Pikeman/1.03

Pikemen are basic infantry units.

Empire
Pikemen are decently skilled units and have one of the highest combat scores for a basic unit, which can even be upgraded as much as +9 as the game goes, giving them a considerable advantage in at least one area against other basic melee units, and even some advanced! Their damage is a little low but can be doubled as early as tier 1, along with their armor, which when all upgrades are combined make Pikemen seriously good units for their cost.

And that's not even taking their triple damage vs cavalry into count, which gives them help against those tier 2 units right from the start of the game. And since Pikemen are the Empire's basic infantry, they certainly will be massed and therefore immediately shuts down enemy cavalry based strategies as soon as the game begins, that is if the Empire's enemy has any sense....

Benefits from Palace Guard, Weaponsmith, Armorer, Royal Guard, and Imperial Guard researches.

Quotes

 * Ready: "Reporting for duty, Sir!"
 * Select: "Sir?" "Attention!"
 * Order: "Quick march!" "Yes Sir!"
 * Deathblow: "Disembowel him, Sir!"