"In skilled hands the lance is the most fearsome of weapons."
Developed during their early part of the 1st century AD by the eastern empires of the time, the ‘kontos’ lance was at least four metres long. Designed to be used by cavalrymen, it was initially fielded by the cataphracts and clibinarii of Parthia and its successors, the Sassanid Persians. In fact the Parthian cataphracts who annihilated the Roman army at the Battle of Carrhae in 55BC may also have used an early version of the kontos. Literally as long as a bargepole, from where it gets its Greek name, a kontos was generally used two-handed whilst its wielder controlled their horse using both knees to indicate speed and direction. Later on, Rome faced this deadly new cavalry weapon again at the hands of the brutal steppe nomads who raided its borders during the 3rd century AD. As a reaction to having faced lance-armed warriors and come off worse, the Romans soon had their own version, spelled ‘contus’. The contus lance was still in use 1,000 years later by the Roman Empire’s successors - the Byzantines in the east and the Germanic peoples in the west.
Strength and Weaknesses[]
Excellent Charge Bonus
High Health
Poor Morale
Base Stats[]
Saxon Lancers
Unit
Number of Men:
80
Morale:
36
Bonus HP:
15
Melee Attack:
22
Melee Defense:
2
Charge Bonus:
237
Reload:
0
Ammunition:
0
Medium Infantry
Human
Hit Points:
90
Mass:
100
Medium Horse
Mount
Hit Points:
125
Mass:
440
Walk Speed:
18
Run Speed:
80
Charge Speed:
110
Charge Distance:
75
Weapons and Gear[]
Lance
Melee Weapon
Damage:
3
Armour Penetration Damage:
7
Bonus vs Infantry:
0
Bonus vs Cavalry:
10
Bonus vs Elephants:
0
Building damage:
0.033
Round Shield
Shield
Melee Defence:
15
Armour:
15
Missile Block Chance:
25
Leather Amour
Armour
Armour:
10
Abilities[]
Wedge
Target:
Self
Initial Recharge:
0
Active Time:
N/A
Recharge Time:
N/A
The unit moves into a wedge-shaped attack formation.
Assemble (5s)
Form Wedge:
+10 Melee Attack
+50% Charge Speed
+15% Charge Bonus
-100% Missile Block Chance
-25% Speed
Attributes[]
Hide (forest)
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.