Spearman
“Let them charge. The points of our spears will answer.”
The Spearman is the earliest dedicated defensive unit, armed with a long thrusting spear and a simple shield. What they lack in offensive punch they more than compensate for with exceptional defensive capability, forming the immovable anchor around which early armies are built.
Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 5 |
| Defence | 10 |
| Movement | 2 |
| Range | – |
| Cost | 25 Production |
| Required Tech | None |
| Required Resource | None |
Abilities
- Melee Attack – Standard melee combat against adjacent units.
- Fortify – Digs in on the current hex for a defensive bonus.
- Anti-Cavalry – Bonus effectiveness against mounted units.
Available Promotions
- Combat I – +10% attack (5 XP)
- Combat II – +10% attack (15 XP, requires Combat I)
Upgrade Path
| Direction | Unit | Gold Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrades from | – | – |
| Upgrades to | Pikeman | 30 gold |
Full chain: Spearman –> Pikeman –> Musketman
Strategy
The Spearman is the quintessential defensive unit. With 10 Defence – double that of a Warrior – a fortified Spearman on a hill is an almost impenetrable obstacle in the Ancient Era. Use Spearmen to hold chokepoints, guard cities, and anchor defensive lines while your Archers deal damage from behind.
The Spearman’s weakness is its poor Attack of 5, making it nearly useless on the offensive. Sending Spearmen to assault enemy positions is a waste of their talents. Instead, pair them with Archers for a devastating defensive combination: the Spearman absorbs hits while the Archers inflict casualties. This pairing remains effective well into the Classical Era and can stall even a determined Swordsman assault if terrain favours the defender.
Historical Background
The spear is the most ubiquitous weapon in human history, and for good reason: it is simple to manufacture, requires minimal training to use effectively, and grants its wielder a significant reach advantage over sword-armed opponents. Nearly every culture on Earth independently developed spear-armed infantry as a primary military force.
The pinnacle of spear warfare was achieved by the Greek hoplite phalanx, which dominated Mediterranean battlefields for centuries. Hoplites – citizen-soldiers equipped with a large round shield (aspis), bronze armour, and a 2.5-metre spear (dory) – fought shoulder to shoulder in tight formations where each man’s shield protected his neighbour. At the Battle of Marathon (490 BCE), Athenian hoplites defeated a Persian army perhaps twice their size, demonstrating that disciplined spearmen could overcome even daunting numerical odds.