Rome (Hannibal at the Gates) Melee Ship

Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen

With a ramming attack that can break an enemy hull, these ships are deadly weapons.

A man at home in the desert has his uses.

The waterline ram was first mounted on a vessel in around 850BC. Warships and naval tactics were transformed. Ships were no longer platforms for infantry battles on the water; the ship itself became the weapon. Galleys changed as the new reality sank in. Ramming at speed would hole and sink an enemy, therefore slimmer, faster, handier ships were required. More speed on demand obviously required more oars a fast ship with a single row of oars ended up being stupidly, impractically long. The solution, then, was to put in a second set of oars above the first, but slightly offset to allow for rowers' benches. These biremes, a Latin word meaning 'two oars', or dieres, the Greek equivalent, were no longer than previous designs but had twice the number of rowers. They were fast, manoeuvrable, and could carry a fighting contingent. Some nations also gave their bireme crews fire pots; these clay pots filled with oil and pitch were hurled at enemy ships in the entirely reasonable hope of setting them ablaze.

(Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen)
The warriors of the Sabaean region were light infantry, cavalry and archers as mercenaries and auxiliaries for the Roman Empire. Dressed desert-fashion, they were entirely familiar with and comfortable in arid places. This was secondary however, to their reputation as mostly reliable fighters, of far more worth than ordinary citizens or levies. This was due to the independence that the Sabaean kingdom maintained from the 8th century BC to AD275. This record was based on military might as well as diplomacy and the spice trade including frankincense and myrrh. Never conquered by Rome, Sabaean warriors still found work as mercenaries and auxiliaries in Roman service.

Abilities

Assault Bireme

• Row Hard 10
  Increases speed for 10 strokes.
  Ship speed

Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen

• Steady
  Improves the unit's ability to endure enemy charges.
  Armour, melee defence
  Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Bireme

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Good boarding

Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen

• Good defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Average attack
• Normal morale

Rome (Hannibal at the Gates) Units
General (2)
1.General & Bodyguard
2.Triarii
Command (1)
3.General & Bodyguard
Melee Infantry (12)
4.Auxiliary Axe Warriors
5.Auxiliary Naked Swords
6.Auxiliary Short Swords
7.Auxiliary Celtic Warriors
8.Auxiliary Gallic Warriors
9.Auxiliary Scutarii
10.Auxiliary Iberian Swordsmen
11.Socii Extraordinarii
12.Socii Hastati
13.Hastati
14.Plebs
15.Principes
Missile Infantry (11)
16.Auxiliary Sabaean Archers
17.Auxiliary Celtic Skirmishers
18.Auxiliary Gallic Hunters
19.Auxiliary Cretan Archers
20.Auxiliary Peltasts
21.Auxiliary Rhodian Slingers
22.Auxiliary Balearic Slingers
23.Auxiliary Iberian Slingers
24.Auxiliary Numidian Javelinmen
25.Leves
26.Velites
Spear Infantry (4)
27.Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen
28.Auxiliary Hoplites
29.Rorarii
30.Triarii
Melee Cavalry (9)
31.Auxiliary Sabaean Cavalry
32.Auxiliary Celtic Light Horse
33.Auxiliary Gallic Light Horse
34.Auxiliary Noble Horse
35.Auxiliary Citizen Cavalry
36.Auxiliary Iberian Cavalry
37.Auxiliary Scutarii Cavalry
38.Socii Equites
39.Equites
Missile Cavalry (3)
40.Auxiliary Tarantine Cavalry
41.Auxiliary Cantabrian Cavalry
42.Auxiliary Numidian Cavalry
Shock Cavalry (1)
43.Socii Equites Extraordinarii
Elephant (1)
44.Auxiliary African Elephants
Fixed Artillery (4)
45.Roman Giant Ballista
46.Roman Polybolos
47.Roman Bastion Scorpion
48.Roman Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
49.Roman Bastion Ballista
50.Roman Ballista
51.Roman Beehive Onager
52.Roman Scorpion
53.Roman Bastion Onager
54.Roman Onager
Special (1)
55.War Dogs
Admiral (2)
56.Assault Quadreme - Principes
57.Tower Hexareme - Triarii
Melee Ship (13)
58.Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Sabaean Spearmen
59.Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Axe Warriors
60.Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Celtic Warriors
61.Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Gallic Warriors
62.Assault Quadreme - Auxiliary Hoplites
63.Assault Bireme - Auxiliary Iberian Swordsmen
64.Assault Quadreme - Socii Extraordinarii
65.Assault Quadreme - Socii Hastati
66.Fire Pot Bireme - Hastati
67.Assault Bireme - Hastati
68.Assault Quadreme - Principes
69.Tower Hexareme - Triarii
70.Assault Hexareme - Triarii
Missile Ship (13)
71.Missile Trireme - Auxiliary Sabaean Archers
72.Missile Trireme - Auxiliary Celtic Skirmishers
73.Missile Quinquereme - Auxiliary Cretan Archers
74.Missile Quinquereme - Auxiliary Peltasts
75.Missile Quinquereme - Auxiliary Rhodian Slingers
76.Missile Trireme - Auxiliary Balearic Slingers
77.Missile Trireme - Auxiliary Iberian Slingers
78.Missile Trireme - Auxiliary Numidian Javelinmen
79.Raiding Hemiolia - Leves
80.Scorpion Trireme - Leves
81.Missile Trireme - Leves
82.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Leves
83.Missile Quinquereme - Velites
Artillery Ship (2)
84.Light Artillery Quinquereme - Roman Ballista (Ship)
85.Artillery Quinquereme - Roman Onager (Ship)