Spear Warband (RTW Unit)
The men of a spear warband are effective against cavalry and most infantry, but lack the discipline of more 'civilized' troops.
Overview
The men of a spear warband are effective against cavalry and most infantry, but lack the discipline of more 'civilized' troops. Their spears, however, make them valuable defensive warriors for any warlord. The warband is the basic unit of any barbarian army - a group of tough warriors bound together in the service of a tribal strongman or village headman. Each warrior is protected by a large shield. In common with other Germanic warriors, these men are very clever when concealing themselves in forests.
Details
Germanic Spear Warbands are unique as they are the only barbarian troops in RTW that are able to use the phalanx formation. This gives them a huge advantage over any other barbarian faction, especially in the early game.
Spear Warbands are deadly against most other early troops. They can kill many enemies with their pikes before enemies even get close and they are capable fighters with their swords as well. They are the best tier 1 infantry by far.
Like all phalanx, Spear Warbands are best used when they are stationary. The unit braces against enemies best when still. If you need to move them, make sure it is in a straight a line as possible. Phalanx troops will raise their pikes when turning and this means that enemies who attack at that moment can charge in under the pikes and engage the men directly. Never turn corners with enemies close by. Spear Warbands have good morale and solid stats and while they are impetuous, this rarely matters as phalanx troops can't run anyway and it boosts their morale up to sky high levels. With a few Screeching Women and a wall of Spear Warbands Germania can be more than tough to break. Just watch out for missiles as their armor is light and they will take damage.
They are the most defensive infantry of the Germans. They can be the men who take the brunt of the attack while the rest of your units position to attack at the right moment and place.