Spearman

Offensive Melee

Spearman is cheap, accessible attack meat for the very beginning - balanced numbers 26/26 at close range for 30 coins is a fine ratio at the start and with recruitment in half a minute you always have him on hand. Stick with him until you have a better attack unit from a higher level barracks or a researched veteran; once the successor arrives, retire the Spearman. His two limitations - defense against archers only 8 and the ceiling of possibilities in the early phase - make him a temporary help, not a unit for the whole game.

26Attack

26Melee defense

8Ranged defense

75Speed

2Food upkeep

The Spearman is your very first attack unit from the Barracks (level 1) and at 30 coins per unit it's worth buying in bulk. He has attack 26 and the same defense against close combat 26, so he deals roughly as much damage as he takes. His critical weakness is defense against archers only 8 - against archers he's pure meat and this weakness will follow him throughout his career. Speed 75 is decent, he won't slow you down on the map, and food consumption of 2 won't give you headaches with normal farm production.

How to use it

You deploy him right after building your first barracks as cheap attack meat on your first targets around you - bandit camps and weakly defended neighbors. When you attack, you throw Spearmen forward to hold the line and take the losses, while more expensive units behind them do the real damage. The price of 30 coins is set precisely so you don't worry about how many you lose - this unit is meant to die. Take him into castle defense only out of absolute necessity and only against infantry; an attack unit on the walls is generally a bad choice and the Spearman won't change that.

What to combine it with

Alone against a properly defended target he's not enough, his job is to create meat at close range. Pair him with a ranged attack unit that covers your fight against archers - that's exactly the hole the Spearman can't fill himself. In the attack wave he works as cheap meat up front: he holds the line and draws fire, more expensive units take less damage. He recruits in 30 seconds, so between two attacks you can easily replenish your entire fallen wave, and it's precisely this recruitment speed that's why it pays to build your attack around him.

Weaknesses and what to avoid

Don't send him at anything that relies on archers - with defense 8 against archers a bunch of Spearmen will disappear before reaching the gate, and you'll waste coins unnecessarily. Similarly, don't take him into your own village or castle defense as a permanent defender; the numbers 26/26 are attack and close-range defense, but they won't cover you against archers and besides, an attack unit on the walls is a waste. And don't pour resources into him hoping to push him into later content - he's not built for that.

Related units

MacemanVeteran macemanSwordsmanVeteran swordsmanTwo-handed swordsmanVeteran two-handed swordsman

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