What units from EB are you hoping to see again in EBII?

[QuintusSertorius]

Simple as that really, I'm sure everyone had their favourites from EB that they are hoping will make a re-appearance in EBII. I'm sure the stats and look will be different, but the should be filling the same sort of role, unless they've been replaced with something else. I note there's a whole peltast/euzonoi/thureophoroi thing that wasn't in EB, so some of my favourite skirmishers might be different.

Mine are thus:

Keltohellenikoi:



These dudes were awesome. Commonly available as mercs, cheap, good flankers, had javelins for harrassment and spears as counter-cavalry. They're a sort of Celtic version of the Thureophoroi.

Curepos/Leuce Epos:



Again widely available as mercs, cheap, excellent medium cavalry. Lances, javelins, speed, bags of stamina to charge and charge again once they'd used up their missiles. I almost never had an army without a unit of them.

Thraikioi Peltastai:



Another mercenary unit (though also recruitable) - sensing a pattern here? Skirmishers who were also very dependable and deadly medium infantry. I often used them as reserves to kill enemy FMs or throw into the back of a phalanx to mince them up.

Hoplitai:



Yet again available in mercenary and recruitable formats, cheap, ultra-dependable either for holding the centre (against non-phalanx opponents) or else holding the immediate flank of a phalanx. Also good in sieges.

Kretan Archers:



Another mercenary unit! Compared to everything else available in the western Mediterranean, the best archers around. What really makes them count is their range compared to Toxotai, Sotaroas and other levy archers.

Illyrian Hippeis:



More mercenary light lancers, cheap, with the added bonus of AP secondary as well as primary weapons.

Mercenary Phalangites:



When you have small populations at the start, but need something to hold the middle of your line, a unit or two of these dudes are essential. As long as you don't expect them to do anything else, they're perfect.

So what are yours?

[alin]

5 out 7 in the 1st release:

[Yerevan]

I like your selection. Especially the Thrakian Pelatastai and the Leuce Epos. I like versatile units. I would add the Agrianikoi Pelekuphoroi (I think they were graphically awesome). They were one of my favourite unit, though I never could verify their fortification assaulting excellence in game situation.

THe Hoplitai were a must. Using them was like placing a wall on the battle field. They never disapointed me. When the elite hoplite units like the epilaktoi certainly did !

[QuintusSertorius]

5 out 7 in the 1st release:

Awesome, thanks for that alin. The Celts look really cool, as do the hoplites.

I wonder if the cavalry still have AP lances, or if that mechanic is still relevant in M2TW? They look like spears this time around, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I know it was a compromise back in EB days, but it meant light lancers packed a disproportionate punch for their size.

I like your selection. Especially the Thrakian Pelatastai and the Leuce Epos. I like versatile units. I would add the Agrianikoi Pelekuphoroi (I think they were graphically awesome). They were one of my favourite unit, though I never could verify their fortification assaulting excellence in game situation.

THe Hoplitai were a must. Using them was like placing a wall on the battle field. They never disapointed me. When the elite hoplite units like the epilaktoi certainly did !

I never got to use the Agrianians, too high up the building tier and too narrow a recruitment area. That was despite using Epeiros a lot.

Yeah, Hoplitai were champions. I used them all the time and they always came through. When you can recruit them with 2 experience and upgraded weaponry, they're immovable. Even the levy version (Hoplitai Haploi) were surprisingly steady, I once had a unit die to a man on the walls during a siege and never break.

[Yerevan]

Damn, double post.

[athanaric]

All of the units from the OP except for Hoplitai and Keltohellenikoi Hoplitai felt a bit broken for various reasons IMO (for the light lancers, the explanation was already given).


Anyway, I really liked the concept of "assimilation units" in EB I - i.e. Keltohellenikoi Hoplitai, Celto-Germanic cavalry and spearmen, Equites Gallorum/Germanorum/Hispanorum/Thracum. Gives your faction some "quasi-factional" troops to recruit in adjacent or even outlying regions, not just regional troops that can vary in quality.

[QuintusSertorius]

All of the units from the OP except for Hoplitai and Keltohellenikoi Hoplitai felt a bit broken for various reasons IMO (for the light lancers, the explanation was already given).

Leaving the light lancers aside, the Thraikioi are quite a lot more expensive than regular Peltastai. The Kretans are four times the cost of Toxotai and more than three times the cost of Sotaroas, and if you're not already in the eastern Mediterranean, you have to travel a long way to hire them. I know, in my Epeiros-as-Massalia game, I sent an FM on a ship to Greece just to hire them.

Are you someone who thinks all phalanxes are broken in EB?

Anyway, I really liked the concept of "assimilation units" in EB I - i.e. Keltohellenikoi Hoplitai, Celto-Germanic cavalry and spearmen, Equites Gallorum/Germanorum/Hispanorum/Thracum. Gives your faction some "quasi-factional" troops to recruit in adjacent or even outlying regions, not just regional troops that can vary in quality.

I love the fusion units too. Don't forget the Bosporan Heavy Archers, a Helleno-Skythian mix who were death to horse archers and the Galathraikies,who were pretty good medium infantry.

In the beta, I'll just hire Thureophoroi in place of Keltohellenikoi, after all a lot of them were Galatians and others in Anatolia.

[kingman1337]

Elite Thracian Infantry- My personal favorite unit. Use them when my phalanx breaks. They are put a safe distance behind and then cut and hack into my enemies until they are no more. Usually a key to a victory.



Argyraspides- The Seleucids are my favorite faction to play with. Not only are these units beautiful, but they hold the central line incredibly well when the enemy charges into the phalanx.


Thorakitai Argyraspides- Another favorite of mine. More versatile than the hypaspist and can pack a punch as well. It can weaken and then crush the enemy.


Armored Cataphract Elephant- Primarily for aesthetic reasons. If its not in the first release, I'll be alright with it, since regular elephants are already in the build. They won't look as pretty as these, but they'll get the job done.

Is it me or do I just really like to shock the enemy with the most savage but aesthetically beautiful infantry?

[Harðurāðaz]

Druxtiz Goudiskā

[Kirila the Kitten]

Are the Costobocii going to return? Dem' throwin' axes!

[Coldfire88]

What I could think of:
Jewish spearmen - not a flashy unit but tough son of a , also very dependable.

Caucasian archers - Just as deadly with the bow as Cretans but wear no armor and useless in melee, which brings the price/upkeep down by alot.

Also for some reason i didnt have the best experience with Thrakian peltestai in RTW, their supposed to have excellent morale yet their usually the first to route, sure they were under a general but still non of my other units routed. they also die in melee as quickly as any other heavy skirmishers/medium inf.

[Orphydian]

were those screenshots previously available?

Damn when I see those Illyrians I once more want one of their tribe as faction

[QuintusSertorius]

What I could think of:
Jewish spearmen - not a flashy unit but tough son of a , also very dependable.

Caucasian archers - Just as deadly with the bow as Cretans but wear no armor and useless in melee, which brings the price/upkeep down by alot.

Also for some reason i didnt have the best experience with Thrakian peltestai in RTW, their supposed to have excellent morale yet their usually the first to route, sure they were under a general but still non of my other units routed. they also die in melee as quickly as any other heavy skirmishers/medium inf.

Ah yes, Ioudaioi Taxeis were really tough. A sort of regional Thureophoroi with better-than-usual morale.



I never played much as any of the factions that could recruit them, but I always coveted them from afar. I did once play a brief Saba-as-Nabataea game with them as my main troops, and they were very effective against most of the other Near Eastern troops, who usually don't have armour.

Strange, I found Thraikian Peltastai able to hold Camillian Hastati, Samnite Hastati and others for ages. I just had a battle against the Romaioi where they decided to throw five units at the Thraikians holding my right, and they held the whole time. Only lost about 20 men as well.

were those screenshots previously available?

Off the EB website - click on any faction and choose Units (I get most of them from the Eleutheroi, since it's a bigger list).

[alin]

were those screenshots previously available?

Damn when I see those Illyrians I once more want one of their tribe as faction

No.

[nein]

I would like to know if any of the naked celt units are going to return with hi-def willys

[Wulfburk]

Botroas



And specially my favorite unit.... the Rycalawre!!!

[Orphydian]

Off the EB website - click on any faction and choose Units (I get most of them from the Eleutheroi, since it's a bigger list).

screenshots from Alin...

[LinusLinothorax]

I want to see these guys:


The Bactrian bodyguards are easily the most beautiful bodyguards in EB and one of the prettierst units at all.


A badass mixed-cultured unit, can't wait to see them in Taksashilas roster.


Also very badass. Naked and painted with black colour they are frightening look for their enemies.

One of my favorite "barbaric" units.

[Orphydian]

are we gonna see these units for Baktria?
I think Ive seen a superb 3d model for an evolved boiotian helmet some long time ago but I dnt know if it was only for loading screens/artwork concept or it would be actually aplied on units.

[alin]

are we gonna see these units for Baktria?
I think Ive seen a superb 3d model for an evolved boiotian helmet some long time ago but I dnt know if it was only for loading screens or it would be actually aplied on units.

Yes, I made it for the Hetairoi and other greek units.

As for those units they're not in the 1st release.