ALLIED INFANTRY
Macedon borders many lands, some filled with rough men who love above all things the rush of battle and the chance for plunder. Recruited into the ranks of the Macedonian army, these men provide it with both numerous levies to fill out Macedonian ranks, and also with shock infantry as fearsome as any on earth.
Agrianian Infantry
A Paeonian mountain tribe that supplies troops to Macedon, the Agrianians are elite assault troops; they carry a rope folded over their shoulder as an aid in mountain combat or scaling walls. Their javelins are devastating, and they hold a thureos shield. When they close with their enemies, they draw their deadly rhomphaia and start to hack away.
These men were essential to Alexander's victories in the East, taking part in every battle and skirmish that he fought, and carrying out a number of death-defying mountain assaults. Do not be fooled by their plain, worn equipment -- man for man, the Agrianians may be the best light infantry in the world.
The Agrianian Infantry are represented by this image:
Allied Hoplites
These hoplites are from various regions across the Hellenistic world allied to Macedon. They are armed like any hoplite of this age. They perform well in battle, usually by protecting the flanks of lighter infantry and phalangites. They are recruitable in Greece, Thrace, and Asia Minor.
By the time of RS2 the common Hellenistic style of fighting has evolved so that the macedonian phalanx and missile infantry including thureophoroi and thorakitai predominate. However some of Macedon's allies remain rooted in their traditional style of warfare. Although these units are well equipped and beautifully adorned, they are relatively limited as soldiers when compared with more modern fighting men.
They helmet is a decorated pseudo-Corinthian model:
But decorated with sphinxes:
Their armor is thin bronze plate -- very well made, but offering little protection:
Their graves resemble these:
They wear a light blue like many of the figures in these tomb paintings:
Allied Phalangites
These phalangites are recruited from regions allied to Macedon. While not as effective as homeland Macedonian units, the allies can provide much needed support to an army far from home. Like their hoplite counterparts, these units are recruitable in Greece, Thrace, and Asia Minor.
The inscription on the Allied Phalangite's shield reads "Allies of Macedonian":
The armor of the Allied Phalangite is similar to that worn by the center figure in this image:
Thracian Infantry
The Thracians were known to be ferocious warriors able to hack their way into any enemy formation. When Plutarch described the Macedonian army he made note of the fearsome appearance of their Thracian allies:
"First marched the Thracians, who, he himself tells us, inspired him with most terror; they were of great stature, with bright and glittering shields and black frocks under them, their legs armed with greaves, and they brandished, as they moved, straight and heavily-ironed spears over their right shoulders."
The Thracians are armed with the fearsome, curved rhomphaia.
They wear a decorated Phrygian helmet –- like this one from 4th century B.C, discovered in Kovachevitsa (Bulgaria), with large cheek pieces and beard decor:
They wear decorated greaves similar to these:
Thracian Peltasts
Thracian light troops combine excellent javelin skill with their nasty sica side arms -- making them very effective skirmishers who can also fight well at close quarters; their melee skills make them particularly devastating when used against lightly-armored opponents.
Their shield and tunic is similar to those depicted in this image:
Thorakitai
The Thorakitai are a more advanced version of the Thureophoroi –- a mobile but heavily armored soldier who combines javelins and spear, not unlike the legionaries of Rome. These men in particular are a potent anti-cavalry force, able to hurl javelins from a distance and then fight off cavalry with their spears. As such, their value as flank protectors is tremendous. However, all that armor and training is expensive...
Thorakitai will not be available in Macedonia itself, but in Greek provinces through local recruitment.
The Thorakitai are equipped similar to the figure on the left:
A close-up on shield:
CAVALRY
Alexander knew that the secret of Macedon's success was not its phalanx, but its cavalry -- the mobile arm that flanked an enemy held in place by the long phalangite spears -- the hammer to the anvil of the phalanx...
Aspidophoroi
The main weapon of the Aspidophoroi is the javelin -- but this is not skirmisher unit. They are heavy cavalry, armed with javelins for an added punch. They are also armed with a kopis sword for close combat, at which they excel, protected by their large shield. These riders have great skill, an excellent ranged attack, and a powerful charge. They are a particularly devastating evolution of the Macedonian heavy cavalry, and spell death to any light cavalry they close with.
The Aspidophoroi wear a white linothorax cuirass with red stripes and shoulder pads and a phrygiboeotian helmet, as seen in this image:
Their shield is as depicted in the Aemilius Paulus monument:
Hetairoi
The heart of the Macedonian cavalry arm are the Hetairoi -- the Companions. These are the men with which Alexander won so many of his battles. In Antigonid Macedon, the Hetairoi continue to be a powerful and reliable mobile force. They carry a xyston as their lance and have a straight sword as a secondary weapon. Wealthy, disciplined, trained, and armed and armored with the best equipment money can buy, the Companions are the ultimate in heavy cavalry.
Lonchophoroi
The Lonchophoroi are the sturdy medium cavalry of Macedon. They are armed with the xyston lance and a heavy shield. Cheaper than the Companions or other Macedonian heavy cavalry, but still able to pack a real punch as they charge into enemy formations, they fill a vital role in the order of battle.
Their armor is a composite cuirass in look based on those in the Lyson and Kallikles tomb:
The helmet is Attico-Thracian -- painted red with a black front plate:
The shield is based on the painted shield in the Lyson and Kallikles tomb:
Paionian Cavalry
A neighboring tribe thought to be related to the Thracians and Illyrians, the Paionians were absorbed into Macedonian hegemony by Philip V and provided an excellent medium cavalry force.
Their primary weapon is the xyston, backed up by the short sica.
Their helmet's crest is derived from the following coin (it is one of the few depicting Paiones' leader, Patraos):
The Paionian armor is quilted, with a characteristic pattern of stitchings:
The helmet is of the Chalkidean type:
Tarentine Cavalry
Like other Hellenic powers, the Macedonians emply horsemen trained in the Tarantine style –- light horsemen armed with javelin and sword, who are excellent ambushers and drilled to perfection in hit-and-run tactics, but with a good shield and enough armor to also allow them to fight hand-to-hand when they must.
They combine the tradition Eastern cavalry role with the discipline and morale of the Greeks, and are excellent ambushers.
The Tarentine cavalry wear a reddish brown tunic with white stripes on sides, as seen in this painting:
Their shield is similar to this one one from a Pergamene relief with unusual "extrusions":
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