Latin Leves

Summary
Leves are cheap missile infantry available to the Latin faction group. They are basic missile fodder available from the start of the game, with a short-ranged missile attack and limited melee capabilities.

"Light infantry taken from the poorest troops, usually with no more equipment than a set of javelins. Used for basic missile support and to harass enemy troops."

- In-game Description

History
The Leves were formed during the Roman military reforms of the early 4th Century BC, being deployed as unarmoured javelineers ahead of the Hastati who formed the first main battleline, to harass the enemy in the opening phase of a battle. Though the Leves didn't exist under that name before the 4th Century BC, they were presumably identical in quality and equipment to earlier light infantry skirmishers that provided missile support to Roman Hoplite formations when they were still in use, and the in-game Leves are used broadly as a stand-in for light infantry skirmishers of various periods.

The Leves were eventually replaced by the Velites in the 3rd Century BC, which then became the specialized skirmishing brigade of the Roman army drawn from the lower classes.

Tactics
Leves are the only missile brigade available to the Latin faction group before advanced units are unlocked through the military skill tree in the late-game. As such, Latin players will need to include them in their early-game army composition in order to have any kind of missile support for their spearmen and hoplites, unless better ranged units can be recruit from conquered cities of different faction groups or hired as mercenaries.

Leves compensate for their short range by having superior melee combat stats to most long-range missile infantry, and may on occasion be used to charge undefended missile brigades or outflank light infantry, though situations in which this is useful can be rare. They are also very viable as city garrisons to defend the walls and maintain public order, due to their very low gold cost.

Compared to other early-game missile brigades, Latin Leves are nearly identical to their Sabellic counterparts but with a lower charge strength and slightly better charge block. Etruscan Axemen have a shorter range and higher cost, but compensate for this by having much stronger melee stats comparable to spearmen. Gallic and Illyric Slingers and Greek Psiloi are the opposite, with a longer range but much weaker melee stats. Illyric and Greek Peltasts and Gallic Javelineers outclass Leves in both melee and missile combat, but are significantly more expensive.