of their looks or stats, but their nice skins. (Actually they are the worst elite phalanx in the game imho.)

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

No, but if you bothered to look past the obvious, you might have realized that in mentioning the falx, I spelled out my opinion on which is the best elite phalanx: there is none, for all are equally vulnerable when facing the falx [or other AP weapons]. A different perspective, is all.

And to top it all off, I did pick a "best elite phalanx", the EAP, whom I chose merely because of their colors.
Well we could always say that the blade of a falx falls easily against Toxotai anyway ~;p.

I'll have to agree myself the Chaonion are the best.

[HunGeneral]

Well I voted argyraspides. Playing alot as Saka I learned to respect these guys for there endurance - they are always the last unit to rout and are the hardest to wair down...
As Arche Seleukeia I learned to value these troppers as the elite of all my phalangites, pluss because of there huge AOR - From Baktria till Makedonia they will gather under the royal banner if called upon by the Basileus to Basileion.

[Companion Cavalry]

I pick the argyraspidai and kleurochon agema. In custom battles I 1v1'ed
every elite phalanx in the game, and these two always came out on top.

And for all the people voting for the African Elite Pikemen, consider the other options as well.
Just because they're the only phalanx you run into in your Romani campaigns doesn't mean they're the best.

[Bucefalo]

The Chaonion Agema, not only are incredibly hard to beat but also have by far the most badass voice of them all :beam:

[jerjes78]

I voted Kleurochon Agema mainly because playing against them either with Rome, Maks, Greeks, Pontus, Hayadan and Baktria is really a torture :furious3:

[Megas Methuselah]

Chalkaspidai. They look hot. There's just something about their bronze shields and armour that is strangely mesmorizing (sp?).

[fleaza]

strangely ive never had trouble with kleurochon agema. the chaonian agema are always a serious threat. they have the highest morale from experience. i always have trouble routing these guys.

[Head Casse]

No, but if you bothered to look past the obvious, you might have realized that in mentioning the falx, I spelled out my opinion on which is the best elite phalanx: there is none, for all are equally vulnerable when facing the falx [or other AP weapons]. A different perspective, is all.

============================================================================

Doesn't work for precisely the reason ATHN mentioned.

Let's agree to disagree.

[The General]

Argyraspidai and Chaonion Agema are the toughest, methinks.

Argyraspidai have the largest AoR. (EAP benefit from the maritime power of the Qarthadastim/postion of Kart-Hadast, though... easy to ship them them around Western Mediterranean, instead of having them march on foot.)

Lookswise, it's a tie, in my opinion that is, between Makedonian Argyraspidai, Chalkaspidai, Elite African Pikemen and Klerouchon Agema.

[spanakoryzo]

Chaonion agema.Limited AoR but still...Their stats are superb and their resiliance legendary.They look great too!

[Elagalabus]

The Chaonion were the bane of my armies while fighting them as the Romani. And those damned Epeirotes didn't just field one or two of them, they had whole battlelines of them facing my armies. Nightmarish battles were the result. To date they are the only unit that has ever managed to rout one of my triarii.:shame:

[Atraphoenix]

Argyraspidai , my worst nightmare :skull: although I send thousands of horse archers and they fire like machine guns they still stands. :yes:
My rush to conquer Seleukeia is for this reason.....

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Chaonion agema.Limited AoR but still...Their stats are superb and their resiliance legendary.They look great too!
Yup, in a Custom Battle with the AI I made to get a bit better used to phalanxes after a while, the Chaonion took a charge of two prodromoi and one hetairoi on the back and still managed to survive the battle with the smallest casualty count of all my phalanxes. And noone of the others had the same fate.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I'd have voted Argyraspides, but seeing they aren't listed I go with Argyraspidai instead.

All elite phalanx units are about equal in (useful) strength (they will all fight till the last man if the circumstances require it, they will all grind any enemy advance to a halt if asked to); but of them the Seleukid Argyraspides are the most useful because of the relatively wide AOR.

Playing as the Arche you quickly learn to appreciate the benefits of having (at least) 5 different centers capable of recruiting these units as opposed to 2 or 3 (consider that the infrastructure must be fairly well developed before these units become available): 2 more centers essentially means giving 2 more armies enough staying power to withstand 2 more invasions at any given time. And it also means much less time (= money) is required to deploy any given Elite Phalanx unit at the (other) front.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I have never had any experience with Chalkaspides I must say, but I suspect they're the best looking, if probably not the best fighting.

Elite African Pikemen I have fought and slaughtered in droves because the Carthies tend to spam them. I've literally worked my way from Kyrene to Kart-Hadast through thousands and thousands of these guys. They ain't bad, but not a challenge either.

Chaonion Agema is not bad, but I have almost zero memories of them, they all date back to my 1.0 Carthage campaign where I conquered Greece from the Epeirotes with an army of Hoplites, and although I remember the Chaonioi as tough, I don't think they are tougher than Argyraspides.

Argyraspides I use since ages, and I fight since ages. They are good, but only marginally better than Hysteroi Pezhetairoi. In a Seleukid army they stand out more than in a Makedonian one.

The best of all these is the Klerouchon Agema. The Ptolemaioi have them in every stack they field alongside Klerouchoi, and they are badass. They are always the last to rout and stand out quite a lot in a Ptolemaic phalanx.

Nevertheless, I voted Argyraspides, because they are the most Makedonian one. They have the best AAR of the contestants and do look really good.

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

I'd have voted Argyraspides, but seeing they aren't listed I go with Argyraspidai instead.

This refers to (all) the units, so I thought the use of the plural was correct :~p.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Aργυρασπις, pl. Αργυρασπιδες (Argyraspis, Argyraspides). "Argyraspidai" is wrong, but Eb is to be blamed for it because they featured "Argyraspidai" I believe till 1.0.

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

I thought it was still the plural form of sg. Argyraspides since it resembles a Latin form, but that's ok.

[Torvus]

I think it's rather obvious that the Chaonian Agema are the "best" elite phalanx, but I prefer the Klerouchon. They have the coolest shield and armor by far, and one of the better AoR's and are pretty much on par with Argyraspides. plus they have awesome heavy infantry to back them up.

[Cute Wolf]

I Choose Argyraspidai because they are widely available to cover most of the regions, and they are the most cost effective.... (guys... in terms of punching powers Chaonion agema is the best... but you couldn't took them to conquer egypt and persia without much depletion... as they are only handy to conquer Hellas as well as burning barbaropolis )

[gamegeek2]

type carthaginian infantry aanatim afrikanim aloophim
dictionary carthaginian_infantry_aanatim_afrikanim_aloophim ; Aanatim Aloopim
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type General_1
soldier hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoiagema_eliteafricanpikeman_chaeonianagema_argyraspidai_hysteroi_chalkas pidai, 60, 0, 1.45
officer ebofficer_lusitanian_carthaginian_officer
mount_effect elephant -1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest
formation 1.1, 1, 2.2, 2, 6, square, phalanx
stat_health 1, 1
stat_pri 18, 0, no, 0, 0, melee, blade, piercing, spear, 0 ,0.17
stat_pri_attr long_pike, light_spear
stat_sec 10, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, slashing, sword, 0 ,0.13
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 12, 7, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 4
stat_ground 0, 0, -5, -3
stat_mental 15, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 2936, 734, 70, 100, 2936
ownership egypt




type hellenistic infantry argyraspidai
dictionary hellenistic_infantry_argyraspidai ; Argyraspidai
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Light_1
soldier hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoiagema_eliteafricanpikeman_chaeonianagema_argyraspidai_hysteroi_chalkas pidai, 60, 0, 1.45
officer ebofficer_hellenic_officer
officer ebofficer_hellenic_standardbearer
mount_effect elephant -1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, hardy
formation 1.1, 1, 2.2, 2, 6, square, phalanx
stat_health 1, 1
stat_pri 19, 0, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, spear, 0 ,0.17
stat_pri_attr long_pike, light_spear
stat_sec 12, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, slashing, sword, 0 ,0.13
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 11, 9, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 3
stat_ground 0, 0, -5, -3
stat_mental 16, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 3996, 999, 269, 654, 3996
ownership macedon, romans_julii

If you look at the two, the argyraspidai beat out the africans by 1 attack and 1 armour, though by 2 on the melee attack. The Africans cost roughly 1000 less and 250 less per turn, while still being superior to Pezhetairoi.

Plus the Africans look badass. Though not as badass as the Chaonion Agema, who also say their name in a badass way, and are the strongest of the elite phalanxes.

[Apázlinemjó]

And +1 mental point to Silver-shields. ;o

Anyway, let's see others:


type greek infantry chaeonian agema
dictionary greek_infantry_chaeonian_agema ; Chaonion Agema
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Heavy_1
soldier hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoiagema_eliteafricanpikeman_chaeonianagema_argyraspidai_hysteroi_chalkas pidai, 60, 0, 1.45
officer ebofficer_hellenic_officer
officer ebofficer_hellenic_standardbearer
mount_effect elephant -1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest
formation 1.1, 1, 2.2, 2, 6, square, phalanx
stat_health 1, 1
stat_pri 19, 0, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, spear, 0 ,0.17
stat_pri_attr long_pike, light_spear
stat_sec 12, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, slashing, sword, 0 ,0.13
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 12, 9, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 5
stat_ground 0, 0, -5, -3
stat_mental 16, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 4056, 1014, 50, 80, 4056
ownership thrace


type hellenistic infantry kleruchoi agemata
dictionary hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoi_agemata ; Kleruchoi Agema
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Medium_1
soldier hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoiagema_eliteafricanpikeman_chaeonianagema_argyraspidai_hysteroi_chalkas pidai, 60, 0, 1.45
officer ebofficer_hellenic_officer
officer ebofficer_hellenic_standardbearer
mount_effect elephant -1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, hardy
formation 1.1, 1, 2.2, 2, 6, square, phalanx
stat_health 1, 1
stat_pri 19, 0, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, spear, 0 ,0.17
stat_pri_attr long_pike, light_spear
stat_sec 12, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, slashing, sword, 0 ,0.13
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 11, 9, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 3
stat_ground 0, 0, -5, -4
stat_mental 16, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 3996, 999, 50, 80, 3996
ownership numidia


type hellenistic infantry chalkaspidai
dictionary hellenistic_infantry_chalkaspidai ; Chalkaspidai
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Heavy_1
soldier hellenistic_infantry_kleruchoiagema_eliteafricanpikeman_chaeonianagema_argyraspidai_hysteroi_chalkas pidai, 60, 0, 1.45
officer ebofficer_hellenic_officer
officer ebofficer_hellenic_standardbearer
mount_effect elephant -1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest
formation 1.1, 1, 2.2, 2, 6, square, phalanx
stat_health 1, 1
stat_pri 18, 0, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, spear, 0 ,0.17
stat_pri_attr long_pike, light_spear
stat_sec 10, 4, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, slashing, sword, 0 ,0.13
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 12, 7, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 5
stat_ground 0, 0, -5, -2
stat_mental 13, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 2936, 734, 224, 877, 2936
ownership carthage

Chalkaspidai has only 13 mental? Wow, that's the reason why they rout so fast compared to the other elites.

[Apázlinemjó]

Hops, double post, sorry.

[Mister V]

Argyraspides are the mainstay of my AS armies, so I'll vote for them. Never seen the Chaonion Agema (possibly because whatever faction fields them is destroyed early on). However the Klerouchon Agema are always a pain, especially when you come to Egypt and find lots of those... they just make too many casualties.

[Apázlinemjó]

Never seen the Chaonion Agema (possibly because whatever faction fields them is destroyed early on).

Epeiros, it is.

[Mister V]

Ah, yes, the one time when they managed to survive and conquer the whole peninsula I was away in Baktria...

I wonder if EB2 is going to change much in terms of unit balance. These units are quite important, and if, for example, the team decides to make less recruitment centres for Argyraspides, that would shift the balance in favour of the enemies of the AS. That is, if the recruitment system's going to be more or less the same?.. Faction units (except Roman legions) will always be limited to their historic AoR, won't they?

[fleaza]

id vote chaonians if they didnt have such a tiny AOR

[bobbin]

Elite African Pikemen are my choice although the Chaonion Agema come a very very close second, both are truly awful to fight against in battle.

[Phalanx300]

The Chaonians. :2thumbsup:

[the man with no name]

Woohoo 100th vote.


Elite African Pikemen, highly cost efficient and looks damn cool. The Chaonion Agema is the best looks in my book by far, though.


If you look at the two, the argyraspidai beat out the africans by 1 attack and 1 armour, though by 2 on the melee attack. The Africans cost roughly 1000 less and 250 less per turn, while still being superior to Pezhetairoi.

Plus the Africans look badass. Though not as badass as the Chaonion Agema, who also say their name in a badass way, and are the strongest of the elite phalanxes.

Damn straight. Almost. Klerouchon Agema look even more Badass though :egypt: