How do you use Thureophoroi and Thorakitai?

[QuintusSertorius]

I agree with bobbin. Generally they form my line infantry in a psuedo roman style army. In the rare cases when I have a phalanx based army I skip the Thorakitai and just use their lighter cousins in a line behind the phalanxes, ready to run to the sides when the enemy flanks me.

How would you build a Roman-style army if you don't have access to heavy swordsmen? I think Pontos do later on, but do many other factions? I'm struggling to think how, short of using Peltastai Makedonikoi any of the Hellenistic factions could do it. I think Qart-Hadast would have to use some elite heavy swordsmen too.

Unless you'd just use them for the rear-most line? Or the second? Then you could use regular Peltastai for your first line and maybe hoplites for the third.