The earth shook and the heart of men trembled as the howling cries echoed through the battlefield. These were the battle cries of the fierce Nobles and Free-Men, Gaul’s elite warrior class, urging their men to launch an all-out assault that would soon overwhelm their enemy.
Welcome to Part 2 of this 6-part series on Elite Units. This blog is dedicated to Gaul’s Elite Infantry Warriors; the Free-Men.
Free-Men were Gaul’s elite warrior class. Armed with swords and shields, their bravery and lust for war was legendary. These men didn’t break under pressure, and when standing against a superior force, they don’t hesitate to charge across the battlefield in almost suicidal fashion to kill as many of their opponents as possible, a sight that struck fear and terror into the hearts of their enemies.
Free-Men in Conqueror’s Expansion:
A Free-men unit can be purchased for just 2 gold coins. They have a strength of +2 in battle, offering excellent value for money. However, this is not what makes Free-men special; during battle, free-men have a special ability called a “war cry” that they may employ. This is a deafening and frightening battle-cry that signals an all-out charge by the entire Celtic army. This charge will demoralize the enemy and give the Celts extra momentum, adding +2 strength to the Celts during the battle. However, due to the nature of this charge, after the battle ends, the Celts suffer a casualty of one unit of their choosing, even if they are victorious.
Tactics:
Given their price, it is a good idea to recruit a Free-man as early as possible. Additionally, it may be a good idea to pair Free-men with an army that contains infantry units so as not to lose a cavalry unit if you employ a war cry during battle.