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Mercenary. Hired from a regional pool, not recruited from a building.

Class: heavy · Category: cavalry · Men per unit: 30

The Xystophoroi are a heavy cavalry unit named after their iconic weapon, the Xyston: a 3-4m/ 11-14 ft long lance with a bronze butt-spike, used in case it broke during a powerful charge (Sekunda, Macedonian Armies (2012), p. 9). They operate shield-less, using both hands to hold the lance steady while charging the enemy, whereafter they change their fighting style to a one-handed grip in close combat. The Xystophoroi wear heavy armour, either bronze muscle cuirasses or colourful linothorakes; decorated Phrygian, Attic, or Boiotian helmets; and protect their legs with bronze greaves. Their main strength as heavy shock cavalry lies in a devastating charge into enemy cavalry, or the flanks and backs of infantry engaged in melee. Though they can hold their own for a while, the Xystophoroi should not stay in close combat too long. Especially against spear units or under heavy fire by skirmishers, they might face heavy losses due to their lack of shields.

Its secondary attack is the stronger one: 12 against 11.

	Primary	Secondary
Attack	11	12
Charge bonus	27	23
Type	melee · blade	melee · blade
Damage	piercing	slashing

	Primary	Secondary
Total	32	—
Armour	14	—
Defence skill	18	—
Shield	0	—

Hit points	1
Mount	heavy horse
Ground: scrub / sand / forest / snow	-4 / -1 / -8 / -1
Charge distance	40
Formations	Square

Technical stats

Time between blows (primary / secondary)	2.5 s / 2.5 s
Extra fatigue in hot climates	4
Spacing between men: close / loose	2 × 4.8 m / 3 × 7.2 m
Default ranks	5

In battle: Very good stamina

Mercenaries are hired from a regional pool, not recruited from a building. This unit is offered by 8 pools covering 53 regions, at 4,580–5,107 dn to hire and 2–3 experience.

Mercenary pools: Attica · Boeotia · Ionia · Laconia · Mazaka · Pamphylia · Paphlagonia Main · Phrygia

At least one of those pools sells to any faction that has an army in range, with no faction restriction.

Some pools additionally restrict it to Cappadocia.

The 53 regions where this unit appears in a mercenary pool

Agriania · Aizanitis · Amastris · Anatolike Dardania · Anatolike Phrygia · Attike · Axios · Boiotia · Brasiai · Charonia · Chios · Dardania · Denthelentike · Deuriopos-Pelagonia · Dorylaia · Erigonia · Estwediys · Galabria · Hesperos Pamphylia · Ionia · Kappadokia · Kaukonia · Klazomenia · Korbeous · Kythera · Lakonia · Lakonikos Kolpos · Latmikos Kolpos · Lesbos · Maidia · Megale Phrygia · Megaris · Messenia · Methymnia · Mimas · Mlaundos · Mykale · Naissitania · Nea Ionia · Orgasia

…and 13 more.