Yes, all those militia class units are not meant to stand in the main line. Their role is to fight the skirmish battle with the enemy light troops before the 'real soldiers' advance, that they need not to advance through a hail of arrows, missles and stones. The light troops are also used to make the enemy main troops, like Romans and Thureophoroi, throw their javellins on a widespread fromation of Akontistai instead of dense packed formations of Hoplites.

Deployed in that manner also a group of Toxotai backed up by some Pantodapoi can do severe damage to enemy light troops. (The Pantodapoi are used to block enemy cavalry that tries to chase off the archers). But they won't do any remarkable damage to a Phalanx, Hoplites, heavy cavalry or any other decent armoured forces. For that one would need well experienced slingers, and a couple of them.


Now to some units that manage to disapoint me anytime I field them (or even fight them):

Doryphoroi Pontikoi I thought they must be something above militia because they are more expensive than Thureophoroi or Hoplitai. But nope, their conduct is not better than any Pantodapoi or the like. Their higher moral only makes them die standing than die running.

Getikoi Stratiotai Wow, how I was impressed by the parade before the first battle as Getai: horse archers, barbarian shock troops and even phalanx.... After fighting some battles with that army I was very much cooled down. Especially the Stratiotai always suffered severe casulties, regardless against whom they fought. In another campaign I send one of my Pantodapoi Phalangitai frontal against one Getikoi Stratiotai; outcome: the eastern farmer-pikemen just lost a handfull of men, the Getai phalanx was down to 1/4 before it truned and run. BTW, I can't say anything on the Drapanai, because without shield and armour they need a field free of missle units to even get close to the enemy.

Ridóharjoz The only Germanic cavalry, therefore I thougth they would be better than any Celtic or Roman horsemen; but no, anything above Gallic missle cavalry will eat them for breakfast and spit them out again to leave room for lunch.

Hoplitai Haploi I know, they are militia and shouldn't be counted among the 'real fighters'; but the AI is so fond of them that it raises tons of them for the field armies as soon as it can get them. I have even seen Averni stacks that were made of half of Haploi after conquering Massilla, leave alone the Romans as soon as they have one of the Greek cities in the deep south. Now, so far I hadn't any encouter with them as main line in which my main line did not cut through them like through butter.