Roar of Conquest: Byzantine Empire Roster news

Greetings! Today I will covering the stats and availability of the Byzantine roster in Roar of Conquest, overhaul mod of Medieval II. This article should help those who are curious to have a better understanding of how the Byzantine roster will perform in battle and when certain units will become available in the campaign.

Note: The stats you see here have been updated for Roar of Conquest: The Late Middle Ages VIII. Now onto the details!

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The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire has one of the strongest rosters in the early campaign, with excellent heavy infantry, good archers, and strong options in both heavy and skirmish cavalry. Be warned; while the Empire has strong units in many areas, quite a few options require high-level buildings or have very high upkeep costs. For reference, the unit sizes I will be listing here are when the game is put on 'ultra unit size', Secondary Melee Attack represents the secondary weapon cavalry units use after completing a charge, and the acronym AP stands for armor-piercing. Onto glory for God and the true heirs of the Roman Empire!

1) Athanatoi (Bodyguard)

• Unit Size: 32
• Melee Attack: 6
• Charge: 12
• Secondary Melee Attack: 8 (AP)
• Defense: 32 (Armor 18, Defense Skill 8, Shield 6)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Fortress

The default bodyguard unit for Byzantine characters, this unit is one of the toughest bodyguard units in the game even into the late campaign.

2) Acontistae

• Unit Size: 120
• Missile Attack: 9
• Melee Attack: 2 (AP)
• Charge: 1
• Defense: 6 (Armor 0, Defense Skill 4, Shield 2)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Mustering Hall, (Motte and Baily)

Cheap and cheerful, this unit can be useful in weakening enemy formations with volleys of javelins before fighting in melee.

3) Contaratoi

• Unit Size: 200
• Melee Attack: 3
• Charge: 2
• Defense: 13 (Armor 3, Defense Skill 2, Shield 6)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Town Watch, (Town), or Garrison Quarters, (Wooden Castle)

Basic low-tier spearmen, good for bulking up early armies or maintaining order in settlements.

4) Toxotae

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 4
• Melee Attack: 3 (AP)
• Charge: 2
• Defense: 12 (Armor 5, Defense Skill 4, Shield 3)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Town Guard, (Large Town), or Practice Range, (Castle)

A useful early-tier archer, good for peppering lightly armored enemies from afar, and not completely helpless in melee combat.

5) Acritae

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 11
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 3
• Defense: 14 (Armor 4, Defense Skill 7, Shield 3)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Garrison Quarters, (Wooden Castle)

A solid medium infantry, good for weakening enemy formation with javelins before acting as swordsmen in melee.

6) Tzangratores

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 8 (AP)
• Melee Attack: 2
• Charge: 1
• Defense: 6 (Armor 3, Defense Skill 3, Shield 0)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Bower, (Wooden Castle)

Cheap and cheerful, these men are useful for whittling down heavily armored enemies at range.

7) Stratiotae

• Unit Size: 60
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 9
• Secondary Melee Attack: 6
• Defense: 12 (Armor 4, Defense Skill 3, Shield 5)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Stables, (Wooden Castle)

While lacking the killing power of heavy cavalry, this fast cavalry is good for outflanking the enemy and for hammer and anvil tactics.

8) Scoutatoi

• Unit Size: 200
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 17 (Armor 8, Defense Skill 3, Shield 6)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Drill Square, (Castle)

A fantastic heavy spear unit, these men are excellent at killing enemy cavalry and holding the line against enemy infantry.

9) Scoutatoi Swordsmen

• Unit Size: 150
• Melee Attack: 9
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 19 (Armor 8, Defense Skill 5, Shield 6)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Barracks, (Fortress)

An excellent heavy infantry, good for holding the line and cutting through most enemy infantry.

10) Mourtatoi Guard Archers

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 6
• Melee Attack: 9
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 18 (Armor 8, Defense Skill 6, Shield 4)
• Attributes: Place Stakes
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Archery Range, (Fortress)

An excellent archer, great for killing the enemy down range and then serving as a heavy infantry in melee.

11) Cavalarii

• Unit Size: 60
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 12
• Secondary Melee Attack: 9
• Defense: 18 (Armor 9, Defense Skill 4, Shield 5)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Baron's Stables, (Fortress)

A strong heavy cavalry, great for harassing enemy forces and weakening enemy cavalry.

12) Skythikoi

• Unit Size: 60
• Missile Attack: 5
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 5
• Defense: 11 (Armor 5, Defense Skill 3, Shield 3)
• Attributes: Free upkeep, Cantabrian Circle
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Hetairiae Recruitment Post, (Castle)

A unit available from the unique mercenary building line for the Byzantines, these men are good horse archers, but do have a sizeable upkeep cost.

13) Frankish Knights

• Unit Size: 60
• Melee Attack: 10
• Charge: 16
• Secondary Melee Attack: 12
• Defense: 24 (Armor 15, Defense Skill 5, Shield 4)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Hetairiae Recruitment Office, (Fortress)

What these elite mercenaries lack in loyalty they more than make for with devastating killing power in battle.

14) Siphonatores

• Unit Size: 60
• Missile Attack: 9 (AP)
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 3
• Defense: 16 (Armor 7, Defense Skill 6, Shield 3)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Scholae Barracks, (Huge City)

Available from a building unique to the Byzantines, this unit spews deadly volleys of liquid flame, and are excellent for defending choke points.

15) Spartharii tou Vasileos

• Unit Size: 150
• Melee Attack: 11 (AP)
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 25 (Armor 12, Defense Skill 9, Shield 4)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Scholae Barracks, (Huge City)

These elite warriors are powerful heavy infantry, difficult to kill and deadly in melee.

16) Scholarii

• Unit Size: 80
• Melee Attack: 9
• Charge: 14
• Secondary Melee Attack: 14
• Defense: 35 (Armor 22, Defense Skill 8, Shield 5)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Scholae Barracks, (Huge City)

One of the best heavy cavalry units in the game, these men will trample all enemies in their path with ease.

17) Paramonai Pezoi Guards

• Unit Size: 150
• Melee Attack: 9 (AP)
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 20 (Armor 10, Defense Skill 6, Shield 4)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: Castle

These men serve as an excellent heavy infantry, good for cutting through heavily armored enemies.

18) Dynatoi Nobles

• Unit Size: 60
• Melee Attack: 8
• Charge: 12
• Secondary Melee Attack: 11 (AP)
• Defense: 28 (Armor 18, Defense Skill 6, Shield 4)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: Campaign Start
• Building Requirement: Fortress

These heavy cavalry are excellent for bolstering Byzantine's forces when they become available, especially since they have free upkeep in castles and are more readily available than the Scholarii.

19) Pelekyphoroi Axemen

• Unit Size: 150
• Melee Attack: 23 (AP)
• Charge: 7
• Secondary Melee Attack: 11 (AP)
• Defense: 26 (Armor 12, Defense Skill 10, Shield 4)
• Attributes: None
• Frighten Infantry
• Availability: Campaign start
• Building Requirement: City Hall, (Large City)

Composed of Varangian Guard who stayed in the Byzantine Empire and their offspring, these men are the elite of the elite, able to wield their axes with two hands or use their shields to defend against oncoming missile fire.

20) Latin Crossbowmen

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 9 (AP)
• Melee Attack: 3
• Charge: 2
• Defense: 7 (Armor 4, Defense Skill 3, Shield 0)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: New Era Event, (year 1300)
• Building Requirement: City Watch (City)

A good crossbow unit, great for taking down heavily armored units at range.

21) Castrophilakae

• Unit Size: 150
• Melee Attack: 7
• Charge: 4
• Defense: 18 (Armor 8, Defense Skill 6, Shield 4)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: New Era Event, (year 1300)
• Building Requirement: Militia Drill Square, (Large City)

Strong heavy infantry for the Empire, great for defending frontier settlements or breaking through enemy infantry formation. This unit becomes more readily available after the Full Plate Event, (year 1380-1400).

22) Menaulatoi

• Unit Size: 200
• Melee Attack: 7
• Charge: 3
• Defense: 16 (Armor 9, Defense Skill 7, Shield 0)
• Attributes: Spear Wall, Free Upkeep
• Availability: New Era Event, (year 1300)
• Building Requirement: Militia Barracks, (Large City)

A strong pike unit, excellent for holding the line and defending choke points.

23) Latin Handgunners

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 11 (AP)
• Melee Attack: 4
• Charge: 2
• Defense: 14 (Armor 7, Defense Skill 7, Shield 0)
• Attributes: Free upkeep
• Availability: New Era Event, (year 1300)
• Building Requirement: Hetairiae Recruitment Office, (Fortress)

A short-range gunpowder unit, these men are great for holding defensive positions, firing volleys of shot before holding their own in melee as heavy infantry.

24) Musketeers

• Unit Size: 150
• Missile Attack: 36 (AP)
• Melee Attack: 6
• Charge: 3
• Defense: 10 (Armor 2, Defense Skill 8, Shield 0)
• Attributes: None
• Availability: First Watch Event, (year 1510)
• Building Requirement: Royal Armory, (Huge City)

A devastating upgrade from Handgunners, this unit's volley can tear apart any enemy foolish enough to get in range.

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So there you have it, the entire roster for the Byzantine Empire! If you like what you see, feel free to download the mod here: ROC: LMA VIII Now, go forth and conquer!