Quote Originally Posted by sharrukin
The question of the nature and the function of each type of troop in Hellenistic armies is complicated by the flexibility of the military vocabulary and the existance of multiple terms to indicate the same body of men. For example; the phalangite/phalangistes were usually indicated, according to official terminology, by the term "macedonians" and unoficially by the term "pezetairoi", "sarisphoroi" or simply "heavy troops". I have arbitrarily chosen the term Phalangite as the most readily descriptive term in english. The meanings of any of these terms change over time. We also have the problem of sources. Greek and Latin authors discussing military matters that they may have limited knowledge in, and translating from a foreign language for an audience unfamiliar with such terms. The need to simplify, entertain and moralize would only rarely allow an accurate translation.
Totally agree with your remarks. In fact, in Greece, the term "hoplite" or "stratiotis" is still in use meaning the foot soldier of today. The same applies for many other terms too. The big difference is the way they were fighting in the period that the game covers. If we present the faction units as they should be arround 270 BC I could suggest a few things about the common units they can have:

COMMON UNITS (Macedons, Seleucids, Ptolemies)
"Basiliki Ili"
We can have the term "Basiliki Ili" (I am not certain of the actual spelling we can use in Latin/English) for the General's unit of Macedons/Seleucids/Ptolemies. Actually, there was only one in every hellenistic Kingdom so we are giving them more than they had but since we cannot have a differentiation between the unit of the leader of a faction and the units of the other generals the term can be used IMO.

"Hetairoi"
All three factions can have "Hetairoi" cavalry. It's true they couldn't find always Macedons to form these units, but they were always trying to do so ("clerouchoi") and they did keep the name. If we had some kind of early/late periods like in MTW we could alter their stats in later periods. As it is now, "Hetairoi" should cover us.

"Hypaspistai"
They are the elite infantry unit of all three. Sometimes they are called "argyraspides" but I cannot conclude that this was their official name. In fact I've seen units in the macedonian phalanx to carry the same name (battle of Pydna, 168 BC, between the Macedonian King Perseus and the Roman Army of Lucius Aemilius Paullus). I'm inclined to think that "argyraspides" is more of a decorative issue: they could be elite, but they could also be just the best of the rest. They could be part of an "agema" but since the veteran troops in game are better I don't see the point to include another similar/bit better unit.

"Macedonian phalanx" (or "Phalanx Pezhetairon" or "Pezhetairoi")
They are "sarissophoroi" heavy infantry. It was easier to get them in Macedonia but Seleucids/Ptolemies, giving land to new recruits ("clerouchoi"), were able to field similar units. I prefer the name "Macedonian phalanx". It's generic enough to cover all of them yet it shows that it's a different phalanx than the rest of Greece.

Can we start with the common units before we decide about the rest?
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Another note. I'm not particularly fond of the term militia hoplites. In my mind they are just peasants trying to form a phalanx. They would exist as long as their city was in danger.