Gray Death: A Unit Overview

[Basileus Seleukeia]

Awesome guide! It will give new players some good ideas. I myself was totally baffled as I saw how many units the Seleukids can get in EB.
Btw, perhaps you should change "native units" to "factional units". Seems more logical, because if you think of Seleucid "natives" you think of Persians, Medes or Parthians.

[gamegeek2]

Part II: "Regional" Units

Gund-i Palta (Eastern Javelinmen)
Use like the Akontistai; only when you absolutely need to. Still a useful levy; 240 javelins usually kills something, if only due to sheer numbers.

Shuban-i Fradakshana (Eastern Slingers)
See Sphendonetai above.

Thanvare Payahadag (Persian Archers)
Cheap, and armed with a bow that barely outranges the nomads' and provide mass arrow fire at a low cost. Good unit (efficiency), especially versus horse archers, which cost twice as much and come in fewer numbers. Never forget that these guys can't really do anything in melee. They have some of the strongest bows (in terms of range) in the game, though; that makes up for it. And they only need a level 1 regional MIC, too (900 mnai).

Nizagan-i Eranshahr (Persian Archer-Spearmen)
I cannot praise them highly enough. While you deal with the Yellow Fever, these boys, cheap as they are, are the ideal weapon against nomads and poorly armoured infantry. Equipped with a spear and a bow with only 12-15.7 less range than nomads', these are good for most tasks in the East, a format of super-heavy units and units with almost no armour at all. A couple units of these guys can take down cataphracts in melee; I have seen and done it before (well, the cataphracts weren't charging and were tired...). At a cost of 618 mnai (155 upkeep), these guys are worth every (mina/mnes) you pay for them. Available at your local Eastern level 2 regional MIC.

Kapatuka Zanutesh (Cappadocian Hillmen)
Tabargane Eranshahr (Eastern Axemen)
Nearly identical units costing about 800, these are highly efficient, perfect for the Eastern and Asia Minor format dominated by missiles and general's bodyguards. They carry javelins to deal with the unarmored levies and axes for the real soldiers. Don't rely on them too much past the Caucasus; horse archers are murder for them. Use them for the cataphracts there, if you can catch them in melee.

Asabaran-i Harauvatish (Arachrosian Skirmisher Cavalry)
More efficient against armoured units than their spear-wielding cousins, these are cheap and effective cavalry. Like most 'Eastern' unarmoured units, don't over-rely on them against 'real' Hellenic soldiers. Not especially good at the charge, these guys fill the role of the Eastern axemen, omitting some defense skill and shield protection for speed. They javelin the levies and AP-axe the bodyguards.

Asiatikoi Hippakontistai (Eastern Light Cavalry)
A cheaper but weaker version of the Luk Epos (Gallic Light Cavalry). With speed, javelins, and spears, these guys are living hell for skirmishers. Charge heavy infantry only if they are about to rout or to push them to the point of doing so.

Nizakahar Aydruzi (Armenian Skirmisher Cavalry)
Similar to the A. Hippakontistai but less armour and more power in protracted melee. Not that they should be commited to it...

Asiatikoi Hippeis and Asabaran-e Madaen (East Medium Cavalry)
[Haven't used them much. Would like others' opinions.]

Galatikoi Lavuotuxri (Galatian Heavy Cavalry)
Way-overcosted Brinhentin. Khuveshavagan are a cheaper and strictly better unit. Not worthless; heavy cavalry never is. But overcosted.

Khuveshavagan (Kinsmen Heavy Cavalry)
Very good, to say the least. Fast, hardy, very good charge, and last in melee.
Not to mention their "Excellent morale" and 25 defense, 16 of which is armour. Very low cost (for heavy cavalry of their caliber) - about 3500 (~875 upkeep, give or take). Only drawback is their specific provinces in the vast regions of the East. Thankfully, the recruitment viewer can show you where they are, hiding out in their Level 4 Regional MICs.

EDIT: Thanvare Parsig (Persian Heavy Archers)
Not really that heavy, but decent in melee, have better armour, and the same bows as their lighter brethren. A good unit overall.

[anubis88]

Asiatikoi Hippeis and Asabaran-e Madaen (East Medium Cavalry)
[Haven't used them much. Would like others' opinions.]

well.... they are a solid unit.... i think they work much like the greek citys horse.... nothing special
I prefer to use podromoi... I think they are more expensive but they are waaaaay better

[Victor1234]

Great analysis. I agree with you on chariots, as I had the misfortune to try out a unit which promptly lost men, ran amock, and caused more casualties for me than the enemy did...

I've also had some battles in the east with Asabaran-e Madaen (Median Medium Calvary). They are not so great, as among other things, they are in fact a light calvary unit, which I learned much to my surprise during a battle against a far superior force, after having stacked 4 units worth to make up a heavy calvary contingent in an army. They take casualties very easily and have a nasty habit of cutting and running.

Thanvare Parsig (Persian Heavy Archers): Also have the longest range of any of the archer units I've commanded so far, even out-shooting my slingers on many occassions (who usually pack the longest range)

Pantodapoi (Hellenic Native Spearmen): Are very good for garrison duties in non-essential fronts. Cheap and 60 men to a unit!

Shuban-i Fradakshana (Eastern Slingers): Have a better missle attack value than the Hellenic slingers, which means they (should) do more damage.

Usually Theureophoroi (Hellenic Spearmen), Prodromoi (Successor Medium Cavalry) and Sphendonetai (Hellenic Slingers) form the backbone of my early armies (I don't really like phalanxes that much...) until better units come along. These units are amazing and cost-effective for the early game, so I usually fight all of my battles with these and whatever local mercenaries I pick up, while later on I form a seperate stack of Hypaspistai (Hellenic Royal Guard), Pheraspides (Hellenic Royal Guard) and Hetairoi (Companion Cavalry) just for RPing reasons.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Asiatikoi Hippeis and Asabaran-e Madaen (East Medium Cavalry)
[Haven't used them much. Would like others' opinions.]

well.... they are a solid unit.... i think they work much like the greek citys horse.... nothing special
I prefer to use podromoi... I think they are more expensive but they are waaaaay better

I wouldn't prefer to use Prodromoi over the Median Medium Cavalry: the latter are not only cheaper, but they get that axe which is what basically all Eastern cavalry was famous for... The Asiatikoi Hippeis aren't really worth it: a worse version of the Medians, but at roughly the same cost IIRC. Widespread unit, though.

Eastern Slingers are also a distinct notch better than Sphendonetai (much tighter formation too!), and seem to outpower some eastern archer types as well.

[anubis88]

well i mainly use my cavalry for devastating charges, not for melee...
Here the podromoi are much stronger than the medians imho

[Tellos Athenaios]

I use my cavalry to catch and kill enemy cavalry, and only then charge in the back of enemy infantry.

[gamegeek2]

Asiatikoi Hippeis are about 1450 mnai I think. Not very expensive.