Thoughts on Lugoae

So... I've been playing an AEDUI campaign for the past 2 weeks on and off... its coming to a close. I have managed to basically play it with lugoae, slingers, and a few swords here and there since I'm not really a merc person. They have been incredibly useful, and now I'm rethinking of using base units such as these on any other campaigns I play instead of making one stack or half stack of tougher units. On previous campaigns I wouldn't even consider using these troops as they were basically fodder in my opinion, since they don't have great morale and are spears, but in this campaign they have stuck with me throughout the conquest of ibera and italia, allowing me to easily retrain them in allied settlements as MANY settlements allow for the retraining of these units. I've even gotten one unit in italy to 3 gold chevron status lol.

What does everyone else think? Useful unit or garbage? I'm playing VH camp/ M battles.

Lugoae (Celtic Levy Spearmen) are ideal garrison units, lots of men and low upkeep.

They are OK as a stopgap line unit in battle if nothing else is available, provided they have their flanks protected by units with better morale. But I'd much rather have Gaeroas (Celtic Spearmen) in the line if at all possible.

Look at the difference in stats between the two:

Lugoae (Celtic Levy Spearmen)
http://europabarbarorum.heimstatt.ne...y&category=any

Gaeroas (Celtic Spearmen)
http://europabarbarorum.heimstatt.ne...y&category=any

Gaeroas have javelins too, allowing them to whittle down the enemy numbers before engaging hand to hand.

I've sometimes used Lugoae as flank units - being spearmen they can see off a enemy cavalry attack on the flank - or if unopposed on the flanks, they can run round into the enemy's rear where their lack of armour is less of a drawback.

Lugoae also work as a decent anvil in hammer and anvil tactics, as they die slowly enough against heavier units for your Leuce Epos and Brihentin to outflank and charge the enemy, and are also cheap enough to hire and maintain so you can recruit some heavy cavalry to work as a hammer and elite swordsmen for capturing cities.

I personally prefer Gaelaiche (available in Transalpine Gaul from the age of bondsmen onward) and Batacorii in my field armies though. They have better stats than either Lugoae or Gaeroas, and since Age of Bondsmen is fast to achieve and you're going to take those Belgae towns anyway, they're rather easy to recruit en masse. I do prefer Arverni over Aedui though, so I might be looking at it from a wrong angle. Anyway, it's really up to everyone's personal preferences and you're free to play Lugoae if you feel like it. They're probably worth every penny one pours into them.

Lugoae, like most Levy troops in EB, are quite effective for their Price. Cerainly one of the cheapest Units, almost as good for garrisons as levy skirmishers. Not quite as ferocious as their Germanic counterpiece, certainly more usefull than Hellenic Native spearmen.
They cerainly have their uses, for one they are great to depopulate unruly cities, as they don't Need fancy barracks. furthermore they are a cheap way to outnumber you enemy, as Long as you have Regulars to actually hold the line/do damage they can fool the enemy into fleeing.
Another use is to Screen your ranged troops, bog down cavalry or take enemy fire. On loose Formation they can seriously complicate a cavalry Charge(and do some actual damage) and due to large shields suck up a lot of precious arrows and bullets.

Unless I'm in REALLY big Trouble, I would avoid having more than 5 Units in an army, two are more ideal. When used as meatshield frontline troops 3 or more Units of them become a liability to army morale.

Thanks for all the replies, I have used them mainly as the hammer and anvil but I also noticed they do decently enough vs anything that doesn't have 10+ armor. Those spears man, they have high attack damage once you get a few chevrons in them. I am playing in medium though, anyone experience H or VH? The only thing not making me want to try a VH with a gallic nation or anything non-heavy armor is because of those evil uber akontistai that will destroy any melee unit with +7 damage lol. I want a tad bit more of a challenge as the enemy army routs alot, the only ones that I found were decent at holding their own were triarii... but the majority of enemies (mainly arverni), would flee after the main charge, and man can those lugoae do a hardcore frontal charge lol.

VH as Gauls is fun...ok, no it isn't, repelling endless hoards of Pedities Extraordinii and Triarii with Lugoae is rather stressful. If you're playing to win, not historical roleplay, just use a few Lugoae as cannon fodder and take loads of Laosatae to do the killing. Ideally you'd use Boatroas, but on VH, too expensive.

Before the 1st reforms set in make as much use of Taceitos as possible, their armour piercing abilities are incredibly useful against Triarii and other heavy Roman infantry.

Also: Leuce Epos are the best!