Description
The Sacred Band Cavalry were modelled on the heavy cavalry of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic kingdoms of the east. Their equipment, training and discipline was such that they were ranked among the world's finest heavy cavalry. They were shieldless, and fought with a lance, the xyston (sometimes called a dory), some 7-10 feet long, with a bronze butt-spike. The xyston was able to be used as a thrusting weapon with two hands, yet was also light enough to be manipulated with one hand in close combat, when a cavalryman needed to strike to his rear and flanks. When the xyston broke, the rider sometimes used the butt-spike as a weapon.
Stats
| Rank in roster | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men per unit | 30 | █········· 8% |
| Attack | 12 | █████····· 48% |
| Charge bonus | 36 | ██████████ 97% |
| Defence | 41 | ████████·· 76% |
| · armour | 15 | ████████·· 82% |
| · defence skill | 22 | ██████···· 60% |
| · shield | 4 | █████····· 48% |
| Morale | 14 | ████████·· 79% |
| Discipline | Normal | |
| Training | Highly trained | |
| Recruitment cost | 2,997 dn | ████████·· 83% |
| Upkeep per turn | 1,207 dn | ██████████ 96% |
| Turns to recruit | 4 |
Weapons
Its secondary attack is the stronger one: 13 against 12.
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | 12 | 13 | Charge bonus | 36 | 31 | Type | melee · blade | melee · blade | Damage | piercing | slashing |
Defence
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 41 | — | Armour | 15 | — | Defence skill | 22 | — | Shield | 4 | — |
Condition and terrain
| Hit points | 1 | Mount | half armoured horse | Ground: scrub / sand / forest / snow | -4 / -1 / -8 / -1 | Charge distance | 40 |
| Formations | Square · Wedge |
Technical stats
| Time between blows (primary / secondary) | 2.5 s / 2.5 s | Extra fatigue in hot climates | 0 | Spacing between men: close / loose | 2 × 4.8 m / 3 × 7.2 m | Default ranks | 5 |
In battle: Good stamina · Powerful charge
Who can recruit it
A core roster unit for 2 factions, each able to raise it anywhere they hold the right building:
Exactly what a settlement must have, route by route (2)
| Building | Also requires | Building | Also requires | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Rule | Tier 3 Military Industrial Complex · Tier 2 Colony · Requires resource horses or horses supplied factionwide | Homeland | Tier 2 Military Industrial Complex |