Gallic Naked Skirmishers

Summary
Naked Skirmishers are a brigade of melee infantry available to the Gallic faction group, and are the strongest infantry available to Gallic factions without progressing in the military skill tree. They are fast infantry, with a very offensive stat-balance.

"Only the bravest of warriors will step onto the battlefield wearing little more than what nature gave them. What they lack in defenses they easily make up for with offense and speed."

- In-game Description

History
Some Gallic tribes, such as the Gaesatae, are known to have fought entirely naked. Though this was in reality a tradition common to specific tribes, rather than a distinct military brigade. In-game, the naked skirmishers seem to serve as a stand-in for the most elite warriors of the Gallic tribes, before a time when heavier armour such as chainmail started to spread among the Gauls.

Tactics
Naked Skirmishers are significantly stronger than regular skirmishers, especially in melee damage and charge strength. They are, however, significantly more expensive in both gold and recruits. It would therefore be a waste of resources to use Naked Skirmishers in situations where their charge strength and melee damage isn't used, such as when besieging walls or otherwise enduring missile fire. Their low charge blocking and mediocre defenses also make them very vulnerable to charges from cavalry or heavy infantry, so it may be better to pin the enemy's strongest units with other melee brigades first, before sending in the Naked Skirmishers.

In a protracted melee, Gallic Naked Skirmishers are roughly equivalent in strength and gold cost to most regular hoplites (albeit with a much more aggressive stat balance), and may gain an advantage if the hoplites' phalanx formation doesn't hold. Naked Skirmishers aren't available until a little bit later on, however, as they require a level 2 barracks in order to be recruited. The Gauls don't get access to defensively strong melee units at all until the late game, which is one of the faction group's main weaknesses.