"Pyrrhic Shock Troops?" Topic

DA BUG….

Ive been unable to determine if Pyrrhus' army that invaded Italy contained any shock/elite/guard units that were so typical of other Successor armies of this era.

Thanks for any tips.

Not a ancients guy, but weren't his phalanxes considered heavy shock infantry? Elephants?

The elephants were definitely a shock troop, shocking enough for the Romans to try to devise specialist counters – anti-elephant carts festooned with swinging booms, spikes etc, and tar coated and ignited 'incendiary' pigs. But other than that his army was pretty run of the mill. The phalanx was a shock force of sorts, but not an elite force of Agema or Argyraspid type. He brought what he could and drew to him a number of local Italians.

It was more his tactical genius that shocked the Romans than any surprise 'super weapon'.

Cheers,
John

There is no mention of an infantry guard. There is mention of a cavalry guard. One source puts it at 2000, but Duncan Head in Armies of the Macedonian and Punic wars hypothesizes that this is the total of all heavy cavalry and that it was only 500 strong. later there is mention of a picked body of Chaonian infantry during Pyrrhus campaigns in Greece.

The Chaeonians seem like the closest thing to a Foot Guards. Most people I have seen use them in games model them as Hypaspists. I guess that's as good a choice as any.

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