Macedonian Military

Macedonia through Alexander's father Philip II made the army of Macedonia become the machine that would take down the Persian Empire. After Alexander's Empire began to break apart Macedonia remained strong through its Kings. Of course they still used the tactics used by Alexander and Philip, since those tactics were able to take over most of the known world. So the Macedonians continue to fight in the same manner as before, which means a heavy focus on pike phalanxes & heavy cavalry, although good quality flanking infantry, lighter cavalry & assault infantry are also used by the Macedonian army commanders.
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Hoplitai Haploi (Greek Levy Hoplites)
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The poorest citizens of the Hellenic and Macedonian poleis fought as a militia roughly organized along the lines of other, more professional hoplite soldiers. They are organized in the phalanx and are quite high quality for militia, due to the dogged Hellenic spirit and fighting tradition. They can be expected to hold a line against most light and medium infantry, though they will be devastated by missile troops, as they have virtually no protection from missiles aside from their shields and the bodies of their compatriots. They are still useful against cavalry as no horse will willingly charge a bristling wall of spear points. Hoplitai Haploi, if used properly, can be an inexpensive and very valuable unit, though they will be outclassed against heavier and more professional troops, they can, if well supported, hold the line far better than one would expect of a militia.
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Phalangitai Deuteroi (Hellenic Levy Phalanx)
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The Phalangitai Deuteroi are wealthier members of Macedonian or Eperiot society than the majority of peasants, but are still not in the class required to be considered Pezhetairoi (voting property owners), yet they can afford better equipment than their poorer taxeis hoplitai brethren. They are armored in good Phrygian helmets, quilted cloth armor that can dampen the effects of missiles, and are armed with the dreaded sarissa, a six meter long pike. They are disciplined enough to hold a line well, and as property owners, have a lot to lose if a battle does not go their way. They can be used as decent defensive infantry, well able to hold their own against most enemies, so long as that enemy is attacking from the front. They are still vulnerable to missiles and flanking attacks, though not as vulnerable as their less wealthy compatriots. They are more disciplined and better motivated than their Asian or Egyptian counterparts in the armies of the Seleucid or Ptolemy and even the Antigonid Empire.
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Akontistai (Hellenic Skirmishers)
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Those unlucky enough to be extremely poor freedmen were pressed into service as psiloi, missile units, and the lowest class of Hellene infantry. The psiloi were divided into three parts: javelineers, slingers, and archers. The javelin-armed psiloi, the akonistai, were ragged peasants armed with javelins and small knives. Their function was simply to throw their missiles and then run as fast as possible to safety behind the hoplitai lines. They were used for skirmishing and to provide a demoralizing hail of missile fire during the grinding battle between the two phalanxes. Never use akonistai in melee except as diversionary fodder or as a flanking force; roles in which they don't excel, but might actually be better than nothing. They have their uses, as their javelins are still sharp and deadly, but they were often used only as light skirmishers or as a last resort in Hellenic armies for obvious reasons.
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Sphendonetai (Hellenic Slingers)
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Sphendonetai are the second branch of the psiloi, and are only marginally more useful than their compatriots with javelins. Their sphendonai (slings) can prove deadly weapons, being able to crush bones and armor, and shatter shields from a distance, but they are mainly used to harass and annoy enemy soldiers to force a premature or rash action. Since a sphendone is an easily constructed weapon, and ammo is readily available in Hellas' rocky terrain, Sphendonetai are mostly poor peasants and shepherds that use this weapon to provide a meager amount of protein in their already poor diet or use their weapons to keep predators away from their flocks.
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Toxotai (Hellenic Archers)
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Toxotai are the third branch of the psiloi, the archers of Hellenic and Macedonian armies. They are generally from the upper end of the poor and recruited from mountainous regions where the use of the bow is an essential skill to keep one's flock of sheep safe from roving predators. Toxotai are well trained in a manner of speaking, that being that they are using their weapon of choice (often of necessity) from birth. They are decent archers, but are nowhere near as professional as the archers from the east and south. They mostly use the short bow, which means that they are often outgunned by their counterparts from other lands. This reflects their secondary role in a Hellenic army. As most missile units, they will be cut to ribbons in melee, so they should be well protected from enemy ranks.
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Hippakontistai (Hellenic Skirmisher Cavalry)
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Hippos Akontistes (literally "javelin horsemen") are the standard among Hellenic light cavalry. They are lightly armored, often wearing nothing but padded cloth for protection. The key to their method of warfare is speed, and they are armed accordingly. They ride small, but swift horses and harass enemy infantry and heavy cavalry with javelins. This is their primary use, because their light armor is really a detriment when they are engaged in any kind of melee combat. Their swords and shields are simply no counter to lances or heavier cavalry swords.
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Hoplitai (Greek Classical Hoplites)
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Even though the Macedonian phalangitai has become the dominant infantry type among the Hellenic powers, the hoplitai of old, those who fight in much the same manner as the Hellenes of Thermopylai, Marathon and Plataiai did, are still around defending their poleis. Each hoplites is equipped with linen or leather armor, an aspis shield, greaves, the attic style helmet and of course, his spear. Their equipment might have changed since the battles of a centuries past, but their tactics has not. The hoplitai still fight in the phalanx formation, often eight man deep whose purpose is to advance forward upon the enemy line, tie them and to whittle them down through attrition.
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Peltastai (Hellenic Heavy Skirmishers)
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The Peltastai is a type of elite skirmisher that sacrifices heavy arms and armor for mobility and range. They are armored in linen and carry a medium sized ovular shield. Originally, they carried a crescent shaped 'pelta' shield, originated in Thrake and gave the peltastai their name, but this was phased out in the fourth century. Their armaments consist of several javelins and a sword. This panoply makes them light and mobile, but still able to engage in melee after their javelins have been thrown. They are a versatile unit but one must remember that their primary arms are javelins, and they are not equipped to stand toe to toe with heavier infantry. Their role is one of speed, harassment, and critical flanking maneuvers.
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Thureophoroi (Hellenic Spearmen)
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As stated before, this unit in terms of EOA is still aways off of being developed. But as Alexander's war veterans begin to die off and the lack of heavy infantry becomes more of a concern. This unit makes more sense to have it come out. With more wars taking place in EOA, the development of this unit makes sense as well.
Thureophoroi were a new class of Hellenic infantry that was designed to both augment the phalanx and provide a type of soldier in between the phalangite and the peltastai that was able to both skirmish and fight in melee effectively. These men provide an extremely mobile force that can hit hard with their heavy javelins then rush in to flank pike units. They are well armed and armored for the task, having stout bronze helms, linen armor, an almond shaped thureos shield, heavy javelins, and a stout spear. They are highly versatile infantry, akin in spirit to the legionaries of Rome. They are a highly effective force of heavy infantry that is in the forefront of Hellenic military know-how.
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Prodromoi (Successor Medium Cavalry)
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Prodromoi are the lightest of the Diadochoi melee cavalry and can be counted upon as superb flanking, raiding, and screening cavalry. They are well trained for light cavalry, but are still lightly armed and armored. They are not meant to be used as shock cavalry and will not roll up an enemy battle line in a thunderous charge, but instead make viable flanking cavalry which can quickly provide support where it is needed and be used to counter light missile troops of both the foot and mounted varieties. Their spears, shields, and linen armor give them some staying power, but they should not be used to in protracted melee for any great amount of time.
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Thrakioi Hippeis (Thracian Light Cavalry)
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Like many nations, Macedonia hired merconaries from its borders or with in their borders depending on how the borders change with time. ( yeah i know i mentioned borders quite a bit). But as nations expand, or close up they can get new units from conquered lands.
Thraikoi Hippeis are skilled Thracian skirmisher cavalry who harass their enemies with javelins. To maintain high mobility they wear no armor beneath their characteristic cloaks (called "zeira"), but their small thureos shields and Phrygian helmets with cheek guards provide some protection from their foes. They are trained in the use of the wedge formation and their Scordisci swords can be effective in close quarter fighting, but they are best used harassing infantry or slower cavalry at range.
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Taxeis Triballoi
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As stated before, border shift and when that happens nations hire merconaries from the new land. Either to show loyalty, and as away of helping them be loyal governments may grant them land grants. Often the best land was given to them to ensure loyalty. These troops were no different. They were well armed and trained troops.
The Triballoi are a particularly fierce Thraikian tribe that contributes a very deadly assault infantry to any Thraikian warlord or any strategos who hires them. These Thraikians are wearing leather armor with ptyreges, leather greaves, Thracian helms and thureos shields and they are armed with javelins and Skythian longswords. True to their Thraikian ancestry they are ferocious warriors who fight with an intensity unmatched by other troops in the region. They are more than capable of going toe to toe with most other medium infantry and can be utterly lethal as flankers against heavier infantry. Their javelins give them another edge, as they can unleash a volley or two before closing in on the hopefully thinned enemy formation. In short, they are a very able assault infantry if properly used on the battlefield.
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Pezhetairoi
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Many of Alexander's war Veterans simply went home, back to Macedonia. Macedonia like the Antigonids hold a large number of Alexander's war veterans. But as stated earlier as their numbers begin to become even fewer, Macedonia like all Diodachoi kindgoms begin to seek replacements for these great warriors.
The Pezhetairoi are heart of the military machine of all the Diodachoi kindgoms. They are well disciplined and highly motivated pikemen that are armed and armored to the teeth. They are armored in a linen cuirass, a Thraikian cap, a bronze greave on the left leg, stout boots, good bracers, and reinforced shoulder pads made from hardened linen (due to their experience with the deadly curved swords of Thrace). They have Illyrian style round shields attached to their bodies by leather straps that help support the weight of the shield and keep their hand free to grasp the long and unwieldy sarissa. They are defensive infantry par excellence and are the anvil of the two part Makedonian system of warfare, the heavy cavalry being the hammer. They should be used to anchor enemy soldiers while the Theurophoroi harass the flanks and the heavy cavalry smashes into the flanks and rear.
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Argyraspidai (Hellenic Elite Phalanx)
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The veteran Pezhetairoi are often called Argyraspidai ("Silver Shields") in Macedonia, while in the Seleucid Empire/Antigonid Empire they are drawn from the sons of mainly Macedonian military-settlers, primarily from the katoikiai, or military settlements, of Syria. These are tough men often better armed than their fellow phalanx soldiers, who usually are used to hold the center of a Macedonian or Seleucid/Antigonid battle line. They are older and more disciplined than other phalangitai and are thus able to hold their own against good odds. They are armed and armored much the same as regular Pezhetairoi, but with slightly better equipment and weapons, including scale reinforcement on their Linothorax. As with most elite units, they are best utilized as troops that take the brunt of an assault and can be counted upon to hold their ground.
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Hippeis Thessalikoi (Thessalian Heavy Cavalry)
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Thessalikoi heavy cavalry are drawn from the nobility of Thessalia, a region thoroughly under Macedonian control. They are extremely valuable heavy cavalry, well able to crush enemy resistance with a single thunderous charge. While not quite as powerful as the Hetairoi of Macedonia itself, the Thessalikoi are well able to give a good account of themselves in battle. Their lances and blades, combined with their shields, make them well able to hold in a melee after the charge has been completed and they have a degree of discipline that is enviable among cavalry warriors.
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Thrakioi Peltastai (Thracian Peltasts)
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The Thracian Peltast was the originator and the best of the peltasts and these men will often give a better service than their Hellenic counterparts. They are armored in good quality linen and carry a smaller version of the thureos style shield. They are Hellenized warriors, but still have their trademark wild beards, which serve to remind their enemies of their country of origin. They are expert javelinmen, able to pepper their targets with javelins before charging in with their fearsome rhomphaias. They are well trained and among the fiercest and most feared warriors in the entire world, and they know it. This often makes them very impetuous, but an able general should be able to keep them at bay until the right moment. Thrakioi Peltastai can be used with equal precision as skirmishers or medium shock infantry. They are even deadly against armored horsemen, due to their wicked armor-piercing blades
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Thrakioi Prodromoi
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In the Thraikian and Macedonian armies, these medium cavalry are a common sight. The reason for this is that they are excellent medium cavalry, capable of skirmishing, charging, and fighting fairly well in melee. They are armored with good quality linen, bronze helms, and the distinctive Thraikian shields that mark their country of origin. They are an extremely versatile cavalry force that can be given the moniker ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. They are great all-round cavalry, but will not fare well against heavier cavalry or spear or pike armed infantry. They are drawn from the lower Thraikian nobility and many have settled in Macedonia, lured by land grants and higher pay.
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Hypaspistai
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Hypaspistai are the elite spearmen of the Macedonian and Seleucid/Antigonid armies. They are armed and armored much as traditional hoplitai, but with a few notable differences. Though they are armed with the traditional hoplites shield, and are armored with a metal cuirass, their secondary arm is a mix between the traditional hoplites sword and the Keltoi longsword, adopted from the Galatai. They are versatile and elite soldiers, often forming the right wing of the Hellenic battle line. Their heavy armor and weapons allow them to fight as elite spearmen or swordsmen, able to battle the hardiest opponents. They should be deployed where the fighting will be at its absolute thickest, as they are able to charge in for a kill once the enemy has exhausted himself upon the unforgiving points of their spears.
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Hetairoi (Companion Cavalry)
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The Hetairoi, or Companions, were the elite noble heavy cavalry of Macedon and the Diadochoi. They are an elite heavy cavalry that is second to none and arguably the best cavalry of the period. They fight with a degree of élan, discipline, and simple ferociousness that is matched only by the horsemen of Iberia, Karchedon, and the best heavy cavalry of the eastern nomadic peoples. They are armored from head to toe in iron plate (some still had bronze, but this was falling out of favor rapidly by 250 BC), reinforced with mail at key points. Their horses are barded with felt barding and often have bronze plates to protect their heads. Their helmets, with the two plumes, mark them on a battlefield. They are best used as heavy shock cavalry, able to decide many battles with a single charge. They are the second part of the hammer and anvil of Alexandrian battle tactics. They are armed with a xyston and a kopis, and are true masters of both weapons. If these men have any weakness, it is the front of a line of spearmen. Horses, not matter how well trained, simply do not want to charge into certain death. Nevertheless, these superb cavalry men are easily able to devastate even the toughest of foes with a well timed charge into their flanks or rear.
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Agrianikoi Pelekephoroi (Agrianian Assault Infantry)
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The Agrianians are an Illyrian tribe that has many Thracian influences. Most now live in northern Macedonia, where they are actively recruited. The Agrianians are famed for their acrobatics and climbing ability, and are well known as an exceedingly fierce tribe. They've been recruited by the Macedonians in large numbers for many years, and are now indebted to the Macedonian king for protecting them against the huge invasion of the Galatians. They wear little in the way of armor, wearing only a small round bronze breastplate that doubles as a bowl and leather greaves that protect their legs from the jagged rocks. They carry daggers and axes, both modified to use as climbing tools. Their daggers are particularly long and specially shaped to make them both climbing spikes and excellent melee weapons. They actually have a fairly advanced martial art based around these weapons. They carry thureoi and wear attic helmets, and round out their equipment with javelins. Agrianians are famous javelineers, able to throw their javelins farther and with more force than many others. They are best used as assault infantry, their javelins, speed, and axes can work wonders on heavier troops. They are fanatic soldiers who often lose themselves into a battle frenzy, able to tackle enemies with far more armor. They are among the best and fastest infantry available to the Macedonian Kingdom.
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Category:Military