Originally Posted by
Hellenikon
The lakonikoi hoplitai are not spartan citizens, they're an upgrade from levy hoplites due to kleomene's reforms. They're not rich enough to afford armour as classical hoplites, those are the spartiates. Kleomenes distributed wealth among everyone so he could have more people fighting for sparta, even if they weren't citizens. Ingame their main advantage is their big unit pool, and being far more competent than levy hoplites. They are the poors of laconia, which were organised by Kleomenes into units by giving them basic weapons and training. They're not meant to replace spartan hoplites.