[Thureophoroi] How would you use them?

**Ca Putt** · 06-24-2013, 13:04

Well in EB this IS the case, but mostly because Hoplite and Phalangite phalanxes are almost as mobile as thureophoroi, which does steal them their main Advantage. In reality These Formation would be much less mobile as a high degree of discipline and training would be needed to preform maneuvers like every Panda Phalanx or hapless hoplite can preform in EB. Not to speak of the 360° analogue turn the AI can pull off with engaged pikes.

In EB however that's how it goes as KH I often let my FMs attempt a Military Reform, thus All Cities of atto-rhodian alligience train Thureophoroi and reformed hoplites while the Pro-Pelloponienians do Hoplites and slingers. They normally fail at this Reform :/ and provide cavalry instead. Later, when they can field entire armies they retry with Thorakitai which is more successfull and I end up with one Traditional Hoplite army(with supporting armies of similar nature) in the west and a Thorakitai based army with lots of auxillaries and cavalry(with supporting armies of similar nature) in the east.

**Picenian** · 06-24-2013, 13:52

with KH (After uniting Hellas under my rule) I started kickin Seleukid butts with mid-size hoplite armies supported by peltastai, cretan archers and thessalian/xystophoroi cavalry. This way I also took out Pontos and pushed the border to Trapezous / Ani-Kamah / Antiochia, just to hold the Seleukids at bay. My defensive armies there was substantially a bulk of thureophoroi mixed with local troops (cappadocian hillmen, asian riders and the amazing caucasian archers) and the border was practically unpassable :D

Then I formed my western army to expand in southern Italy, Massilia and the two Spanish provinces... and that was exentially top quality hoplites (epilektoi, tarantinoi) + KH phalanx. As flankers I used mainly Thracian, Celtic or (in Italy) Hastati. Cavarly was as usually provided by Thessalia and some Prodromoi. When Sicily was tamed, I created another army of Syracusan Hoplites which are in my opinion one of the best KH units, and used them as flankers in my conquest of Italy (up to Arretium and Ariminum).

Historically speaking, I think I would have done the same :D barbaric or semi-barbaric units (thracians expecially, I LOVE the thracians and they were my fave faction in vanilla RTW) would have made much better flankers in my opinion. Expecially against the Romans, that can hack to shreds the more similar Thureophoroi/Thorakitai. And I think historically barbaric infantry would have been more mobile too! Of course that would imply a strong Hellenic domination over Thrace, which practically never happened...

**Ca Putt** · 06-24-2013, 15:03

I like to roleplay a lot with the KH, investing my Money in Huge fleets and ridiculous Buildings rather than more Epilektoi. I don't think I have a lot of those at all, mostly in my western(classical) Support armies as I can't give all of them Spartiatai. While my eastern armies normally have less hoplitesque elites.

I do like to use a lot of Thorakitai and Thureophoroi when playing other Hellenic Factions or parthains for that matter. mainly because I'm not quite that fond of Phalangites as the Successors were.