Guard Mode Bonuses?

[SFraser]

Keep in mind that any unit with guard mode on won't be getting experience anytime soon, if at all.

The experience system is tied down to each man, not the unit as a whole. Properly used guard mode only allows the front line to fight, and at a reduced killing rate at that.

Although that means you'll still gain experience, but since it's those same front line guys that die first.....they're not keeping it for long.

As a result you'll get a unit that'll grow exp at a slow rate, if at all. Happens every time I use those Thracian spearmen in my Getai campaign. They only gain exp when chasing routers, whereas my Komatai are just swimming in 4-5 chevrons.

This is only true when your unit is prone to taking heavy casualties from a frontal attack with guard mode on in which case you are probably not using your unit very effectively, or they are simply too poor a unit to perform their function with a high degree of staying power. Units with significant frontal defense used effectively will gain experience by swapping high rates of opponent casualties for minimal rates of friendly casualties. Camillian Triarii in my save are an excellent example of this, being at 3 silver chevrons by the time I have conquered Sicily and the Po valley despite being used as a tactical reserve unit.

Edit: you should also never ever use guard mode for shock infantry unless you're desperate. Very heavy shock infantry like Milnaht (lightest, probably) and Solduros are about the only ones you should ever try them with. Doing it with lighter swordsmen like Bataroas is just a waste of men and their specialities, which are the combo of high lethality and high attack that comes from the charge.

The thing you have to keep in mind is your own flexibility, the ability to use the options available to you and the entire state of the battle and campaign. There is very little point in exploiting a strength of a unit when it ignores a corresponding weakness, so constantly charging your Bataroas into combat where they will be swiftly surrounded and dispatched, or simply obliterated with javelins is a waste of unit when they could hold a line, force a frontal attack at their strongest points and avoid the huge weaknesses of a flank or rear attack, and allow your other units to win their tactical battles and role up the line.

This is especially true if you find yourself outnumbered in terms of troops but fighting with a cavalry or elite infantry unit advantage. In this example it is your battle formation, defensive strength and ability to win key engagements at decisive points that is your units strength, not any kind of charge bonus or weapon lethality.

This is where units like Bataroas and most especially Milnaht are at their best. They have a few glaring weaknesses but multiple strengths and are very flexible units. Milnaht take the Bataroas concept of combined sturdiness and combat potency to another level altogether. They may not look like a Polybian Principe maniple but do not be afraid to draw the comparison if you recognise the differences, which are minor. Infact you could say that a Gaullic army composed of Bataroas and Milnaht is the Gaullic version of a Polybian Legion.

If you want to go the route of the line collapsing charge then you can do a lot better than smashing your most generally valuable units into a wall under a hail of javelins. Infact you could let them smash into your wall under a hail of Javelins and let them know they are in for one hell of a meatgrinder of a battle then hit them with your real tactical reserves, charging demons and melee supremacists of Uirodusios and Gaesatae backed up by Brihentin. Can't see many proper Polybian Legions standing up to that kind of a fight.