Etruscan Hoplites

Summary
Hoplites are a heavy infantry brigade available to the Etruscan faction group. They are slow, defensive spearmen, with the ability to enter phalanx formation to further boost their defenses in pitched battles.

"Disciplined infantry that fight with a long spear and a large round shield. Better equipped and trained than regular spearman, hoplites are generally composed of free citizens who can afford to purchase their own equipment. Hoplites originated in the city-states of Ancient Greece but quickly spread to other Mediterranean cultures like the Latins and Etruscans."

- In-game Description

History
Few details of Etruscan warfare are known, with most of our knowledge coming from inferences based on circumstantial archaeological evidence, such as surviving pieces of weapons and armour or depictions of soldiers in murals or sculptures found in Etruscan tombs.

The archaeological record makes it clear that the Etruscans adopted the usage of Greek armour and weapons early on and equipped themselves as hoplites, though it is often suggested that they fought with much less cohesion than the Greeks, owing to their less egalitarian social structure.

Tactics
Hoplites are the first improvement in infantry available to Etruscan factions and are a big step up from basic spearmen, who they will likely replace in their function as a main battleline unit.

With good missile resistance and defenses, hoplites are good at taking missile damage and suitable for use in sieges. They benefit greatly from the phalanx formation in pitched battles, which provides a great increase to defenses and charge block but only so long as the formation holds. If the formation does break, hoplites will still prove superior to light infantry spearmen, but will not be able to hold out long against late-game infantry.

Etruscan Hoplites are notable for having better defenses than most other basic hoplite brigades, though less so than the Greek and Sicilian Hoplites. Illyric Hoplites may also defeat those of the Etruscans, thanks to the former's higher melee damage. Etruscan Hoplites are usually superior to those of the Latins and Sabellics though, but do cost slightly more gold.