The Hoplite Guard are an attempt to depict the troops hired personally by various of the Syracusan Tyrants. Usually to guard them from their own populace! They appear to have few in number, better armed & armoured and to have fought more effectively - probably because they'd have a short life if their employer was not still in charge!

I must admit that what I was looking for here was some way of differentiating them from the Bonus Mercenary Hoplites as their performance would seem to have been better. With the Mercenary Hoplites already on quite high factors - 7[1]1 +2 - there wasn't much room for manouver. Whether they really were that much more effective is debatable and an alternative scenario might be to have them as 7[1]1 but insist that if they are fielded the General must always be attached to them.

The FV3 HC is an attempt to reflect the poor showing of the Syracusan 'Greek' cavalry against the Romans. Early on they were shieldless and appear to have had limited body armour. Syracuse made a big thing of hiring in Campanian allied HC - which was much better than their own native troops in this respect (but they were recognised as the best cavalry in Italy at the time). Later on the 'Greek' HC was better armoured & used shields (as did their LC).

Era: Age of Empires		Syracusan Greek	CR: H: 3 L: 4			BP: 2	Init: 5
Core
Number	Type	Description	Key	FV	PROT	Weapon	Cost
2	PH	Mercenary Hoplites	K	7[1]1	2	Spears	12
2	FT	Citizen Hoplites	K	6[1]1	1	Spears	8
2	LI	Peltasts		4[1]2	1	Javelins	7
4	SI	Psiloi		3[1]2	2	Javelins	2
Bonus:
1	PH	Tyrants Guard	K	8[1]1	2	Spears	14
4	PH	Hoplites	K	7[1]1	2	Spears	12
4	WB	Gallic	K	5[1]3	1	Various	6
3	LHI			4[1]2	1	Javelins	7
3	LI			4[1]2	1	Javelins	7
2	HC	Campanian Cavalry	K	4[0]0	1	Various	10
1	HC	Syracusan Cavalry	K	3[0]0	1	Various	8
1	LC	Greek		2[0]0	1	Javelins	7
6	SI	Psiloi		3[1]2	2	Javelins	2
2	SI			2[1]1	2	Bows	2
2	SI			3[1]2	2	Slings	2
O		ALLIES
2	LC	Numidians		2[0]0	1	Javelins	7
1	MCh	Libyans	K	3[0]0	1	Various	8
2	LI	Libyans		3[1]2	1	Javelins	5

Terrain:

Core: 1SH

Bonus: (Max: 2 ) 2GR; 2SH; 1RG

Notes:

Core: 94 Bonus: 216

Notes:

Citizen Hoplites were extremely unreliable – hence their lower FV and protection (see Optional note below).

Bonus Hoplites can be a mix of: Mercenary Greeks, allied Kyrenians or Campanians;

Bonus LHI can be a mix of: Spaniards; Greek Mercenaries or Samnites, Oscans or other Italian allies;

Bonus LI can be a mix of: Sikels; Ligurians or Greek Mercenaries;

Bonus SI Javs are a mix of Greek Psiloi, Gauls, Spaniards, allied Italians or Allied Numidians or Libyans;

Bonus SI Bows are Greeks or Allied Numidians or Libyans; and

Bonus SI Slings are Greeks or Spaniards.

Gallic Warbands are unit BP:3 and move 9 inches.

* FV3 HC are early shieldless Greek HC. FV4 HC are either Campanians or later Greek HC with shield. A maximum of 2 Bonus HC units can be purchased

Allied Numidians and Libyans cannot both be fielded in the same army. If any troops from an Allied contingent (other than SI) are bought, the entire allied contingent must be bought. Allied light troops only count towards the additional bonus Light Division requirement if any troops (other than SI) from that Allied contingent are purchased.

Libyan 4 Horse Medium Chariots move at 12 inches.

Although Syracuse and Carthage operated as allies against Rome on occasions, their only attempts to combined forces failed through poor co-operation. Hence there are no Carthaginian allies in this list.

Citizen Hoplites were armed and armoured as comprehensively as their Mercenary Hoplite companions. However, they were inexperienced and on a number of occasions fled without striking a blow! An alternative to fielding them as FV6 would therefore be to field them as FV7 but reduce their unit BP to BP3 at no change in points. This would make them more brittle than other PH or FT. This option can only be taken with your opponent's agreement and not in competition.

This army may also fight in the Age of Empires Era.

Ordo Link: Syracusan Greek

Last Edited: 02 November 2005

List Author: Aetius