Stat	Value
Category	infantry
Class	spearmen
Morale	10
Hit Points	1
Primary Attack	11
Primary Charge	4
Secondary Attack	7
Secondary Charge	3
Armour	11
Defense Skill	6
Shield	5
Recruitment Cost	740
Upkeep Cost	210

• Superior
• Hardy
• Can Form Phalanx
• Sapping Ability

Guardians of Mars are an elite among Samnite soldiery, carefully selected and given the best training to make them superior spearmen. Each of them is equipped with good body armour, greaves and a helmet and carries a large round shield, the hoplon that gives this kind of soldier the name of hoplite. Each man is also armed with a formidable thrusting spear called the xyston and a sword. They are usually employed as solid, close-packed groups of men, presenting a wall of spear points to the enemy. In phalanx formation, they use weight of numbers to batter into enemy formations.

They are elite forces, trained since childhood, and thus have the downside of being expensive and few in numbers. However, their might can easily turn the tide of any battle!