Quote Originally Posted by Garvanko
I couldn't hold back any longer.

Honestly, these guys, even with 3xp, are hopeless.

And you say Parthia, Nihilist.. but..



I know, i know, I was playing Egypt, and I was defending a bridge, but seriously...
Come on... You had phalanx troops. Those poor Eastern Infantry never had a chance. Neither would most low tier infantry.

I like Eastern Infantry (and their slightly weaker Merc counterparts... yeah I know "how can they be weaker than Eastern Infantry?"), not because they are great, but because they serve a purpose.
They are perfect as meatfillers, pincushions (especially now that their shields will protect them better) and speedbumps. And if they recieve some moraleboosters they can acutally dish out serious damage to cavalry.

In 1.2 I was foolish enough to try and gain a quick victory in a city, wheer I had taken the gate and the wait was open to the plaza, which was only guarded by a unit of Eastern Infantry. Wouldn't a unit of Cataphracts do nicely? Well... no. They won, and quite desively, but their own losses were not anything I would care to repeat.
So never underestimate these guys.

I prefer to use them on my flanks, there they can extend the often too short player line. With protected flanks and a general nearby they will hold their position for more than long enough for the central units to overcome their enemies. And since the flanks are often the place of cavalry that is what they will mostly face, and light cavalry is far more likely than heavy, and light cavalry should beware of these. As Stalin once said: "Numbers have a quality of their own." Very fitting here. And their bonus in deserts is very nice.

I agree, though, that entire armies of Eastern Infantry with a sprinkle of Hillmen and slingers or archers is certainly not a challenge.