Best Infantry

**oz_wwjd** · 05-10-2008, 11:38

I don't actually play RTW yet,but I've been watching clips on YOuTube to see if I'll like the style of gameplay.In one clip one guy fielded an army of all-fully upgraded Spartan Hoplites and shredded his opponent infantry and then his calvary like nothing I've ever seen before in MTW,so just out of curiousity is there anything that could match them on the battlefield,apart from horse-archers and archers,in a stand-up fight?

**Raz** · 05-10-2008, 12:35

As you say yourself, they were completely upgraded. He probably played a custom battle and gave his enemies weak infantry in comparison. Spartan Hoplites are one of the strongest units of infantry in the game but only statistic wise. You see, in RTW, pike units (such as Spartans) have two weapons, a primary and secondary. Primary being the pike, secondary being a sword when the enemy get up close. The pike is much stronger compared to the sword, so if an enemy unit catches the spartans (or any pike unit) from a flank or rear or manages to push past the pikes at the front and gets nice and close, it's as good as dead. Also, spear units get a penalty vs infantry and bonus vs cavalry, this is multiplied tenfold (exaggerating...) with longer spears such as pikes.

I could go on, but it'd probably be faster if you were to download, install and play the RTW demo, then for me to type up and for you to read all the differences when comparing MTW to RTW.

**Abokasee** · 05-10-2008, 12:54

In no paticular order

Berserker (Germania)
Urban Cohort (Romans)
Spartan Hoplites (Greek Cities)
Bronze shield pikemen (Pontus)
Silver shield pikemen (Seleucid)
Champion Pikemen (Forgot the proper name, they belong to the Macedonians)
Sacred Band (Carthage)
Pharoahs Guards (Egpyt)
Bull warriors (Spain)

**Quintus.JC** · 05-10-2008, 13:12

Originally Posted by Abokasee

In no paticular order

Berserker (Germania)
Urban Cohort (Romans)
Spartan Hoplites (Greek Cities)
Bronze shield pikemen (Pontus)
Silver shield pikemen (Seleucid)
Champion Pikemen (Forgot the proper name, they belong to the Macedonians)
Sacred Band (Carthage)
Pharoahs Guards (Egpyt)
Bull warriors (Spain)

Praetorian Cohorts should also classified as elites. Also I found Bronze/Silver Pikemen of Pontus/Seleucid to be rather weaker than the rest, same goes for the Royal Pikemen of Macedon. Normal Spear/Pike units are really weak when fighting with swords but the Spartans are an exception, even with swords they're still top-class.

**Quintus.JC** · 05-10-2008, 13:22

Spartans Hoplites are no doubt one of the best infantry in the game. A strange case about them is their secondary weapon stats. While their primiary attack is 16 their secondary attack is 16 as well. This is irregular because all of the other elite spear unit have mostly 7 secondary attacks (i.e. Armoured Hoplite, Royal Pikemen, Silver Shield Pikemen...) with the exception of Sacred Band Infantry with 10 secondary attacks. This makes Spartan Hoplite superb soldiers even without spear. Their total defence is 17, while low on armour their natural defence is a staggering 9. Along with 2 HitPoints makes them practiclely invincible in the battle field.

**paul_kiss** · 05-10-2008, 16:53

I've seen the Spartans in battle (played with them), they're cool guys, great warriors, but they also die.

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 05-10-2008, 17:19

Berserkers are quite good from my perspective - despite the player's lack of control over them most of the time, they are excellent fighters, particularly on the attack. Their main weakness is on the defence - their lack of armour and shielding makes them open to missile fire.

Spartans are much more well rounded than the berserker units, which also makes them a very good unit. Their weakness is their fairly light armour, their expense and their very specific training area - Sparta and Syracuse.

**Darkvicer98** · 05-10-2008, 18:21

Best top 8 infantry in the game will be(in no particular order):

Berserkers(Germania)
Spartan Hopliters(Greek Cities)
Silver Shield Pikemen(Seleucid Empire)
(@Abokasee). Phalanx Pikemen(Macedon)
Sacred Band(Carthage)
Pharoahs Guard(Egypt)
Bronze Shield Pikemen(Pontus)
Horse Archers(Scythia,made at a Infantry Barracks)

**Spartan198** · 05-10-2008, 19:58

Originally Posted by Darkvicer98

Best top 8 infantry in the game will be(in no particular order):

Berserkers(Germania)
Spartan Hopliters(Greek Cities)
Silver Shield Pikemen(Seleucid Empire)
(@Abokasee). Phalanx Pikemen(Macedon)
Sacred Band(Carthage)
Pharoahs Guard(Egypt)
Bronze Shield Pikemen(Pontus)
Horse Archers(Scythia,made at a Infantry Barracks)

Um... horse archers are cavalry. That's why they're called horse archers.

**Quintus.JC** · 05-10-2008, 20:32

Originally Posted by Darkvicer98

Best top 8 infantry in the game will be(in no particular order):

Berserkers(Germania)
Spartan Hopliters(Greek Cities)
Silver Shield Pikemen(Seleucid Empire)
(@Abokasee). Phalanx Pikemen(Macedon)
Sacred Band(Carthage)
Pharoahs Guard(Egypt)
Bronze Shield Pikemen(Pontus)
Horse Archers(Scythia,made at a Infantry Barracks)

I think what Abokasee meant was Royal Pikemen, Phalanx Pikemen are good infantry but no way should they be classified as elites.

Quintus' R:TW Best Infantry:

Urban Cohort (Rome)
Praetorian Cohort (Rome)
Sacred band Infantry (Carthage)
Pharoahs' Guards (Egypt)
Berserkers (Germania)
Samnite Gladiators (Julii+SPQR)
Royal Pikemen (Macedon)
Spartan Hoplites (Greeks)

I didn't include Bronze/Shilver Shields because they're fairly weak in melee plus their morale isn't as high as all the others (Their morale are only 8, some goes as high as 14). I do love professional armies over the elites though, such as Legionary cohorts and Ponei Infantry. Having an all elite army just takes out the fun of TW.