Out of these, which is the best defensive unit?

**SonOfAlexander** · February 20, 2009, 04:00 PM

If you could put all these units together, from Alex., BI and RTW Vanilla, which would be the best when used defensively?

I'd say Clibinarii or Comitatenses, maybe the Spartans

**Illyrians** · February 20, 2009, 05:16 PM

those spartans are nearly impenetrable......

**Sunday213** · February 20, 2009, 07:19 PM

Get some Cretans on them and there easy

**hastati lord** · February 20, 2009, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Sunday213

Get some Cretans on them and there easy

thats y u kill cretans....
slowly and painfully

**Scutarii** · February 20, 2009, 10:33 PM

Spartans are easily the best defensively.... The cav units are only good if they can get on a charge and push into a unit, so their out... And legionaries are more of an all round unit, whereas phalanx units encourage a defensive style of play.

**Entropy Judge** · February 20, 2009, 10:58 PM

What are you defending against, and where? In a vacuum, I'd be forced to say ... uh ... Legion, I guess (assuming it's anything like the R:TW Roman legionary units), due to tactical flexibility. But then again, I only know the R:TW units, not the BI or Alex ones.

**General Nuisance esq** · February 21, 2009, 01:16 AM

Personally I would say Carthage Sacred band as the best all round defensive unit in vanilla Rome

**aznflea** · February 21, 2009, 01:48 AM

lol spartans have all the votes

**hastati lord** · February 21, 2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by aznflea

lol spartans have all the votes

as they should

**Leonidas_I** · February 22, 2009, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by hastati lord

as they should

A men brother!

**Selifator** · February 21, 2009, 02:58 AM

I vote horse archers.

**Seleucid king** · February 21, 2009, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by Selifator

I vote horse archers.

HA? they r the weakest next 2 chariots!

and just look at the Spartan's Defense skill!

**Rogue** · February 21, 2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Seleucid king

HA? they r the weakest next 2 chariots!

and just look at the Spartan's Defense skill!

Except that no one can catch them. And archers can't hit them well when they're in cantabrian circle. Still, I'd say HAs are more of an offensive unit - go forward, weaken the enemy with them, then crush them with heavy cav or inf.

I vote phalanxes in general for best defensive unit, they require skilled manuever to dislodge from a position.

**MaceMan** · February 21, 2009, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Seleucid king

HA? they r the weakest next 2 chariots!

and just look at the Spartan's Defense skill!

It was a joke......horse archers have to be caught before they can be killed, and since really nothing can catch them if they're used properly, they can be harder to kill than any of the units on the poll. I can't believe I had to explain this.

**C-Rob** · February 21, 2009, 09:30 AM

Offense is the best defense so, perhaps Clibanarii are to be considered the best. Pepper enemies with missles until the fatal charge. That is the best OFFENSIVE unit, in my opinion, but they work as a kind of defense, I guess.

**Selifator** · February 22, 2009, 03:31 AM

It wasn't a joke. If I send in an army of horse archers, take out enemy cavalry and then pepper the enemy until my arrows have run out, then withdraw, I've won. No matter the result, if your enemy can't touch you, you're winning the war.
Lose the battles, and win the war.

**Barry Goldwater** · February 22, 2009, 09:16 AM

Spartans, no contest. Keep them in phalanx formation, guard their flanks, keep them away from archers, and you'll have a virtually impenetrable defense.

**SonOfAlexander** · February 22, 2009, 09:45 AM

Why doe's everyone say 'keep them away from archers'?

**Scutarii** · February 22, 2009, 10:13 AM

They can't do anything about archers, they just have to sit there and be rained down upon. Sure, they won't be destroyed or anything just by some arrow barrages, but they're valuable troops that shouldn't be left under fire for too long...