Light and Heavy infantry

[BigTex]

What do the categories of Light and Heavy infantry mean in terms of consequences for the game?

I thought that in real life it refers to the weight of equipment carried, and therefore, speed versus weapons and armour, yet Naked Fanatics are rated Heavy despite being about as lightly burdoned as it is possible to imagine.

I also noticed that Hastati are rated as light, yet weren't they true armoured close-order infantry?

Any answers most appreciated

Generally its a reference to their formations, lighter troops are looser then the heavier. Heavy infantry would be the center of the anvil, while lighter would have been on the sides in a looser formation defending the flanks. As for the actual difference in game, its more a difference in the AI's use, and their charge ratings. I may be completely off here and its just a matter of charge ratings, but I believe that heavy infantry impact in the charge differently and more effectively.

Aren't the weapon upgrades seperate for light and heavy. Thats pretty important gameplay wise.

The lighter weapons are usually faster in the swing rate.

[Watchman]

Generally its a reference to their formations, lighter troops are looser then the heavier. Heavy infantry would be the center of the anvil, while lighter would have been on the sides in a looser formation defending the flanks. As for the actual difference in game, its more a difference in the AI's use, and their charge ratings. I may be completely off here and its just a matter of charge ratings, but I believe that heavy infantry impact in the charge differently and more effectively.

I'd hazard an educated guess that the effects of charges are dependent upon the actual unit attributes - soldier mass, the actual charge value etc. - and them alone. The Light/Heavy division, as already mentioned, is solely a typology for the benefit of the assorted formation configurations and suchlike, and the poor dumb AI.

'Sides, there's also the unit class "spearmen". Where'd you put that in then in your model ?

The lighter weapons are usually faster in the swing rate.

Swing rate is solely dependent on the "attack delay" value listed after the lethality rating, AFAIK (the animation skeleton's speed only affects the movement rate so far as I know). And on a plain vanilla EDU, every single unit has a 25 there.