Spartans v. Armoured Hoplites

As a matter of preference in combat. They are both phenomenal troops, and there is a major stigma concerning the Spartans, but to be honest, I prefer the armoured hoplites. They just seem to live longer. Through many battles, be it siege or field mash, the spartans always seem to go by the end. They start out a little better off, but as they tire, the casualties really start piling up while the armoured ones keep on fighting. And to make it all better, the armoured hoplites are cheaper. So how do you feel on the matter?

I usually make the AH my mainstay, and have maybe two Spartans in several selected stacks. The Spartans have a better charge bonus so I use them out on the flanks to operate with cavalry to chase off pesky enemy spear units before bringing them to phalanx. I've never used more than 5 or 6 total in all my armies.

I prefer the Spartans, myself. It has been my impression from time to time that they seem not to be as resilient as armored hoplites. But my guess is, that's an illusion on my part because I tend to value them more highly than armored hoplites, and because they are more difficult to replace. Only two cities can produce them - Sparta and Syracuse. And when you suffer casualties, you can't simply recoup them in any city. You have to either send the wounded unit on a long trip (not very practical) or send fresh units from one of those two cities to replenish your army's supply and then use the reduced units as replacements for other wounded, AKA 'reduced,' Spartans.

Also, I've noticed the AI tends to send it's mad man and kamikaze charges at your most valued or vulnerable units. Spartans seem to attract the AI's attention which is why one might get the impression that they don't fare as well as armored hoplites.

Spartans are definitely good at holding their own on flank assignments, as Reluctant Samurai mentions. I do prefer using armored hoplites on wall fighting assignments. I hate taking Spartan casualties to peltasts and archers while battling on the walls. But when it comes to street fighting in phalanx formation, I've seen six Spartan hoplites cut through almost any opposition like butter, sometimes without taking a single casualty. And I've also noticed that in the open field battles when a Spartan gets separated from my main line and isolated, he seems to fare better at bad odds than the armored hoplite.

Both are worthy units. I wish the 'skin' image of the spartan hoplite was better than what CA provides in out of the box RTW.

I've even thought about changing the game's logic so I can recruit Spartans in more than just the two given cities. But I figured that would be taking the love affair too far. Besides, if I'm playing with another faction and run up against the Greeks, I don't want to run into armies filled with Spartans. ;)

I have made a habit, too, of building temples of Nike in both those cities. So whether I'm recruiting Spartans or armored hoplites, they're getting a goodly number of experience chevrons into the bargain.

I love bringing the camera down to eye level when I'm preparing an advance with a line of armored hoplites. I feel like I know what the Persians must have thought when they saw Miltiades and his 'legions' marching at them at Marathon. :skull:

Actually CA provided an alternative model just after release

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6158/76857473.jpg

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...do=file&id=886

Unit cards bit botched mind you

Darn, the twcenter says it only works with an unmodded version of 1.5. Sadly, I've modded my game a bit - added some exoerinece chevron options on certain buildings, the usual unlock/lock factions mod, etc. Otherwise, these are definitely an improvement over the originals.

If you don't mind same unit cards here are the raw original skins/sprites from CA
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...o=file&id=1288 back up models_unit folder just in case