Byzantine Troops in 6.2/ 6.1

[Swamp Fox]

IMO infantry are horribly weak compared to other factions. Catatoi Swordsman and from the High era and they are weaker than the swordsmen from the early era. 15 def vs 18 def. Roman troops, even with reform armor upgrades are extremely weak and ineffective. is there any chance 6.3 will make them at least on par with equivalent western units?

[Navajo Joe]

Swamp Fox,

The Byzantines are very strong in early era and their troops are more than capable of overwhelming an enemy, however by High Era/Late Campaign, they lagged behind western armies in the equipment that they used. SS has been created around this historical fact for this faction.

[Rolling Thunder]

Swamp Fox,

The Byzantines are very strong in early era and their troops are more than capable of overwhelming an enemy, however by High Era/Late Campaign, they lagged behind western armies in the equipment that they used. SS has been created around this historical fact for this faction.

Uh....

I'm not entirely sure how accurate that statement really is. In terms of cavalry vs. cavalry equipment, I'd agree - the Byzantines never really progressed past partial plate armour. But in infantry equipment, I'd say that they maintained parity. Considering that the average infantryman from 500 to 1400 AD didn't wear any armour aside from a buff jerkin (chainmail being reserved for knights and men-at-arms - cavalry).

Infantry armour in the middle ages goes like this:

Nothing.
Buff Jacket (heavy, thick cloth armour)
Munition plate (Iron partial plate armour)

Now, considering a good chunk of Byzantine infantry were professionals (and would probably have chain, scale or lamellar composite armours), I'd say in terms of infantry armour, they maintain superiority until the development of mass-produced munition plate.

[Anaatti]

Download RR/RC and you see how strong ERE is at Early-Era, but you will see them laking at Late-Era.

[Rogal Dorn]

export_descr_unit is a wonderful little .txt file that can alter reality and give mortal men god-like powers, simply by increasing some numbers under such names as Byzantine Spearmen, Byzantine Infantry, Dismounted Byzantine Lancers...

[Point Blank]

Yep they can dominate in Early, but later on its tougher for them.

[Fremen Jones]

Yep they can dominate in Early, but later on its tougher for them.

'tougher', Varangian Guard combined with cataphracts are even in the later era a deadly efficient combination ..

[Kawee]

I've always enjoyed playing the likes of Byzantine Empire or Denmark in Late Era Campaign. It's just so much fun cutting down those pikemen and musketeers with axes and shield. Technology my arse!

[JorisofHolland]

The only problem might be a grape shot sending your poor idiots routing. Apart from that, I agree it's fun

[Point Blank]

Yeah I had some Venetian Gendarmes flank my army and were cutting it to pieces, but they forget about the 3 bombards on their flank = one grapeshot = 16 dead Gendarmes + rout, excellent, battle won.

[JorisofHolland]

I was more thinking of grape shot cutting poorly equiped infantry into pieces, but cavalry is also an option. But won't you miss them when they are moving, or hit your own soldiers when they are not moving (and thus cutting a path through your army )