Nakhtu-Aa

"This army marched prosperously; it shattered the Hirushâu nation; the Hirushau nomads were annihilated. The army successfully conquered their fortresses; cut down their fig-trees and their vines; it razed the dwellings of the denizens therein. The hiraushau warriors were slain in myriads. This army marched in peace; it led away as captives a very great number of the inhabitants of the country."

—Inscription of Uni (Egyptian Dynasty VI)

In game

Nakhtu-Aa — Vital statistics
Nakhtu-Aa	Egyptian unique elite heavy assault unit, armed with a heavy axe - a form of early-era polearms infantry. Not as strong as Greataxe Infantry, but is trained more quickly. Strong versus unarmed units, siege weapons and missile units with low accuracy or rate of fire. Weak versus military units, especially heavy cavalry.
Prereq:	Build time	HP	LOS	Attack	Attack speed	Movement speed
31px Military	8.4s (126t)	157	8	30	2.33s (44t)	23
Cost			Created from	Armour	Weapon range	Specialty
Base	Ramp	Pop
: 50; : 20	: 3; : 1	1		3	Melee	+1 splash damage Deals more damage to siege weapons compared to Light Axemen.

Overall strategy

These units are in effect armed with what would become the bardiche of the Middle Ages, and while they don't have the super-heavy armour favoured by Greek or Asiatic units, the reach of their axes means that they should not be trifled with at close up, for their weapons lend them an edge in melee. Thus, although they may be cheaper owing to the Egyptian preference for leather or cotton, they are best used for deterring attacks by any units, bar war elephants or ranged units, particularly light chariots or cavalry. In tight formation, the overlapping of their splash attack areas means that an all-out full frontal assault against these units would be suicide — even more heavily armoured infantry, such as those favoured by Levantine or Semitic nations, can be resisted. Alternatively, Nakhtu-Aa can be used by an Egyptian player in a most aggressive manner to eliminate enemy infantry, giving the Werryt attack force free rein on the battlefield.

See also

Greataxe Infantry Halberdiers Turath

Heavy Chariot Guardsmen

Notes

Velvetclaw (talk) 02:03, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

• Missing icon.
• Unit is still not coded in.

History

Until the New Kingdom, most ancient Egyptian armies consisted primarily of conscripts, levied at moment's notice and crudely equipped for war. There was little professionalism, and for most of the period leading to the New Kingdom, soldiering was held in low regard by Egyptian society.

With the recession of Hyksos power from the Nile and the rise of the New Kingdom, however, came new tactics and new units — the Egyptians had come to appreciate, throughout the Second Intermediate Period, the need for different weapons and specialisation in them — this point sorely driven into them by the Hyksos occupation of Lower Egypt through the use of superior military technology imported from Asia. In addition to conscript levies and the four great chariot units (being named after the deities Ra, Ptah, Sutekh and Amun) there too was a new professional corps — the Nakhtu-Aa or "strong-armed youth". These units were not conscripts but professional soldiers equipped and drilled to handle all manner of weapons, and were considered in Egyptian eyes an elite infantry force.