RTRVII Feature Highlight: Unique Units

**~~Tony83~~** · September 03, 2011, 10:40 AM

RTRVII Unique Units

RTRVII has a number of what we call unique units. They are unique in that, historically, they were either one-offs, or at least very rare on the battlefield. These are the elite of the elite and are truly formidable in combat. These units are potentially so powerful that we have had to take steps to prevent either the player, or the AI, from spamming them and making a nonsense of the campaign.

To help achieve this we have made them very expensive (usually around the 30,000 mark) and have also imposed a lengthy recruitment period of forty turns. This certainly prevents the AI from fielding armies comprising all Sacred Band or Spartiate units, and it will also slow down the players accumulation of such units as well.

So what we have done is furnish the appropriate factions with their allowance of these units, which they can retrain in the normal manner (at a price), at the beginning of the campaign and just made it difficult to add to them.

The factions effected are:

Carthage

Sacred Band Infantry - Carthage starts the campaign with two units of these elite spearmen, which can only be retrained, or recruited, at Carthage.
Sacred Band Cavalry - Carthage has one of these units allocated to it at the beginning of a campaign.

Epeiros

Chaonan Agema - Epeiros has two of these hoplite armed units at the beginning of the campaign. They can be retrained at Ambrakia.
Basilikon Agema - Epeiros will have one of these elite heavy cavalry units which, again, can be retrained at Ambrakia.

Antigonids

Hypaspists - the Antigonids will have two of these units to start, which can only be retrained and recruited at Pella (which should be a good clue, to those playing as them, as to what your first objective should be. )
Hetairoi - You will start the campaign with one unit of these crack heavy cavalry and, again, you will need to control Pella to replenish them or recruit more.

Sparta

Spartiate and Skiritai - The Spartans are a special case and, arguably, produced the best infantry of our era. The player will be allocated one unit each of Skiritai and Spartiate Hoplites at the beginning of the campaign, which will be retrainable at Sparta, only. However, unlike the other unique units, there will be no facility to recruit additional units of them, at any price! Instead, the player will be rewarded with an additional pair of these units when Sparta grows to 25 regions (they will be spawned at Sparta), and yet another pair on reaching 50. So look after them; they will not be replaced!

Our unique units are very good in battle indeed, and we hope that you will agree with the way we have tried to limit their overall effect on the outcome of your campaigns.

**Heinz Guderian** · September 03, 2011, 04:33 PM

Inspiring. This is simply brilliant. You guys continue to astound and excite me. I can hardly believe the evolution of this mod.

Originally Posted by Tones

So look after them; they will not be replaced!

Oh god i miss them so much

**Bernardius** · September 04, 2011, 12:04 AM

i think this is the only way to do this (and its necessary i think)! great job!

**DukeCanada** · September 04, 2011, 10:25 AM

You knows whats scary, having your elites go head to head with another factions elite unit. You never know if you're going to win or not! I had my Hypastist go against a Spartan FM, I lost two thirds of my unit! I had to bring it all the way back to Pella and spend money I didnt have

.

**-Stormrage-** · September 12, 2011, 10:21 AM

thats what u get for fighting Spartans

**~~Tony83~~** · September 12, 2011, 11:16 AM

Lol - never waste your elites in straight fights with other lites. Much better to engage them frontally with "cannon fodder" and sneak around their flanks and rear and get them at a disadvantage. Even the Spartiate can be killed!

**DeWitt8** · September 12, 2011, 04:16 PM

But it's much more fun letting them fight one vs. one!

**DukeCanada** · September 12, 2011, 06:40 PM

Yes sir! Until you see 3 Spartan generals in one army, then you resort to dirty tactics

**freeonrdavin** · September 12, 2011, 09:59 PM

Thank you Muizer! A true friend indeed

**Makrell** · September 13, 2011, 07:43 AM

sø the spartan bodyguards is as good as the "spartites"

**~~Tony83~~** · September 13, 2011, 08:49 AM

Yes, they are, although we have considered nerfing them a little. However, if anything, the bodyguard Spartiate (Hippeis!?) should be better, so maybe we'll tone down the main unit instead.

**Ostrogoth** · September 13, 2011, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Tony83

Yes, they are, although we have considered nerfing them a little. However, if anything, the bodyguard Spartiate (Hippeis!?) should be better, so maybe we'll tone down the main unit instead.

When I was capturing spartan mini region they had just 4 family member and they killed 90% of my full army.

They are too strong indeed, but it is Sparta and should stay as it is now. But for player as sparta it may be advantage.

**Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze** · September 13, 2011, 09:12 AM

But that would more or less defeat the purpose of having a Spartiatai unit. Actually, I wouldn't have any problems with not having a Spartiatai unit. We get them in the form of bodyguards, and the number of bodyguards grow the larger the empire gets already, so that kind of defeats the "25-50 regions" thing we have now.

**~~Tony83~~** · September 13, 2011, 09:36 AM

That is also an option I have considered, Bull.

**JCB206** · March 06, 2012, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze

But that would more or less defeat the purpose of having a Spartiatai unit. Actually, I wouldn't have any problems with not having a Spartiatai unit. We get them in the form of bodyguards, and the number of bodyguards grow the larger the empire gets already, so that kind of defeats the "25-50 regions" thing we have now.

Haven't played the mod yet, please explain...The bodyguards grows with the empire and not the generals influence? What is the max generals infantry bodyguard? Average size? Are the Spartans the only Factions with Infantry bodyguards or possibly the Romans? Thanks for the info.

**JCB206** · March 07, 2012, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by JCB206

Haven't played the mod yet, please explain...The bodyguards grows with the empire and not the generals influence? What is the max generals infantry bodyguard? Average size? Are the Spartans the only Factions with Infantry bodyguards or possibly the Romans? Thanks for the info.

Edit: I guess you mean that the number of generals increase, so you have more bodyguard units.

Still, the rest of the questions are valid.

**Spike** · September 13, 2011, 02:12 PM

Skritai dissapointed me, they die too easily with only frighten effect as their bonus (and general's bodyguard do the same)

**JCB206** · March 07, 2012, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Spike

Skritai dissapointed me, they die too easily with only frighten effect as their bonus (and general's bodyguard do the same)

Interesting that the Skiritai have no other tactics or specialty role. They were the eyes and ears of the Spartan Army on the march, since they used no cavalry. They came from a mountainous region and were very adapt at scouting and in battle they were given the station of "honor" on the left of the line facing the enemies best troops alot. They were an elite corps of 600-700 light hoplites, using a shield but wearing a leather breastplate, for increased mobility. They should have better, vision, mobility and speed on the battlefield and great stamina. They were used to clear skirmishers from the battlefield so the Spartans could move up. And I also believe they only were used when a king was in the field. But then again, if the Spartans were on the march, one of the kings would be with them. Are they light hoplites in the game?