Axe Woj

"...the Sclaveni [...] are all exceptionally tall and stalwart men[, living] a hard life, giving no heed to bodily comforts, just as the Massagetae do, and [...] they preserve the Hunnic character in all its simplicity."

— Procopius of Caesarea

In game

Axe Woj — Vital statistics
	Unique Polish Medium melee infantry. Stronger than Militia, but is trained more slowly. Strong versus siege weapons, buildings Weak versus heavy cavalry
Prereq:	Build time	HP	LOS	Attack	Attack speed	Movement speed	Upgrades to
	12.9s (190t)	170	8	16	2.1s (32t)	29
Cost			Created from	Armour	Weapon range	Specialty
Base	Ramp	Pop
: 40; : 40	: 1; : 1	1		1	Melee	Slower movement, but better hitpoints. Small defensive bonus versus missile infantry. Replaces .

Overall strategy

These troops have the best hitpoint scores for many factions' other melee light infantry, despite being armed with only a helmet, a buckler and a battle-axe, yet their proficiency in defence is sorely bought: they will train more slowly at the barracks, but their cost means that they are nevertheless extremely affordable, if you are willing to wait on it. Enemy light cavalry will be extremely hard pressed to take them down, since they have added hitpoints, but a determined charge by lancers will definitely tear them apart.

The Slavs and Vikings, however, were not the only factions skilled with axes in the mediaeval era. Caucasus mountain men, being trained much faster than traditional Slavic axemen but costing more in wealth, are available to several factions in the Castle Age as mercenaries once contacts with the Middle East are re-established.

Unit summary

• Hack is the New Black — Versatility is key to using Militia — they do exceedingly well against archers and possibly fortifications, and will perform well in melee against cavalry too but only if they enjoy crushing superiority.
• A Multitude of Myrmidons — Militia are cheap and fast to create, so you can easily amass an army of them.
• Suicide Soldiers — These early-game light assault units are conscript troops available only to Asian factions. They are substantially weaker, but cost far less and are trained faster, making them excellent for human wave tactics, especially for China.
• Feudal Retinue — Nations with Germanic influence such as France or the Holy Roman Empire do not raise Militia, but instead train Feudal Retinue, who are trained faster and have better armour.
• Colonel Kerne — Scottish and Cumbrian light infantry do not use swords, but instead use javelins. Called ceithernn, these men have poorer range than archers, but have enough armour and hitpoints to make themselves the bane of bowmen worldwide. A renegade version of the ceithernn, the kerne, wander Europe as journeymen and will sell their service to the highest bidders.
• Axe Rated — Slavs and Caucasians are fond of axes. Axe Wojaky are trained more slowly, but have enough hitpoints to already make them a menace to cavalry.
• Teutonic Order — The feudal system of Germanic tribes throughout northern and central Europe elicit feudal retinue, professional warriors who are tougher than normal Militia, making them deadly against archers. Upon the advancement of Christianity, these lesser noblemen will eventually take on new armour and weapons, and become the Palatinate Burgmänner to those elected as Holy Roman Emperors.
• Great Danes — Vikings are Norse shield bearers who are known for being devastating raiders, having better stats than normal Militia and a knack for destroying buildings.

History

In early Mediaeval Slavic communities, military recruitment was based loosely around a caste of militant nobility which in turn led locally raised militia, unlike the more professional armies of the Saracens and the Byzantines. The most important unit was the voy (or, in Polish, woj) which could be translated loosely as "warband". There was no centralised form of organisation, and so each voy was headed by the leader or chief of the locality, who was called the voivod, or "war-leader", who also served as the local governor. Over time in more sustained periods of peace, the military significance of the title was eclipsed by its civil implications - today, in 21st century Eastern Europe, the term voivod is largely understood by Slavophones as referring to a mayor or village chief.