MACEDONIANS CIVILISATION PROFILE

Edited by Michael D. Hafer [aka Mythos_Ruler] Email: michaeldhafer@gmail.com. (Indiana, United States of America).

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS

INFANTRY

• Generic Name: Foot Companion.
• Specific Name: Pezétairos.
  • Class: Spearman.
  • Hacker Armament: Long Macedonian pike, the "sarissa".
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: "Rear ranker". Simple tunic. No armour or greaves. Basic pilos helmet. Round Macedonian pelta.
    • Advanced: "Mid Ranker". Linothorax armour (with pteruges) and bronze greaves. Open faced Thracian and Phrygian helmets, plumed and non-plumed, crested and non-crested. Round Macedonian pelta.
    • Elite: "Front ranker". Bronze muscled cuirass (with leather pteruges) and bronze greaves. Closed faced, feathered, plumed, and/or crested Phrygian helmets. Round Macedonian pelta.
  • History: The Pezhetairoi were the backbone of the Macedonian army, much like the Hoplites were for the Hellenes. What makes the Pezhetairoi different is their use of a two-handed 18 foot (6 meter) pike and their massed "syntagma" formation, a variation on the Greek Phalanx borrowed from the Thebans. The Pezhetairos is a professional, making him one of the strongest spearmen in the game.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Slow. Cavalry killer. Individually very vulnerable to ranged units and swordsmen when not in Syntagma formation.
  • Special: "Syntagma" Formation.

• Generic Name: Agrianian Peltast.
• Specific Name: Peltastes Agrianikos.
  • Class: Javelinist.
  • Hacker Armament: Javelins. Decorative curved dagger.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Simple tunic. No shoes. No helmet. Thracian-style pelta shield.
    • Advanced: Decorative tunic. Leather boots. Pilos Helmet. Thracian-style pelta shield.
    • Elite: Light-weight quilted linothorax. Leather boots. Open faced Phrygian Helmets. Thracian-style pelta shield.
  • History: The Agrianians were Alexander's best skirmishers when he went on his world-conquest march. They had Macedonian and Thracian influences and were deadly accurate.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Good, fast skirmishers.
  • Special: -

• Generic Name: Rhodian Slinger.
• Specific Name: Sphendonêtês Rhodikos.
  • Class: Slinger.
  • Ranged Armament: Sling and leather bullet pouch. Decorative dagger.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Poor. Simple tunic (nearly naked). No shoes. No helmet. No shield.
    • Advanced: Decorative tunic. Sandals. Fox hide slung over his shoulder. Straw hat. No shield.
    • Elite: Light-weight quilted linothorax. Leather boots. Open faced Phrygian and Pilos Helmets. No feathers, plumes, or crests. Small round pelta.
  • History: The slingers from the island of Rhodes were the best slingers in and around the Aegean world, learning their craft from a young age. A lead Rhodian bullet had enough force to pierce armour and kill a man. They were hired by Macedon and the Hellenistic states (and Hellenic states before them) as mercenaries to augment the skirmishing capacity of their armies. In this, the Rhodian Sphendonêtês excelled brilliantly.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Good Pierce attack. Basically no armour. Can't stand up to a fight. They are mercenaries, with all the traits that designation entails.
  • Special: .

• Generic Name: Cretan Mercenary Archer.
• Specific Name: Toxótēs Krētikós.
  • Class: Archer.
  • Ranged Armament: Small simple bow. Decorative dagger. Quiver of arrows slung onto the back.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Simple tunic. Sandals. No shield. No helmet-only a head band.
    • Advanced: Decorative tunic. Sandals. Light-weight quilted thorax. Straw hat. No shield.
    • Elite: Linothorax armour. Leather boots. Open faced Chalcidean and Pilos Helmets. No feathers, plumes, or crests. Small round shield.
  • History: Mercenary archers from the big island of Crete. They were widely regarded as the best archers in all of Hellas and had a long tradition of hiring themselves out to Hellenic states such as Athens for use aboard Triremes naval vessels. Alexander hired them to accompany him on his world conquest march and while in his service they dueled admirably with the greatly feared eastern archers.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Mediocre archer compared to the Persian ranged units, but the Cretans should have decent hitpoints and stamina. Can't stand up well to a melee fight. They are mercenaries, with all the traits that designation entails.
  • Special: .

CAVALRY

• Generic Name: Thessalian Lancer.
• Specific Name: Xystophoros Thessalikos.
  • Class: Cavalry Spearman.
  • Ranged Armament: Long Macedonian cavalry lance, the "xyston". Decorative sword.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Simple tunic. Chlamys (cape/cloak). Sandals. Straw hat. No shield.
    • Advanced: Light-weight quilted thorax. Chlamys. Sandals. Boeotian Helmet, non plumed. No shield.
    • Elite: Linothorax armour. Chlamys with patterned trim. Leather boots. Boeotian and Thracian Helmets, plumed. No shield.
    • Figure(s): -
  • History: The best cavalry in Greece, besides the Macedonian hetairoi. Thessalians led an agrarian life and raised horses in the large pasture lands of Thessaly. They were widely regarded as the best cavalry in all of Hellas due to the speed and tenacity of their horses. They were used effectively in the Macedonian armies as light cavalry and held the important left flank of the battle line, staving off enemy advances long enough for the heavy cavalry on the right flank to make the killer blow.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: Good armour in its Elite form. Light standard attack, but devastating charge bonus. Unlike the Hetairos Champion Unit and most other cavalry types, the Xystophoros does not deal Trample damage - he relies solely on his charge bonus.
  • Special: -.

• Generic Name: Odrysian Cavalry.
• Specific Name: Hippeus Odrysi.
  • Class: Cavalry Skirmisher.
  • Ranged Armament: Javelins. Decorative sword. Clutch of Javelins in his left hand.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Simple tunic. Sandals. Boeotian Helmet, non-plumed. No shield.
    • Advanced: Leather cuirass. Leather boots and pteruges. Thracian helmets, non-plumed, non-crested. Small, leather covered shield.
    • Elite: Scale-reinforced linothorax armour. Linen pteruges. Chlamys cloak. Leather boots. Phrygian helmets, crested and non-crested. Oblong "thureos" shield.
  • History: Thracian cavalry skirmishers were recruited from the Odrysian tribe of central Thrace.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: Fast. Good armour and HPs. Is one of the few ranged units with no minimum range (they'll stand up to a fight). They are mercenaries, with all the traits that designation entails.
  • Special: -.

SUPPORT UNITS

• Generic Name: Macedonian Woman.
• Specific Name: Gýnē.
  • Class: Female Citizen.
  • Appearance: She looks like a Hellene (Greek) female, except her hair is a bit more fashionable for Hellenistic times. Chiton and long peplos.
  • History: Macedonian women were mothers, first and foremost. They had few rights and a low station. Lower class women labored the land and, only when necessary, tended the family shop. Middle and upper class women were relegated almost exclusively to home life. Be that as it may, they were masters of the home and servants, their husbands often deferred to their wives in domestic matters. Some Macedonian women did wield uncommon influence in politics, the most famous being Olympias, mother of Alexander.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Standard female citizen attributes--Good at gathering food. Has an 'aura' that boosts the productivity of citizen-soldiers around her. Does not fight. Runs when confronted with enemy attack. Capturable.
  • Special: -.

• Generic Name: Priest.
• Specific Name: Hiereús.
  • Class: Healer.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Long white himation.
    • Helmet: White hood and olive wreath crown.
    • Shield: None.
    • Figure(s): Carries a small votive..
  • History: The Macedonians worshiped the Olympic Pantheon. The priests of the various sects were renown for "curing" various ailments. When this propensity for "faith healing" collided with the intellectualism of some of the more liberal city-states, medicine was born.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Average Healer stats.
  • Special: "Sphagia" (pre-battle sacrifice). If the Healer kills or slaughters a domesticated animal (cow, auroch, sheep, goat) within LOS of military units, those units get a small (+10%) attack boost for a short amount of time(~30 sec).

• Generic Name: Merchant.
• Specific Name: Émporos.
  • Class: Trader.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: .
    • Helmet: .
    • Shield: .
    • Figure(s): .
    • Mount: .
  • History: .
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: -
  • Special: -

• Generic Name: Worker Elephant.
• Specific Name: Karmākara Gaja.
  • Class: Resource drop site.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: .
    • Helmet: .
    • Shield: .
    • Figure(s): Indian mahout, shirtless.
    • Mount: Asian (Indian) elephant with resources on its back.
  • History: .
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: Mobile resource dropsite.
  • Special: Mobile resource dropsite.

NAVY

• Generic Name: Fisherman.
• Specific Name: Matsyapalak.
  • Class: Fishing Boat.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: -
  • History: .
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Garrison Capacity: 1; support, infantry
  • Function: Gathering: Only method of collecting meat from fish.
  • Special: Garrison a support unit or infantry unit inside to boost fishing rate.

• Generic Name: Trading Ship.
• Specific Name: Vanijyik Nauka.
  • Class: Merchant Ship.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: .
  • History: .
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: Sets up trade routes between friendly Ports.
  • Special: Garrison a Trader inside to boost the amount of trade received.

• Generic Name: Light Warship.
• Specific Name: Yudhpot.
  • Class: Light Warship.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: .
  • History: .
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: .
  • Special: -

• Generic Name: Medium Warship.
• Specific Name: Yudhpot.
  • Class: Medium Warship.
  • Appearence:
    • Shell: .
  • History: .
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: .
  • Special: .

SIEGE UNITS

<None>

CHAMPION UNITS

• Generic Name: War Chariot.
• Specific Name: Rath.
  • Class: Champion Cavalry Archer.
  • Ranged Armament (Primary): Bamboo Longbow.
  • Hacker Armament (Passive-Trample): Hooves, Wheels.
  • Appearance: A highly decorated Indian war chariot with driver and bowman.
  • History: .
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Sow discord in enemy ranks with passive trample damage. Long range archery, similar to the infantry Longbowman.
  • Special: .

• Generic Name: Indian War Elephant.
• Specific Name: Gajendra.
  • Class: Champion Elephant.
  • Hacker Armament (Primary): Tusks. Crushing attack.
  • Ranged Armament (Passive): Bamboo Longbow.
  • Hacker Armament (Passive-Trample): Feet.
  • Appearance: Painted Indian war elephant with driver and bow rider. Has some armor on its chest and forehead, and swords on its tusks.
  • History: .
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Destroy buildings and trample enemy formations. Extra good vs. enemy cavalry. Trained at the Elephant Stables.
  • Special:
    • "Damage Frenzy".
    • "Stench" Aura.
    • "Trample Damage" Aura.

MAURYAN HEROES

• Generic Name: Philip II of Macedon.
• Specific Name: Phílippos B' ho Makedṓn.
  • Class: Hero1.
  • Hacker Armament: Long cavalry lance.
  • Ranged Armament: None.
  • Appearance:
    • Body: Iron and gold-gilded "Vergina Cuirass". Pteruges for the groin and shoulders. Iron greaves and leather sandals.
    • Helmet: Iron "Vergina Helmet" with crest.
    • Shield: None.
    • Figure(s): .
    • Mount: White stallion. Highly decorative saddle blanket and tack. Iron chamfron for the stallion's face.
  • History: The king of Macedonia (359-336 B.C.), he carried out vast monetary and military reforms in order to make his kingdom the most powerful force in the Greek world. Greatly enlarged the size of Macedonia by conquering much of Thrace and subduing the Greeks. Murdered in Aegae while planning a campaign against Persia.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: Champion Enhancement.
  • Special:
    • "Hero" Aura (Increased Attack for Champion Units.)

• Generic Name: Alexander the Great.
• Specific Name: Mégās Aléxandros.
  • Class: Hero2.
  • Hacker Armament: Kopis sword.
  • Ranged Armament: None.
  • Appearance:
    • Body: Linen and Iron thorax as depicted in the "Pompeii Mosaic". Long sleeves, boots, but no greaves. Wears a heroic flowing cape.
    • Helmet: Golden "lion" helmet as depicted in the movie "Alexander". Long blond hair.
    • Shield: None.
    • Figure(s): .
    • Mount: Bucephalus. A large black stallion. Leopard saddle blanket and decorative tack. Bronze chamfron.
  • History: The most powerful hero of them all - son of Philip II, king of Macedonia (336 BC - 323 BC). After conquering the rest of the Thracians and quelling the unrest of the Greeks, Alexander embarked on a world-conquest march. Defeating the Persian forces at Granicus (334 BC), Issus (333 BC) and Gaugamela (331 BC), he became master of the Persian Empire. Entering India, he defeated king Porus at Hydaspes (326 BC), but his weary troops made him halt. Died in Babylon at the age of 33 while planning a campaign against Arabia.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: Imperialism. Hero Killer.
  • Special:
    • "Imperialism" Bonus (+25% territory effect for all buildings while he lives.)
    • "Herocide" Bonus (+20% attack vs. other heroes.)

• Generic Name: Demetrius the Besieger.
• Specific Name: Dēmḗtrios Poliorkḗtēs.
  • Class: Hero3.
  • Hacker Armament: Xiphos short sword.
  • Ranged Armament: None.
  • Appearance:
    • Body: Tinned cuirass, greaves, pteruges.
    • Helmet: Tall Thraco-Phrygian-style with feathers and plume.
    • Shield: Large sound Greek shield.
    • Figure(s): .
  • History: One of the Diadochi, king of Macedonia (294 BC - 288 BC), Demetrius was renowned as one of the bravest and most able successors of Alexander. As the son of Antigonus I Monophtalmus, he fought and won many important battles early on and was proclaimed king, along with his father, in 306 BC. Losing his Asian possessions after the battle of Ipsus, he later won the Macedonian throne. Fearing lest they should be overpowered by Demetrius, the other Diadochi united against him and defeated him.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Siege enhancement.
  • Special:
    • "Poliorkḗtēs" Aura (Increased Range and Attack for Siege Engines.)

NEW UNIT TRAITS

• Poliorkḗtēs:Increased Range and Attack for Siege Engines.
• Herocide: A unit with this trait gains a +20% attack bonus against heroes.
• Imperialism: +25% territory effect for all buildings while this unit lives.

CIV CENTRE UNITS

• Melee Infantry: Foot Companion.
• Ranged Infantry: Agrianian Peltast.
• Cavalry: Thessalian Lancer.

FORBIDDEN CLASSES

• Swordsman.
• Cavalry Swordsman.
• Cavalry Archer.
• Heavy Warship.

STRUCTURE DESCRIPTIONS

VILLAGE

• Generic Name: Household.
• Specific Name: Oikos.
  • Class: House.
  • History: Macedonian homes were styled on those found in the southern Greek city-states.

• Generic Name: Granary.
• Specific Name: Sītobólion.
  • Class: Farmstead.
  • History: Grain wasn't plentiful in Macedon, which is why it was carefully stored in granaries, some of it being reserved for times of siege.

• Generic Name: Field.
• Specific Name: Agrós.
  • Class: Field.
  • History: .

• Generic Name: Corral.
• Specific Name: Épaulos.
  • Class: Corral.
  • History: Basic animal pen. Also for horses, which were the domain of the truly wealthy in Macedonia.

• Generic Name: Warehouse.
• Specific Name: Apothḗkē.
  • Class: Mill.
  • History: Resources and building materials were kept in warehouses.

• Generic Name: Outpost.
• Specific Name: <need name>.
  • Class: Outpost.
  • History: Towers were an important part of city fortifications. The defending troops shot arrows at the enemy and poured boiling oil over the assailants.

• Generic Name: Palisade.
• Specific Name: <need name>.
  • Class: Palisade.
  • History: A cheap, quick defensive structure constructed with sharpened tree trunks.

TOWN

• Generic Name: Civic Centre.
• Specific Name: Agorā́.
  • Class: Civic Centre.
  • History: The Macedonians founded cities wherever they conquered.

• Generic Name: Dock.
• Specific Name: Limḗn.
  • Class: Dock.
  • History: Greece is a sea country, which is why some of the greatest Hellenic and Hellenistic cities like Ephesus, Corinth, Alexandria and Antioch were built by the sea. It should also be noted that all colonies during the Great Colonisation were thriving port centres, which traded with the local population.

• Generic Name: Temple.
• Specific Name: Asclepeion.
  • Class: Temple.
  • History: An asclepeion (or asklepieion) was a healing temple, sacred to the god Asclepius.

• Generic Name: Barracks.
• Specific Name: Stratēgeîon.
  • Class: Barracks.
  • History: The Strategion was the main military headquarters, where important decisions were taken and plans for battles discussed by the army's officers.

• Generic Name: Marketplace.
• Specific Name: Empórion.
  • Class: Market.
  • History: The center of a Macedonian city is its Emporion. Here is where vendors sell their wares and where commerce and local politics mix.

• Generic Name: Defense Tower.
• Specific Name: Pyrgíon.
  • Class: Defense Tower.
  • History: Towers were an important part of city fortifications. The defending troops shot arrows at the enemy and poured boiling oil over the assailants.

• Generic Name: Stone Wall.
• Specific Name: Teîkhos.
  • Class: Wall.
  • History: Macedonian cities were surrounded by stone walls for protection against enemy raids. Some of these fortifications were massive structures.

• Generic Name: Wall Tower.
• Specific Name: Pýrgos.
  • Class: Wall Tower.
  • History: Towers were an important part of city fortifications. The defending troops shot arrows at the enemy and poured boiling oil over the assailants.

• Generic Name: Gate.
• Specific Name: Pýlai.
  • Class: Gate.
  • History: .

CITY

• Generic Name: Fortress.
• Specific Name: Epiteíchisma.
  • Class: Fortress.
  • History: Fortresses (also called a "phrourion") were built to guard passes and atop hills in order to command plains and valleys below.

SPECIAL STRUCTURES

• Generic Name: Library.
• Specific Name: Bibliothikon.
  • Class: SB1.
  • History: Alexander the Great founded libraries all over his new empire. These became a center of learning for an entirely new synthesized culture: the Hellenistic culture.
  • Requirements: None.
  • Phase: City.
  • Special:
    • Maximum of 1 built.
    • All Special Technologies are researched here.
    • Building one reduces the cost of all other remaining technologies by 10%.

• Generic Name: Lighthouse.
• Specific Name: Pharos.
  • Class: SB2.
  • History: The (Macedonian) Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt built the magnificent Lighthouse of Alexandria near the harbour mouth of that Nile Delta city. This structure could be seen for many kilometers out to sea and was one of the Seven Wonders of the World..
  • Requirements: Dock.
  • Phase: City.
  • Special: When built along the shoreline, removes shroud of darkness over all the water, revealing all the coast lines on the map. Limit: 1.

NEW STRUCTURE TRAITS

See Special Buildings.

FORBIDDEN STRUCTURES

None.

CIV BONUSES

• CB1
  • Generic Name: Hellenic League.
  • Specific Name: Hellenic League.
  • History: After the unification of Greece, Philip II gathered all the city-states together to form the Hellenic League, with Macedon as the its leader. With this Pan-Hellenic federation he planned to launch an expedition to punish Persia for past wrongs. Although assassinated before he could carry out the invasion, his son Alexander the Great took up the mantle and completed his fathers plans.
  • Effect: All Macedonian units have a +10% attack bonus vs. Persian and Hellenic factions (but also -5% attack debonus vs. Roman units).

• CB2
  • Generic Name: Syntagma.
  • Specific Name: Syntagma.
  • History: Based upon the Theban Oblique Order phalanx, the Syntagma was the formation that proved invincible against the armies of Hellas and the East.
  • Effect: Infantry pike units can use the Syntagma formation (without the need to research a technology). The Syntagma formation is very slow, gives a high pierce attack bonus, and is nearly invincible from the front. However, it is extremely vulnerable from the rear and prone to being flanked unless guarded adequately.

TEAM BONUS:

• TB
  • Name: Standardized Currency.
  • History: The Macedonians and their successors (Diadochoi) minted coins of very high quality. On their currency the Diadochoi in particular frequently depicted themselves as the rightful successor to Alexander the Great, attempting to legitimize their rule.
  • Effect: Tribute and trade between allies of the metal resource is bonused ~ 15%.

TECHNOLOGIES

• Infantry: Strong spearmen - definitely a match for Greek and Roman spearmen. Better than average ranged infantry.
• Cavalry: Excellent Cavalry. Good attack and armour techs.
• Naval: Strong initially, but not many techs. When everything is said and done, roughly analogous to the Greeks.
• Siege: Average catapult; however, the Helepolis is very strong.
• Economy:
  • Farming: Mediocre.
  • Mining: Good.
  • Lumbering: Average.
  • Hunting: Weak.
  • Land Trade:  Weak.
  • Naval Trade: Mediocre. Nothing to match the Greek or Carthaginian trading fleet.
  • Architecture: Above Average.
  • Defences: Average.

SPECIAL TECHNOLOGIES

• ST1
  • Generic Name: Military Reforms.
  • Specific Name: Military Reforms.
  • History: When Philip II came to the Macedonian throne he began a total reorganization of the Macedonian army. His reforms created a powerful cavalry arm to his army that would prove useful to both himself and his son Alexander's conquests.
  • Effect: Each subsequent Barracks constructed comes with 5 free (random) Macedonian military units. This also applies to the Barracks of allied players (they receive 5 free units of their own culture for each new Barracks constructed).

• ST2
  • Generic Name: Hellenistic Metropolises.
  • Specific Name: Hellenistic Metropolises.
  • History: Beginning with Alexander, the Hellenistic monarchs founded many cities throughout their empires, where Greek culture and art blended with local customs to create the motley Hellenistic civilisation.
  • Effect: Civic Centres gain double Health.