Athens' end game unit: competitive?

[Gauloisier de la Gauloiserie]

Hi there
I am tempted to start a campaign with Athens.
In fact my first campaign was with Athens but I didnt pass the 15th turn, and decided to try something else.
This time I want to play a long, verrrrry long campaign with it, turtle at some point, play the peaceful and naval Athens.
But how are Athens' end game units, hoplites for instance, are they "tough enough" if they face Roman end game legionaries or other end game elite units?
Thanks for help and advices

[AusHaching]

I haven´t played Athens that much, but quite a lot of Sparta. The pros and cons are much the same.

Elite hoplites have great armour and morale, even more so if you get the upgrades. That makes them very tough to kill. However, they are also slow (as all "very heavy infantry" types are) and they lack the killing power of sword units. I.E. one on one, they will lose to Oathsworn or Praetorians. As part of a line, they do very well. Just remember to bring cavalry or ranged units do hit the enemy in the flanks or back.

Pikes are a bit different. Properly employed, they will kill any other type of infantry. On the downside, they are even slower and not as well armoured as hoplites.

In campaign mode, you will be competitive. The AI will not build stacks upon stacks of elite units, it´s too stupid to reach that point.

[Frost, colonel]

Why not just have a play in custom battles? This way you'll soon see if a long campaign as them will be to your taste and style of play.

[karamazovmm]

Why not just have a play in custom battles? This way you'll soon see if a long campaign as them will be to your taste and style of play.

you dont expect logic in this part of the forums, appreciate the things you take for granted

[BroskiDerpman]

you dont expect logic in this part of the forums, appreciate the things you take for granted

What is this thing called logic that you speak of?

[Uncle Jugashvili]

The only end game challenge you'll face is civil war, and the rebel armies are pretty much a mirror image of your own.

[craziii]

sparta has the best elite units out of the 3 greek factions(there is a recruitment limit, but you can get rid of it with radious mod). I don't consider macedon to be greek, they deserved their own identity. athens n epirus got screw over in their unit rosters. very, very weak end game units.

[Inhuman One]

Thats true, Spartan's roster is pretty unique. They dont share that many units while Epyrus and Athens pretty much have lesser versions of Macedon's roster. They dont have anything special that macedon doesnt have as well.

Would have been nice to see unique honour guards, temple guards, Athenian hoplites, etc. Seeing how Sparta gets heroes in honour of Leonidas, why not give Athens a powerfull unit that's inspired by the Athenians great victory at Marathon?

[neoptolemos]

You can wait for the release of TWH Unit Pack where we intend to extend the roster of Greek factions with Macedon being already close to release and Athens following very soon.
we have included some Achaean and Aitolian units which they will be late roster additions for Athens as these 2 majpr leagues are not represented in the game.

here are the links
http://www.totalwarhellas.com/Thread...16682#pid16682
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ack-Macedonian
of the Macedonian preview and we are currently working on the last model of 10 new Atheanian units.

[Stabri]

Picked up Athens and played until 32 BC.

Their units are not breathtaking, to say at least. They got three interesting unique units, the Lance Hippeis, very comparable with the Hellenic Royal Bodyguards, 100HP, great shock cav, but inferior to Hetaroi/Compagnion/Noble cav, and the excellent Veteran-Mercenary-Hoplites (100 armor+inspiring). Furthermore the Thorax-Hoplites.

For the Lance Hippeis you need Holosideron Barracks Level III, for the Veteran-Merc-Hoplites...they are not available, you have to hire them as mercs, think they cost around 790 gold per round (!!) So the best infantry unit is not available on the regular.

The Thorax-Hoplites are very decent too, although not elite. Better than most hoplites for sure. Not sure which kind of building you need here, but at least level III. They offer also the Thorax-Swordsmen, good allround unit, most greek factions dont offer them.

Athens is very strong on the skirmisher side. The rhodian slingers are true killer in patch 4. Furthermore, they got the light peltasts, a good unit able to throw fire spears.

So at the end they dont offer spectacular, but strong armies. Able to kill all eastern and barbarian factions, and all of romes starting armies. The best thing for Athens is the diplomacy bonus. In the campaign (I play on VH) you are able to expand to the balkans, asia minor and italy. If you want also to Egypt. The possibilities are endless, and you are not attacked randomly (Diplomacy Bonus). Their fleet is decent and enables you to connect with the parts of your mediterranean empire.

In MP they are weak, they needs very good tactics, strong micro and weak opponents to score.

[karamazovmm]

thorax swordsman? most if not all greek factions have it

[Stabri]

thorax swordsman? most if not all greek factions have it

okay, then forget about them and discuss the unique units