<?xml version="1.0" ?><?encoding UTF-16?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../xsl/unit.xsl"?><unit><full_name>hellenistic infantry spartiateshoplitai</full_name><dictionary>hellenistic_infantry_spartiateshoplitai</dictionary><category>infantry</category><class>heavy</class><voice_type>General_1</voice_type><soldier><name>hellenistic_infantry_spartiateshoplitai</name><soldiers>30</soldiers><extras>0</extras><mass>1.22</mass></soldier><officers><officer1>ebofficer_hellenic_officer</officer1><officer2>ebofficer_hellenic_standardbearer</officer2></officers><mount_effect>elephant -1</mount_effect><attributes>sea_faring, hide_forest, very_hardy</attributes><formation><side_spacing>0.7</side_spacing><front_spacing>1</front_spacing><loose_side_spacing>1.6</loose_side_spacing><loose_front_spacing>2.4</loose_front_spacing><ranks>4</ranks><formations>square</formations></formation><stat_health><hit_points>1</hit_points><animal_hit_points>1</animal_hit_points></stat_health><stat_pri><attack>17</attack><charge>8</charge><missile_type>no</missile_type><range>0</range><ammo>0</ammo><weapon_type>melee</weapon_type><tech_type>simple</tech_type><dammage_type>piercing</dammage_type><sound>spear</sound><min_delay>0</min_delay><lethality>0.13</lethality></stat_pri><stat_pri_attr>light_spear</stat_pri_attr><stat_sec><attack>0</attack><charge>0</charge><missile_type>no</missile_type><range>0</range><ammo>0</ammo><weapon_type>no</weapon_type><tech_type>no</tech_type><dammage_type>no</dammage_type><sound>none</sound><min_delay>0</min_delay><lethality>0.1</lethality></stat_sec><stat_sec_attr>no</stat_sec_attr><stat_pri_armour><armour>13</armour><def_skill>11</def_skill><shield>4</shield><sound>metal</sound></stat_pri_armour><stat_sec_armour><armour>0</armour><def_skill>0</def_skill><sound>flesh</sound></stat_sec_armour><stat_heat>5</stat_heat><stat_ground><scrub>0</scrub><sand>0</sand><forest>-3</forest><snow>-3</snow></stat_ground><stat_mental><morale>17</morale><discipline>disciplined</discipline><training>highly_trained</training></stat_mental><stat_fire_delay>0</stat_fire_delay><stat_food>60, 300</stat_food><stat_cost><turns>1</turns><cost>3095</cost><upkeep>774</upkeep><upgrade_weapon>60</upgrade_weapon><upgrade_armour>504</upgrade_armour><custom_battle>3095</custom_battle></stat_cost><ownership>greek_cities, egypt</ownership><description><name>Spartiatai Hoplitai (Spartan Hoplites)</name><short>The Spartiatai Hoplitai are still one of the best group of warriors in the entire world. Spartans can punch a hole through almost any line, and can fight extremely well with their overhand spears.</short><long>Elite
Very Hardy

The Spartans are the greatest warriors in the entire world, or so they think, anyway. Spartan youths are trained from birth to be soldiers, and as such are ferocious fighters that often fight to the last man. They have extremely high morale and discipline, and are armed and armored more conservatively than most other Greek hoplites. Spartans still use the hoplon, but have shifted to the pilos helmet and muscled cuirass. They still use the traditional spear of the Greek hoplite to great effect. Spartans can punch a hole through almost any line, and fight extremely well with their overhand spears. They are elite, and as their description implies, very expensive and time consuming to train. Though their tactics are somewhat anachronistic, their fighting spirit leaves little doubt that they are still a formidable force.

Historically, Sparta was the first experiment in what we might recognize today as militarized National Socialism. Their boys were taken from the parents as soon as they were able to walk and trained to be soldiers. They were often beaten and generally mistreated by their teachers until they reached an age where they could fight back. They engaged in heavy physical activity from an early age, exercising and practicing to fight almost as a religion. They were encouraged to steal and be crafty to survive, but were often beaten if caught. There are even some accounts of required sodomy between the young boys and sometimes even wife sharing, with the belief that a military unit should even love together! In this harsh environment, tough and fanatical soldiers are produced. When the Spartans were finally defeated and subjugated by the Romans, one of the more conservative Roman nobles is said to have wept and lamented the passing of a warrior culture without equal. The Spartan mantra is: march back in triumph with your shield, or be brought back lying upon it.</long></description></unit>