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

The Sacred Band Cavalry were modelled on the heavy cavalry of Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic kingdoms of the east. Their equipment, training and discipline was such that they were ranked among the world's finest heavy cavalry. They were shieldless, and fought with a lance, the xyston (sometimes called a dory), some 7-10 feet long, with a bronze butt-spike. The xyston was able to be used as a thrusting weapon with two hands, yet was also light enough to be manipulated with one hand in close combat, when a cavalryman needed to strike to his rear and flanks. When the xyston broke, the rider sometimes used the butt-spike as a weapon.

Its secondary attack is the stronger one: 13 against 12.

	Primary	Secondary
Attack	12	13
Charge bonus	36	31
Type	melee · blade	melee · blade
Damage	piercing	slashing

	Primary	Secondary
Total	41	—
Armour	15	—
Defence skill	22	—
Shield	4	—

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

Technical stats

Time between blows (primary / secondary)	2.5 s / 2.5 s
Extra fatigue in hot climates	0
Spacing between men: close / loose	2 × 4.8 m / 3 × 7.2 m
Default ranks	5

In battle: Good stamina · Powerful charge

A core roster unit for 2 factions, each able to raise it anywhere they hold the right building:

Carthage · Gades

Exactly what a settlement must have, route by route (2)

Building	Also requires
Direct Rule	Tier 3 Military Industrial Complex · Tier 2 Colony · Requires resource horses or horses supplied factionwide
Homeland	Tier 2 Military Industrial Complex