Byzantine Spearmen (M2TW Unit)
File:Byzantine spearmen thumbnail.jpg A step up from spearmen militia, these troops are equipped with spear and shield, capable of forming a defensive ring.
Overview
Byzantine Spearmen are a step up from spear militias, better trained and equipped, these troops are able to form a defensive ring. These are longer serving soldiers, used to defending settlements and bolstering armies. Equipped with a spear and shield these troops are a little more robust than local militias formed by peasants.
Description
While the in-game description states that they are better than Spear Militia, it is in fact lying. There is no difference between the two units in important stats such as melee attack and defence as well as charge bonus. In fact, the Byzantine Spearmen do not even have some of the perks that the Spear Militia. Firstly, the Spear Militia cost 30 florins less to maintain than the Byzantine Spearmen and also have free upkeep in settlements, a perk the Byzantine Spearmen do not. Spear Militia are also available from towns, meaning you don't sacrifice military power for coin. The Byzantine Spearmen however, have the ability to form schiltrom formation, a rather useful defensive formation, which removes any chance for enemy units to flank the unit in schiltrom. This can be handy when defending against cavalry charges, though the tightly packed formation is vulnerable to missile fire. In conclusion, the choice may come down to personal taste. The free upkeep in settlements means that Spear Militia are a good garrison, while the schiltrom formation means that the Byzantine Spearmen are perhaps more useful in field battles, where the schiltrom formation can offer the player extra tactical choices.