Pedites extraordinarii are champions!

[QuintusSertorius]

I didn't have any in my 1.1 Romani game until the Polybian reforms came around, and I had more money. I attach a single unit of them to every consular army (I currently have three such armies, one in Spain, one in Italy and one in Sicily), to be directed by the general himself.

Several times they've won the battle for me, or otherwise just been heroes who never broke and stood firm even when massively outnumbered.

Against the Gauls, they broke the Gaesatae. In a battle against the Arverni, they killed one of their chiefs. In another battle against Gauls, they took fire from archers and slingers, standing firm and acting as cover for my own slingers. Then held against four or five times their number of the enemy while the rest of the army outflanked the mob. In a recent battle, they held the left and lost only a handful of men, despite being in contact with the enemy the entire time.

They're heavy infantry with AP weapons and solid morale, which means that should be expected, but they still surprise me.

They're truly champions, and worth every penny.