Illyric Spearmen

Summary
Spearmen are one of two basic melee infantry brigades available to the Illyric faction group from the start of the game, alongside Illyric Skirmishers. They are cheap, with defensively-oriented stats.

"Equipped with shields and spears, they are better armoured but less offensive and slower than skirmishers. Using a battleline stance, spearmen are well suited for blocking enemy charges, or to hold enemy units in place while lighter troops attempt to flank."

- In-game Description

History
Spearmen represent basic lightly armoured warriors that use more defensive tactics to hold together a battleline, rather than charge the enemy in a skirmishing action. Their in-game model is notably equipped with the so-called Illyrian type helmet, originally an early Greek helmet design that spread around the Mediterranean and became especially popular with the Illyrians.

Tactics
Spearmen and Skirmishers are the first melee brigades available to Illyric factions. Spearmen are the more defensive of the two, with higher defenses and charge blocking but lower melee damage and charge strength. The two brigades are otherwise similar in cost and effectiveness and the player may choose whichever best fits their playstyle, or use a combination of the two.

Players will likely want to replace their spearmen with hoplites as the game progresses, with skirmishers being better suited for a flanking role than spearmen if the player wants to include additional light infantry for such a purpose. Their low cost makes spearmen (and skirmishers) still very viable as city garrisons to defend the walls and maintain public order even in the late game.

Illyric Spearmen have the highest damage output of any basic spearmen brigade, and are arguably the most cost-effective of the lot, though Etruscans have slightly better defenses but at a higher cost. Only Gallic Skirmishers are a more cost-effective early melee brigade, thanks to their larger brigade size and much lower required recruits per unit.