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Spear Levy FOTS Icon

Spear Levy is a type of spear infantry in Fall of the Samurai.

Description[]

Armed with long spears, these men are incredibly effective against cavalry units.

Even in modern combat the spear is a remarkably useful weapon. It can be used in single or mass combat, and is equally effective for attack and defence. Spear levies are armed with long spears that are almost pikes and can be used to lead a battle charge. They are well-drilled, but lack the lifetime of skill and dedication that marks out the samurai. Spear levies are most effective when they work together as a block, forming a wall of spears. This compensates for their low morale and limits the amount of damage they take due to a lack of armour. Any cavalry that charges into a well-managed formation of spear levy will be severely depleted as the horses and riders are skewered.

Gods and goddesses have been adopted and adapted throughout history. Some aspects of Japanese mythology have their roots in Buddhism, but the deities worshipped in Japan often bear little resemblance to the Buddhist deities they were based on. For example, Vaisravana, the chief of the Four Heavenly Kings, became the armour-clad Bishamonten when Buddhism spread through Japan. Although he retained the position of Guardian of the North, he took on the more brutal mantle of God of War: gone was the umbrella or chatra, traditionally associated with Vaisravana, replaced instead with a deadly spear.

Strengths & Weaknesses

  • Very good against cavalry.
  • Vulnerable to missiles.
  • Weak in melee against sword-armed units.
  • Low morale.

General Information[]

Spear Levy are among the cheapest infantry in Fall of the Samurai to train and maintain, making them excellent garrison troops. Only Levy Infantry are cheaper on paper, but in the early game, where traditional units are 20% cheaper to recruit, spear levies are the cheapest infantry. Spear levies are better in melee combat than most militia, and provided that they can engage in melee without taking too many casualties from missile fire, they can be effective for their cost. However, they are vulnerable at a distance, and break easily due to their poor morale. Like all traditional units, spear levies can adopt loose formation to minimize damage taken from missile and artillery fire, but this reduces the effectiveness of their melee charge. Spear levies fight best in foggy or rainy weather, sheltered by trees or rough terrain. They make fairly expendable meat shields due to their cheap cost and can tie up more expensive units for a respectable amount of time as long as their morale holds up. They are aided in this by their exceptional defense skill, which is higher than even some other, more expensive traditional units.

Spear Levy have an extremely high bonus against cavalry, making them ideal anti-cavalry forces. They are still vulnerable to being charged in the rear by cavalry, particularly if the cavalry manage to pull out and repeat charges. While Yari Kachi are statistically superior, Spear Levy are significantly cheaper to recruit.

While spear levy are most ubiquitous in the early game, where funds are tight, they remain valuable in the late game for being a very cheap deterrent to cavalry. Just a few spear levies guarding the flanks of line infantry can prevent cavalry from dealing effective damage.

Fall of the Samurai Infantry
Sword Infantry Katana KachiShogitai
Spear Infantry Spear LevySpear Levy GarrisonKyoto PoliceYari Kachi
Bow Infantry Bow Kachi
Matchlock Infantry Matchlock Kachi
Special Infantry Kisho Ninja
Militia Infantry Levy Garrison InfantryLevy InfantryWhite Tiger Force
Light Infantry SharpshootersTosa RiflemenYugekitai
Line Infantry Azure Dragon ForceBlack Bear InfantryBlack Tortoise ForceGarrison InfantryImperial InfantryLine InfantryRed Bear InfantryRepublican InfantryShinsengumi Police ForceShogunate InfantryVermilion Bird ForceWhite Bear Infantry
Elite Infantry Imperial Guard InfantryInfanterie de marineKihetaiRepublican Guard InfantryRoyal MarinesShogunate Guard InfantryUnited States Marines
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