Town Militia (RTW Unit)

Town Militia (RTW Unit)
Class	Light Infantry
Unit Size	160 men
Weaponry	Spear
Morale	2
Melee Attack	3
Ranged Attack	N/A
Defence	7
Charge Bonus	1
Accuracy	N/A
Range	N/A
Ammunition	N/A
Region	Global
Recruitment Cost	150
Upkeep Cost	100
Turns to Build	1
Unit Limit	Unlimited
Building Requirements	Barracks (Carthage) Muster Field (Spain)
Technology Requirements	None
Attributes	Can Sap Can hide in forests

Town Militia are trained bands of citizens dragged from their homes and shops, given a spear each and some rudimentary training.

Overview

Town militia are trained bands of citizens dragged from their homes and shops, given a spear each and some rudimentary training before they are thrown into battle. Their war gear is literally no more than a cheap shield and a spear, so they are defensive troops best used against light cavalry. They should not be expected to stand unsupported against an enemy, and until they have been seasoned by surviving a battle or two they shouldn't be expected to do much more than defend themselves! They are, however, cost effective to raise.

Details

Town Militia are very light spearmen who are of dubious military worth, just a notch above the useless peasants. They are actually tied with the Town Watch as the second worst melee unit in the game besides the various Peasant types. They come from the first tier barracks of Spain and Carthage. Their stats are all very low, including their attack, morale, and defense, and they will not stand a chance against Spear Warband or other early infantry. They might even lose to Peltasts and Slingers in a melee, which is simply pathetic. These troops make Eastern Infantry seem competent in comparison.

They can have a limited role holding in countering light cavalry and in pinning units down, but their 2 morale and very low defense mean that in most battles they will just route almost immediately. Any infantry will beat them, and even most cavalry will as well; their bonus against them is only +4. When they are put under intense pressure or charged by a powerful unit like a general they are sure to break unless they have Gold experience or an exceptional general. The player should take the hint from their name Town Militia and use them only as garrisons in the Town Square. There they can be a little more use, since they won't break and they can pin down enemies and get a few kills, and sometimes a wavering and tired enemy will break from just another unit engaging them.

On the whole, Town Militia do not have a place in a real army. They seem to be simply men given a spear and shield and told to stand in a line and given no other training. If you absolutely must use them have a real general with them and keep him nearby, and do not count on them. Spain should use cavalry to fight the enemy cavalry, not these guys, and Carthage should wait for much better options.

Factions

Carthage

Spain